I have always been a keen reader and, a couple of times, I have almost committed to writing a book. I enjoy writing but I also like finishing what I write, so no book from me in the foreseeable future.
I also harbor the thought that, as much as I enjoy reading, I sometimes think that I should be doing something more productive or taking exercise rather than just sitting with a book. When I am reading, I try to maintain a variety in what I read. I like to read history books covering the last hundred years mainly. I also like novels which are historic, or partly technical or political. Also novels which are romantic or involving some sort of intrigue. Lastly, I like books about some technical issues, including cooking, or travel.
Every now and again, I take stock of what I have been reading during the last year or so, to ensure that I am maintaining a balance in subject matter. Taking stock is what I am doing at this moment.
I find my reading habits have changed slightly of late, mainly in regard to favorite authors. Tom Clancy, for example has been one of my favorites for many years. Every new title of his I would buy without reading reviews. Nowadays, I don't even pick up his books when I see a new one. So, what happened? Well, when an author begins to put on the cover of a new book "By Jerrold Nutterbuck with Liliana Dullsworthy", I get very suspicious. However good an author Ms Dullsworthy may be, she cannot utilize Mr Nutterbucks brain. Thus, there is a considerable loss of continuity involved. Increasing quantity seems always to decrease quality in this respect. Beware, another favorite of mine, James Patterson. The effect of such an enormous change on an author's writing style would be rather like finding out that my favorite brand of pate de foie gras is now made from the entrails of Chinese chickens and is available mainly through Walmart. Simple statement, catastrophic effect!
My two most consistent favorite authors both come from the UK. They are Jack Higgins and Ken Follett. I was first attracted to them by their novels about World War 2. Their writing style reminded me strongly of the late, great author Nevil Shute. I believe I have read all of his books, and there were a lot of them. These two authors have continued to write about spies or international intrigue. Ken Follett has also ventured into writing a major historical epic, "Pillars of the Earth" and a successor "World Without End", The former is a great history book as well as a novel, the latter I have not yet read. He has also written the first book of a promised trilogy "Fall of Giants", which covers the fortunes and misfortunes of five families in different countries during World War 1 and subsequent years. This book is in my "to read" pile.
I have never been caught up in the Harry Potter scenario and have not wanted to read any of the books or see the movies. To me, they were kids stuff. However, recently, my daughter convinced me to read " Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone", the first book of the series. I was absolutely astounded. It was like reading a firework display.......a blue and yellow flash here, a red and green blast over there. Everything was happening at the same time. Wow! What a brain J K Rowling must have. Her writing style just sucks you in and I could not put the book down. So, now, I have six more books on the "to read" pile. But, before I go on to book 2, I have interjected a re-issue of an old Jack Higgins novel.
Another first for me this year has been to read a just released first novel by a new author. This was Alexa Martin's debut novel "Girl Wonder". This is a Young Adult novel and thus I would not normally have read it except that Alexa is a very good friend of ours and is also our "adopted granddaughter". I had been wanting to read it because I particularly like her writing style. The book arrived in a package on May 3rd, the day of release. I opened it and started reading and I found it was like a burst of morning sunshine coming over the eastern skyline, a real pleasure to read. I look forward to reading more from her.
During the last year, I have read a trilogy by the late Swedish author Stieg Larsson. These books are titled "The Girl Who Played With Fire", "The Girl Who...............", etc and they are three of the most interesting novels I have ever read. He has an extremely easy going and exciting writing style that makes reading so enjoyable. What a pity he died so young. If you are into good, well written, fast moving crime fiction, these are for you.
A subject which has kept my interest for many, many years now has been the revelation of the development and use of cipher technology in international relations from the late 1930's to beyond the Cold War period after World War 2. I must have over 20 books on this subject. I know this sounds boring but, I worked in this sphere when I was in the British Army in my twenties and I have been interested in it ever since. I have read two new books on this subject in the last few months. They keep popping out of the formerly secret cocoon as new papers are released from secrecy each year.
I have read two travel related books in the last year. The first one was a so far unpublished book by a so far unknown author about renovating an old house in the hills along the French/Italian border. The other was Frances Mayes "Under the Tuscan Sun". This covers the same sort of subject in nearby Tuscany. So they both cover an interest of mine in an area which I love and the second adds another great interest of mine, French/Italian cooking. Both of them a great read.
So, what do I do to keep up with the events of the modern world? One thing is certain, you cannot do this successfully by reading the average newspaper or listening to and watching major network TV and radio.
Time for digression. When we first came to the United States over 43 years ago, most people used to ask us "What do you like most about the USA?" We used to reply truthfully that we like almost everything. But, nobody ever asked us how far the "almost" stretched. So, I started asking people "Why don't you ask us what we don't like?". Most people would look shocked that there was actually something we did not like. If they then asked what it was, I used to tell them "I think the news media has to be amongst the worst in the world". Some of them then looked even more shocked and yet many agreed with me. In the 43 intervening years, not much has changed. The media has got worse and the rest of the world is trying to keep up with the worsening. I do not see much chance of any improvement when the media management is so hopelessly biassed and they employ correspondents who seem to be encouraged to use inaccurate, similarly biassed reporting methods. The end result is that "news" now has a smattering of truth trying vainly to stay afloat in a morass of liberalese gallstones.
It matters not in which direction the biass is applied. Whether it be to the left or right, whether it be towards Iran or Israel, whether it be towards sweet cream or unsalted butter does not matter one iota. Regardless of direction, one undisputed fact stands proud. This is that, if the truth becomes biassed, it is then no longer the truth. Hopefully, some day in the not too distant future, some of the news moguls will realize this.
Well, now that I have let my hobby horse loose to canter a couple of laps around the paddock, I think its time to change the subject. So what do I do to keep up with what is going on? I choose my TV and radio stations very carefully and ignore the major newspapers almost entirely.
The foregoing describes what I do in tracking the written word. I endeavor to ensure that what I read covers most of the facets of my interests and of the world at large. So, it depends on which book I pick up on which day to let me know for that day.......What is the word?
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