I'm BACK!

WOW! I hadn't realized how long it had been since I posted. I have been reading as much as I can but my work load and personal load seemed to collide to make the perfect storm of exhaustion. But I am re-focused, re-energized and ready to share my literary insights, opinions, and plain ole musings of a passionate reader. I have some posts back logged that I will get out soon and am currently finishing a great book that I am excited to talk about. Thanks for hanging with me and check back often to see all the new updates and stories I have to tell. Hope everyone had a great holiday season!


HAPPY READING.

"It's better to ask for forgiveness, than for permission."

If one quote can sum up the complex, brilliant, shockingly real person that is Paul Farmer it would be "We want to be on the winning team, but at the risk of turning our backs on the losers, no it's not worth it." Tracy Kidder becomes Paul Farmer's companion and witnesses an incredible human being with a super human ability to multi task, completely disregard bureaucracy, and be a champion for social justice.

In Mountains Beyond Mountains Kidder tells the story of hot shot doctor Paul Farmer. If there ever is a person that who will leave you with a sense of awe for just what one human being is capable of, it is Farmer. Farmer is a Harvard educated diagnostician who chooses to spend at least 6 physical months of his year in Haiti building a sustainable, self sufficient health faculty. At the same time he finds himself as a professor, diagnostician, clinical researcher, writer, key not speaker, husband, and father, etc etc. Paul Farmer created the international organization Partners in Health which provides health care services in Haiti and several other parts of the world. What I find most impressive about this achievement on Farmer's long list of them is that there is only 5% administrative costs and he has hired many local people in the successful attempt to make them feel invested and better there own lives.

From the very beginning of Kidder's dialogue about Paul Farmer's story you realize that Farmer himself is a man who does what he does from a point of social justice. He doesn't see a reason why the Haitian people should suffer or have worse health care then the members of his family. People are people in his world and they all deserve the same treatment. With that being said, Farmer is no Mother Theresa. He can be cocky, obnoxious and full of himself but these attributes are far overshadowed by the genius and passion he carries through out this world.

This book tells Farmer's life story through the lens of his current person. You see why him creating a science club in the third grade is important to the person he has become, or how his interactions with this parents created the intense personal drive that has led him on his path.

If you want to know about real people doing real good for this world I strongly encourage you to read this book. You will be amazed at how much difference one truly passionate person can make.

New Project; Attempt #1

I've already written one post about how much I love Oh, the Places You'll Go by Dr. Suess so it occur ed to me to start there for the new phase of my creative outlet project. I painted this one in the spirit of Suess and think it went pretty well. His style is just so whimsical and enchanting and in that spirit this is how the painting came out. I'm obviously not any kind of amazing talent but art in general is not an exclusive club so I'm going to keep doing it and trying new thigns until I don't enjoy it any more.

Witht that said, I really enjoyed the process of reading a book and "feeling" it enough to then create something from the inspiration of the story. Books really do bring joy and I hope everyone can find a book, or three that can have a great impact on their life.

Keep looking for more paintings and more reviews. I have several in the works. HAPPY SUNDAY AND HAPPY READING!

New project!

Hey everyone. I've been reading a lot so look for some new reviews soon. I've got a new project in mind. I obviously have a passion for literature but really my passion is the arts in general; theater, music, films, all of those things really make me happy and give me something to think about. So I've decided I'm going to merge two of my favorite things; literature and painting.

When I was 5 if you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up I would have told you with supreme confidence and total certitude that I was going to be either a Power Ranger or an artist. I later realized Power Rangers are not real and then I found out that I outgrew any true artistic talent at around age 10. But painting makes me happy and is a great outlet for me so I'm starting again. It doesn't matter to me anymore that the work itself is not great, it's original and it's mine and that's enough for me. My happiness will no longer be defined by others approval, it will be self- made, self preserved, and throughly enjoyed.

