Reading

I’ve been reading Scott Adams’ book, The Dilbert Future, a quite hilarious effort at “futuring” based on Dilbert’s unique perspective. The entire premise of the book is that we are all gullible imbeciles and I, for one, think that’s as good a starting point as any for predicting the future. (Perhaps more on that later.) It struck me that it wasn't my typical 'read' though - and now I am wondering what IS.

I’ve spent the summer reading Kurt Vonnegut with a little bit of Carl Hiaasen thrown in, as well as some Michael Chabon and a perhaps ill-advised plodding through Neal Stephenson’s ultimately disappointing ‘historical’ trilogy. (And, of course, I had a little romp with Harry Potter in July, but who didn’t?) I think I’m going to start on Tom Robbins again next, although I have whole shelves full of Martin Cruz Smith and John le Carre´ that I’d enjoy diving into again as well; and just bought one by Margaret Atwood...

I read for ideas, for the way words are put together to create images or humor, for the insights into the human condition – for pure enjoyment. The first ‘important’ book I remember reading was not the dark, unhappy literature of high school English classes; it was Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Wow, what an impact that book had on my life and politics. I started reading Vonnegut in college and he and I sort of matured together, I almost think. (If you want to read his books, I'd recommend starting with his first one and continuing chronologically.)

My love of reading came from teenage summers spent with the books of British humor ‘master’, P.G. Wodehouse. Over the last 10 years or so, I’ve found some of his delightful brand of word-smithing and plot-circling in Terry Pratchett, author of the Discworld books. I read Ann Rice too, although I never thought I'd be interested in 'vampire' books until I was sick and needed something to occupy my mind while recovering. (My husband bought me the whole series-to-date of the Vampire Lestat and I’ve been reading all the new ones ever since, with their wonderfully complex relationships and morality issues.) For that matter I read Ann Tyler as well - go figure. And Sue Grafton and Dick Francis for simple recreation; and Richard Russo for his characters; and Patricia Cornwell for her compassion; and Neil Gaiman for his fantasies...

The thing is, I don’t remember the specific gems I've read and loved, once I am done with them. So I can rediscover them over and over.

Proving, thereby, that Dilbert is right – I, at least, am a gullible imbecile. And my future is in books.