Books, Glorious Books

As I've taken down my "Currently" snippet--where I showed what I was reading, watching, playing, etc...--I realize that I've neglected to plug any of my current reads. This has been even worse as I've been updating my Goodreads account and just assuming that everyone knows what I've been reading and whether or not it is worth their time. So, I'm going to take a moment to plug two of my current reads: Drown by Junot Diaz, and The Book of the Dun Cow by Walter Wangerin Jr.

Drown is a collection of short stories by the recent Pulitzer Prize winner of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao--a book I can't recommend highly enough. (If you haven't read it--especially if you are into comics and fantasy and nerdy crap--it's one of the best books ever. Even if you aren't into that stuff, I'm sure you will be blown away.) Now having read Diaz's earlier work, I don't think I would've been so floored by Oscar Wao. Right from Diaz's early beginnings, his story-telling and voice are impeccable. Really. He's the kind of writer that is both inspiring and soul-crushing. Inspiring because he shows what a wordsmith can do with a few choice words. Soul-crushing because he makes a fledgling author want to all but give up his attempt at writing because he will never amount to even a fraction of Diaz's talent. It's not fair. Not fair at all. But that being said, it goes to show how much everyone needs to read this man's books. The amount of emotion he can stir up within a person in such a small amount of space... I really hate this guy and his amazing talent. I continue to be in awe of him, and I suggest that you do yourself a favor and buy one, or both, of his books.

The Book of the Dun Cow is a much different read by comparison, but enjoyable nevertheless. While I might not be envious of Wangerin's writing, I'm still jealous of his emotional manipulation. (I need to work on this in my own novel.) He's got me caring about chickens and mice and dogs more than I ever have before. Many have compared this novel to Watership Down and/or Animal Farm, and while I see why they've done so--this is an allegory involving animals--the themes and overall emotion goes in a different direction than Adam's and Orwell's masterpieces. This might not be a book for everyone, but from what I've read, I'd be doing a disservice to the world of readers if I did not give it a bit of a push in their direction.

Really, there's not much better for a writer to do than read--then pass on the good finds. And if you want to see my lengthy list of recent reads and mini-reviews, hit me up on Goodreads. You can find me by searching for my lengthy email: chris(dot)smith(dot)mailliw(dot)william(at)gmail(dot)com. Just tell me you read my blog and I'll befriend you.

Divine Providence?

I always find it weird and rather frightening that my interest in specific things tend to make them prominent in the world. I suppose it can always just be attributed to the fact that once you KNOW about something, you are more attuned to it, and thus see it everywhere. Like when you get a new car, you suddenly notice that EVERYONE has a car just like yours.

My latest example of this has come in the form of G.K. Chesterton's The Man Who was Thursday. I found this book while poking around Goodreads and thought that it would be something I would like to read. I go to buy the thing at BN (yes, I know, they're the devil to the book world), and though their website had said it was in stock, they were sold out when I got to the store. Someone else had caught the Chesteron bug. Since then, I haven't been able to find a copy and was starting to talk myself out of wanting the thing. But, once again, the book entered my life through the latest issue of The New Yorker that contained an article about the book's and Chesterton's history. Apparently, the book is celebrating its 100 year anniversary, so it is no wonder that it has been popping up all over the place.

It just always feels like an odd coincidence when these sorts of things happen, how my fixation seems to be the world's, though this probably has something to do with my subconscious narcissism.