So, as part of a self improvement/ creative outlet, I am going to start painting literature related pieces. Not sure what will come out of this little experiment but it's bound to be fun. I've done one already based on Dr. Suess "Oh, the places you'll go" and really enjoyed the whole process. I will post a picture soon. With the painting I write a little blurb about the book that inspired it and what about the book specifically the painting represents.

So keep checking back for new reviews and paintings! They will be coming in mass in the next couple of weeks. When I get on a roll I really fly. Who knows, if they have any merit and anyone likes them I could take requests; Christmas is only 82 days away. Ha! But, let's not get ahead of ourselves or my talent :)

Happy reading everyone!

"Read in order to live." - Gustave Flaubert

"When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."

Al.che.mist; a person who studies alchemy

Al.che.my; a medieval chemical science and speculative philosophy aiming to achieve the transmutation of the base metals into gold, the discovery of a universal cure for disease, and the discovery of a means of indefinitely prolonging life 



The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is the kind of book that comes along seldom in a reader's lifetime. It is one that will touch your soul and stay with you long after you have turned that last page. Inspirational does not even begin to describe it; If you highlighted every quote that taught you a lesson or made you think deeply the entire book would glow fluorescent orange.

The Alchemist is a story about Santiago, a young shepherd boy who travels from Spain to Egypt looking for a treasure buried in the ancient pyramids. The story is more about his journey then the end destination just as all ours lives are. Through the young Andalusian shepherd boy we learn things about ourselves we really never knew existed. This book is more then just bound pages it is a push toward your second chance.

A book like this rings so true for everyone but especially a person like me who is at the crossroads of deciding what, who, and why things are important. With so many directions to choose from life can seem to get twisted and convoluted. It takes a clear head and a strong sense of self to make it through and it also takes books like this. Sometimes it takes a stranger who has a gift with words to reaffirm to ourselves who we are and why we believe what we believe.

Do yourselves a favor and take some time to read this book. And then do your friends a favor and pass it on. It will become an instant favorite. It will give you hope, inspiration, courage, and affirmation. It will make you remember your dreams are and the fight you have inside you to achieve them.



"Because, wherever your heart is, that is where you'll find your treasure."


The Alchemist
Paulo Coelho
167 pages

I still don't understand Cricket

Sarah Lyall in The Anglo Files has written a great semi biographical piece about her transition from America to England. She married a writer and moved to central London to pursue a new life and to continue her career as a journalist. She produces a witty, funny and faced paced account of how different she found the cultures and the unexpected difficulties she faced while trying to adopt a new culture.

She talks about the overall social conscious of the English people in there lack of belief in therapy, their acceptance of drunken playboy behavior from their Parliament members and Royal family, and their absolute fascination with cricket, which I still do not understand. She talks about how children's education systems are dramatically different, socio-economic status still matters, and how they eat baked beans for breakfast and enjoy not having lights on. She sees a culture still heavily influenced by WWII, most notably the ration system that taught them to live with the bare minimum...and be thankful for it. They truly enjoy sunshine because they hardly see it, dampness doesn't bother them, and umbrella's are every day necessities.

She finds that most of the harmless stereotypes about the Brits are fairly true. They enjoy beer immensely, they love soccer (excuse me, football), have a perverse aversion to being praised, find being embarrassed to be the worst thing that can ever happen to them, and hold hundred year old traditions very close. Lyall also sees just how different American English is from the Queen's English. The difference in semantics and verbal style can almost be chalked up a language barrier. She found it most times to be amusing but on more then one occasion hindering and annoying.

This is just a great easy read that will keep you entertained and teach you a thing or two about our neighbors across the pond. It's a small island with big culture and this first person insight from a person who knows how to convey it makes for a great post summer read.

The UN; Friend or Foe?

As an individual who is very socially conscious and believes in humanitarian efforts, I just naturally saw the United Nations as a benevolent body that did good work through out the world. I was intrigued by the title of this book alone; Tower of Babble; How the United Nations has Fueled Global Chaos.

