As a kid, these were some of my favorite books! I can remember reading them in the library in my grade school (by myself of course, as I was a nerd and was ostracized by the rest of the children). It was fun to get lost in the story, and unlike real life, when you choose an adventure and end up not liking the ending, you can just go back and choose a different one!
Choose Your Own Adventure Books now have a website where you can check out all of their new releases and purchase books. I haven't read one of these since I was about nine or ten years old, but I may buy one now; I wonder if I will enjoy these books as an adult as much as I did as a child? If not, it will be nice to have one on the shelf for the sake of nostalgia. The author, R.A. Montgomery, even has his own blog in which he documents his real adventures.
If you have kids or even are a bit of a kid yourself, check out these books. If you do not want to buy them, check your local library; Choose Your Own Adventure Books have been around since the late 1970's, so I'm sure you'll be able to find some.
Showing posts with label Fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fiction. Show all posts
Content versus Style
For me, no matter how captivating the plot of a book is, if it is not well-written, I really cannot enjoy it. It will therefore not make a good impression on me; I will read it solely to find out what happens in the story. If I am able to get through the entire book, I will most likely toss it aside and never read it again (or sell it on Amazon:).
The best book, of course, and the best kind of writer, is one who combines exquisite writing with intriguing and unique content. At times, such writers are able to capture a human emotion or thought so subtle, that they bring to light ideas which may be buried deep in our subconscious, or things we have felt in our lives and have never been able to put into words. They inspire us. These are the types of authors that I most admire. For this reason, Ray Bradbury, Paulo Coelho and Joanne Harris are among my favorites. These authors weave their vocabulary so incredibly that the sentence itself becomes a work of art. Here are some examples from two of my favorite novels.
"But still, we raced faster as the years wore on, staying a month, two at the most, then moving on like fugitives facing the sunset. It took me some years to understand that it was death we fled." [Chocolat by Joanne Harris, Penguin Putnam Inc., 1999]
"Somewhere in him, a shadow turned mournfully over. You had to run with a night like this, so the sadness could not hurt." [Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury, Harper Collins, 1999]
Which is more important to you when reading and rating a book: content or style? What authors do you feel excel in both aspects?
The best book, of course, and the best kind of writer, is one who combines exquisite writing with intriguing and unique content. At times, such writers are able to capture a human emotion or thought so subtle, that they bring to light ideas which may be buried deep in our subconscious, or things we have felt in our lives and have never been able to put into words. They inspire us. These are the types of authors that I most admire. For this reason, Ray Bradbury, Paulo Coelho and Joanne Harris are among my favorites. These authors weave their vocabulary so incredibly that the sentence itself becomes a work of art. Here are some examples from two of my favorite novels.
"But still, we raced faster as the years wore on, staying a month, two at the most, then moving on like fugitives facing the sunset. It took me some years to understand that it was death we fled." [Chocolat by Joanne Harris, Penguin Putnam Inc., 1999]
"Somewhere in him, a shadow turned mournfully over. You had to run with a night like this, so the sadness could not hurt." [Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury, Harper Collins, 1999]
Which is more important to you when reading and rating a book: content or style? What authors do you feel excel in both aspects?
The Fictional Hero
I think the reason we love the heroes in books and movies so much is simply this - most of us are cowards; that is, there are things we want to say in our lives that we sometimes hold back because of our inhibitions, or because of the potential consequences. For example, I might refrain from mouthing off to my boss about something because I fear the consequence, i.e. getting fired! The heroes in books and movies do what we have not the courage to do, and say what we have not the strength to say. We worship these characters for acting in situations the way we wish we could act, were there not consequences. We all love the down-trodden employee who finally stands up to his boss at the end of a movie, because most of us have to answer to managers and supervisors that do not treat us exactly how we want to be treated, and tell us to do things that we do not agree with. We love the character who has the courage to step off the "beaten path," and live out her life the way she wants to, even though it means taking a big risk, much like the hero in the movie Jerry MacGuire. This is the reason why I love Fight Club so much; for aren't many of us (in some ways) like Edward Norton's character? We imagine ourselves doing the things which we know are brave and/or crazy; we want to be Tyler Durden, but are too afraid. Who is your favorite fictional hero? Why and how do you relate to him or her?
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