Author Dore Gold looks into ways that the United Nations has failed to live up to the goals of the institution which is to have an overall governing body for peace through out the world. He highlights the lack of response during the Rwandan genocide and the massacre in Srebrenica. The institution itself is a lofty ideal which came about after the atrocities of WWII. After Hitler rampaged his way through Europe conducting mass casualties along the way the Allies came together and formed the United Nations in an effort to prevent anything like what the world just witnessed  from happening again.

The idea that the nations of the world, all with their different governments and ideals can be overseen by a single institution is grounded in difficulties and bound to cause failures in its applications. Every nation has there objectives and is willing to do what it takes to see them through. What is in the best interest of the U.S. is not the same as for Great Britain. You would think however that the idea of global peace would be pretty universal, but don't forget that the UN is, after all, a government agency and nothing in government is clear cut.

In theory the United Nations is a great institution. It promotes world peace and stability while holding all the governments involved accountable for their actions. In practice however there are some severe flaws that have lead to inaction on the part of the institution and if you agree with Dore Gold, the worsening of world conflicts.

Keep in mind that one authors opinion is not fact and the United Nations is much more complicated then one book can describe. Read objectively and research the matter fully to come to your own conclusions. It is good to read multiple sources on matters of facts and this is just one source.


Tower of Babble; How the United Nations has fueled global Chaos
By: Dore Gold
238 pages

"I ran with the wind blowing in my face, and a smile as wide as the Valley of Panjsher on my lips. I ran."

I'd heard of this book a hundred times and it's one of those things that I just tend to stay away from. I don't know if it's all the hype, or just not liking to follow the trends but I was reluctant to read this one. I got it as a gift for my birthday and it came highly recommended so I figured I would clear it from my "to be read shelf." I was actually pretty surprised at how much I enjoyed it. It wasn't ground breaking for me but it did keep me entertained which is what reading is all about.

The Kite Runner tells the life story of Amir, a young Afghan boy who commits a betrayal early in life which follows him and seeps into every decision and moment from then on. He trys to suppress the memory and move on with his life but his emotions can only be buried so deep. He looks for redemption and a way to escape the past while attempting to create a new life. It is a powerful story of human emotion and life themes; regret, loss, love, redemption, friendship, acceptance, guilt.

Through out our lives we all go through times of intense emotion and hardship; coming out on the other side stronger is what makes it all worth while. This story will resonate with everyone on one level or another. Something in it will feel familiar while the author Khaled Hosseini exposes readers to the largely unfamiliar Afghan world.  

It is a fast paced intricate story that deals with emotion without being too sappy, life themes without being cliche, and political unrest without being "political". It is a great casual read and will leave an impression that only good story telling can.

The Kite Runner

Khaled Hosseini

371 pages

Courtesy of Michelle



"If he be Mr. Hyde, I shall be Mr. Seek."

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; Classic. A short yet amazing look into the duality of man and what is truly inside of us all. Robert Louis Stevenson explores human nature in this twisted tale of a respectable well admired Dr. Jekyll who makes a concoction that turns him into the evil side of his sub conscious Mr. Hyde. As the doctor gets more and more enthralled with the lack of responsibility and candor that Hyde requires he loses control of his "good" side and starts to not know the difference or who he truly is.

This is one of those stories that everyone knows but is really great to re visit it and allow yourself to be wrapped up in the drama and intellectual debate of it. With this one I recommend giving yourself some time to sit and ponder human nature. It is just a fascinating window into ourselves and for every person a different question, or answer will come out of reading it. What forces us to make decisions the way we do? Why do we strive to be good people? Why do we feel obligated to follow society? You can get lost in your own thoughts for hours and sometimes that is a great way to spend an afternoon.

It's a short one and well worth the day it two it will take to get through it. It's a classic for a reason, enjoy.


"Between these two, I now felt I had to choose. My two natures had memory in common, but all other faculties were most unequally shared between them."



Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Robert Louis Stevenson
85 Pages

Sex, Drugs, Rock n' roll, Death and Redemption.

I have finished one of those books that sits in your gut like a stone and makes you raise your eyebrows and breath deeply more then once. The Heroin Diaries by Nikki Sixx is an unbelievable, real time look into the mind of a highly addicted rock star. I know there are plenty of rock biographies out there with shocking stories of drugs and sex but this one is head and shoulders above the rest.

Nikki Sixx, bassist of Motley Crue, actually kept a diary in 1987 when he was a full blown alcoholic, cocaine, heroin, and pill addict. Anything he could get his hands on he would do and at 100 mph. He would often write entries after coming down from a coke binge or after he hadn't slept for 48 hours. The original dairy entries are recorded and then through out the people being discussed in the entries make comments with Nikki commenting as well. For example if in the diary Nikki is talking about one of the countless crazy nights he had with Tommy Lee, they interviewed Tommy about it and included his comments as a retrospective. It is incredible to see how Nikki reacts to his own diary entries and just how tormented he was then and how clearly he sees it all now. It is almost as if you are reading his diary with him sitting there.

It truly is heart breaking to see how much pain he was in. From the outside it looks like just another idiot rock star who has too much money to spend and is irresponsible but Nikki's problem started long before he ever found drugs. His father abandoned him, mother sent him to leave with his grandparents, and he never found an outlet for his sadistic creativity. His path was set way before he knew where he was headed.

I didn't particularly care about Nikki Sixx or Motley Crue for that matter before reading this book but I am very interested in the human psychology of people who feel like they are trapped. It certainly gives a new insight into individuals with addictions and maybe because of this book, next time you encounter an addict you will hesitate just a second before passing judgement; if your trying, a second is just long enough to see through the self obsessed behavior and see how much pain is involved in the lifestyle.

No one dreams of becoming a drug addict, no one takes that first hit with the intention of ruining their life and the lives of others around them for the drug. But in that hit, drag, puff, or swig they find a brief but intense flash of sanity and calm. They find a long sought answer, a mute button for their mind, a validation that has so alluded them. Drugs become their best friend and their worst enemy. And just as fast as they find it, it is gone and the never ending search has begun. All control is abandoned and nothing else matters but going back to the place where they were happy. Nikki's struggle shows us just how people who seemingly have it all can be the most emotionally bankrupt.

This book is written in a style similar to a graphic novel with lots of drawings and graphic visual illustrations. It works to give you a little piece of Nikki's mind and really creates a very dramatic reading experience. It's one thing to read the words, but to feel them is rare and by reading this book you feel every twist, turn and drop of the emotional roller coaster Nikki Sixx was riding to his death.

The Heroin Diaries gives an insight into a world most of us do not know first hand but probably have experienced in some way; addiction. To not be an addict is a blessing and for those who are it is the most difficult path they could have chosen but there is always a way out. Nikki Sixx has survived what 99% of others couldn't and has come out of the tunnel to tell his story. So, if you want to be shocked, saddened, and uplifted through out the course of reading a book, it doesn't get much more real than this.

The Heroin Diaries

By: Nikki Sixx

413 pages

"Every book you see here has been somebody's best friend."

I have just finished reading one of the best novels I have picked up in a long time. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is a much needed breath of fresh air. It is an intelligent, fast paced, intricate story of a young bookshop apprentice, Daniel, who finds himself swept into the mystery surrounding a mysterious author.

Young Daniel is taken to the cemetery of forgotten books by his father with the instruction that he is to never tell anyone about the place and that he may choose one book out of labyrinth of shelves to make his own. It is here that he finds a book, which turns out to be the only copy in existence, written by the author Julian Carax. Daniel is mesmerized by the story and wants to read anything and everything written by Carax. In his search for novels by the author he learns there has been a mysterious figure hunting them all down and burning them. Intrigued by the story, Daniel starts to investigate further and discovers the amazing and emotional story of Julian Carax. Not only does he discover it, but he becomes a major player in it. The danger, friendships, love and compassion that Daniel finds through his search for an answer and a legend is a very real look into the human psyche and showcases what the difference is between being alive and living.

It's a story of crime, passion, literature, life, and moral dilemmas. It is about all these things but not one in particular and doesn't try too hard to create drama, it just happens. The story takes many twists and turns but never loses its way or gets too convoluted. This is a book about books and any reader will really enjoy it. The love I have for words and a proper arraignment of them into something that stays with me long after the last page is turned is something that I have found here in this story. From one reader to another, I highly recommend this great story.

The Shadow of the Wind
By: Carlos Ruiz Zafon
486 pages

Beware the Bard

Today class, we are going to talk about everyone's favorite subject....Shakespeare (que groan). I know I know, but I swear this is not one of those lessons, in fact the goal here is to maybe, with just the slightest bit of luck, welcome a new reader to the world that is Shakespearean literature.

I know in my case I was doomed for want of a sharper pencil for sticking in my eye when it came to Shakespeare because of freshman year high school english. We started out of the gate with the "classic" tale of Romeo and Juliet. As a 14 year old, I would rather have had my mom show up at my school carrying the lunch box I intentionally left at home. The teachers were not interested, the students were not interested, and it became a quicksand bog we just "had to get through".

So from day one Shakespeare was a dreaded, irrelevant, guaranteed pain in the ass. However, in the course of many more forced readings of the man himself through out both high school and college I have found a way to....wait for it....ENJOY Shakespeare. Now, I know your thinking there is no way, but I confess I cheat. In the case of Shakespeare it is the meaning that matters more then the words and if because of the outdated Shakespearian language you cannot notice the puns, the jokes, and the references then it is wasted effort on your part trying to read it. So for that reason I read the work of Shakespeare through the spark notes "No Fear Shakespeare" series. This series contains a version of the play as it was originally written on the left hand page and then on the opposing page "translates" it into modern language. Now yes, some purist will say this is blasphemy and that the story is ruined in translation, but to that I answer is it not better to give people a chance and expose them to the story rather than get all hung up on the prose and verse?

To give you an example of what this series can do I am pulling from King Lear. The original Shakespeare is on the left hand page and the modern translation is on the right. Act 3 Scene 1;

Original (Left hand page)
Gentleman: Contending with the fretful elements. Bids the winds blow the earth into the sea or swell the curled water 'bove the main, That things might change or cease. Tears his white hair, which the impetuous blasts, with eyeless rage, catch in their fury and make nothing of. Strives in his little world of man to outscorn the to-and-fro conflicting wind and rain. This night-wherein the cub drawn bear would couch, the lion and the belly pinched wolf keep their fur dry-unbonneted he runs, and bids what will take all.

Translation (Right hand page)
Gentleman: Struggling with the wind and rain. He's shouting at the wind to blow the earth into the sea, or make the sea flood the eart-he wants to see the world return to primal chaos. He keeps tearing out his white hair, which the blindly raging winds catch up and blow away into nothingness. Small but brave in his surroundings, he's trying to stand up against the wind and rain blowing back and forth. He's running bare headed, calling for the end of the world, out there on a night like this, when even savage animals ravenous with hunger crawl under cover and hide.

See how much easier it is? It opens up the amazing story telling of Shakespeare to people like me who were left with such a bad taste in their mouth that even the sound of his name made our eyes roll.

The series never came more in handy then during my junior year of college when I took, for some reason I still cannot remember, Early Shakespeare: A look into the early works of William Shakespeare; Lit 4321. The book alone could crush your soul...and your skull as it turns out. The textbook was 3,417 bible like pages. Carrying this book around was enough torture for a lifetime, let alone having to open it and read it. The soda can next to it will give you some perspective of just how big it truly was.

This course however, combined with the ability to actually read and understand the plays has opened me up to the genius that was Shakespeare. One of my favorite stories now is "Twelfth Night" and I found "Hamlet" to be fascinating as well. 

So, if your like me and were destined to hate Shakespeare for lack of comprehension and lack of "giving a crap" to figure it out, then I strongly suggest picking up any one of the "No Fear Shakespeare" guides. These stories are classics for a reason and the message is still relevant even if the language and prose is not. Go ahead give it a shot...no need to fear the bard.

98 3/4 percent guaranteed

A little perspective and renewed appreciation of life in general is always a good thing and for me, that oddly enough comes from reading Oh, the places you'll Go by Dr. Seuss. I know this may seem strange but this book is like a mini spiritual guide and some of the best encouragement you can ever seek to find. When things don't go the way I've planned or I feel lost in this 6 billion person world, I pull out this children's classic and sit down for 5 minutes and let myself get taken in by the color, simplicity, and purity of the message. This book is often given as a graduation present, which is very appropriate, but it is such a great read for an anytime re-assessment of life in general.

To me this book is one that is a realistic way to convey the mess that is life to young children. It is great to fill their heads with hope and big dreams, but for a kid (and now adult) like me, I much preferred realistic versions of what I was up against. It ends with hope, as all life should, but it doesn't brush over the fact that a lot of time you will hit walls that you just can't get over. There will be times when you think you've hit the bottom, but that is the best place to start because you can only go up from there.

There are two pages in this book that frighten and sadden me at the same time. It's because I see so many people, usually middle aged adults, who have made this there reality. The pages are about what Dr. Seuss describes as "The waiting place".

The page reads; "...for people just waiting. Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting. Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a better break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or another chance. Everyone is just waiting."

The waiting place is a place I never want to be. I want to create the life of my dreams and the only thing stopping me or anyone from that life is ourselves. Create your own destiny, be willing to make mistakes, be willing to be silly and take risks. Failure is only as devastating as we let it be. Failure is beginning of triumph. One thing that I have started to make a priority in my life is to try and regain childlike wonderment. As a kid everything was interesting and exciting and falling down was expected. Responsibility and age should not be able to steal that from me or anyone else. The most dreaded word in the English language to me is "Routine". This short, simple children's books reminds us all that we may not be able to control our circumstances, but we can control how we deal with them. Our happiness and spirit is ours for the making.

My goal in life has always been to do it my way. The good, the bad, and everything in between as long as it was my decision and what I waned at the time then I have no regrets. This book with its rhymes and colors reminds me that I am the captain of this ship and if I don't like something, who says I can't change it? I have brains in my head, and feet in my shoes, and I can steer myself any direction I choose. At this time in my life, this message resonates more now then it ever has before. And if you find yourself in need of a little encouragement or you realize maybe your one of those people in "The waiting place" remember that......KID YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So next time your in a bookstore or you come across this book in your child's bookshelf, do yourself a favor and take 5 minutes to sit down and read it. It will brighten your day and remind you that it's never too late and no mistake is too great (that was my own rhyme ;).

"The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go" -Dr. Seuss

"Women hold up half the sky"

"Half the Sky" written by Nicholas Kristof and his wife Sheryl WuDunn is one of those books that is heart breaking and difficult to read but does so much good to shed light on the real issues of the world. This book is about women's issues through out the world. I know that tag "women's issues" turns some people off right away but it is about equality and the often atrocious treatment of people and women particularly through out the world.

A major part of this book is about Human trafficking which is an absolutely horrible aspect of our modern society. Young girls are sold into sex slavery and in many cases hooked on drugs so they will not leave the brothels they are forced to work in. They are subject to physical violence if they do not comply. This book is written with specific women highlighted to give a face and a name to this global problem.

After reading this book, you cannot pretend you don't know about what is going on in the world. It will certainly open your eyes and your hearts to a level of compassion you didn't know you could reach. These real women are in this world and live hell as a reality everyday. They have names, have dreams, children, and goals for themselves and have the same right to an opportunity to achieve them as your daughters, sisters, and friends.

Nicholas Kristoff is an op-ed writer for the New York Times and his column deals with humanitarian and social issues all over the world. If you don't read the book, I encourage you to read his bi-weekly column. It will continue to give you new perspective and knowledge about what is really happening in this world.

"Half the Sky: Turning oppression into opportunity for women worldwide." Nicholas D. Kristoff and Sherly WuDunn. 250 pages

"Your as good as the arguments you get".

Today I finished reading "Bono; in conversation with Michka Assayas". The book is written as a series of conversations that Bono had with French music journalist and friend Michka Assyaas. It's a very quick read, basically just an extended magazine article. They talk about Bono's young life, the death of his mother, his views on celebrity, his humanitarian work and any other tangent that Bono seemed to find a way to throw in. Bono is a personal hero of mine because of his work outside of the music industry. To me he is a celebrity who gets it. What I found most interesting about him is just how deeply his Christian faith plays a role in his life. There was rarely a time in the book when three pages went by without the mention of God, prayer, or faith. I personally am not of that persuasion but to see it work in a genuine way is refreshing. Bono swears, he drinks, he fights for the underprivileged and disadvantaged; he took all the right lessons of the faith and has been a great champion for them. This book is one that gives more insight into a public figure who some people may have preconceived notions about or feel they know what his story is. But I assure you that after reading this book you will find a complicated and deeply profound human being who realizes that celebrity and fame is fleeting and that there are more important causes then selling out arenas worldwide.

When discussing fairly basic topics he would say the most profound things without planning to or trying to make himself look good. He is a natural thinker and philosopher. For example, when asked about being an aging rock star he said "Some people die at seventeen and put their funeral off until they're seventy-seven. And I see a lot of dead young people, I see a lot of alive old people."

So if your looking for a quick summer read and an unconventional autobiography I recommend this book highly. I was already a fan of Bono's but his candid conversation has made him more of a man then the myth of cataclysmic rock star...which is how he always wanted it in the first place.

4 for the price of....2? Maybe

Yesterday I did one of my all time favorite things; I went to the bookstore. Borders is going out of business so I have been checking back in to see what's left and what the discounts look like. I have mixed emotions about this whole thing. I love getting books cheap, but I am sad at the idea of someday soon no longer being able to physically go to the store and browse for hours. This topic runs into the e-book vs. print book debate which I will post about soon. But as for yesterday, I ended up buying four books for $28. These four will be added to the large stack of yet to be read books that I have accumulated but I eventually get to them all.

What I love most about book sales is that it releases people from the feeling of "getting your monies worth" which allows us to step outside the box of what we usually buy. There is a mentality of "If I'm spending $15 I want to like the book so I'm going to go with the familiar". This is such a hindrance to the joy you can find in being pleasantly surprised. My mom is a perfect example; She hates period pieces, or historical fictions so when she saw "The Help" months ago she wrote it off as something she would hate. But the inevitable hype got her to read it and she really loved. Now whether this will translate to a dramatic shift in genre choosing, I doubt it, but she did gain an appreciation for the unfamiliar.

So literary tip for the day: Step outside your comfort zone. You may be pleasantly surprised, and if not, there is never a wasted experience and whether you know it or not you learned something.

Happy Reading.

Intro

Hey everyone,

My name is Taylor and I have opinions! I have opinions about a lot of things but my passion lies in literature. I began reading at a very young age thanks to Hooked on Phonics and I have not stopped since. I feel like there is too much "critical influence" when it comes to literature; why and for what reason I like or dislike a book stops and ends with me. I find value in all experiences and reading is no different. I will talk about things I'm reading, things I have read or general ideas about the community of literature as whole. I can promise to say interesting things, as I can also promise to say some uninteresting things. The whole idea of blogging and putting my opinions on a pedestal of accountability is new to me, but if you feel so inclined to check back we can go on this journey together. There is a promise I can make however, this blog will be more interesting then your run of the mill Lit 101.

"Books are humanity in print." -Barbara W. Tuchman