Why Not?

I've often wondered, and now I'm doing it out loud - so to speak, why it is that more people don't read. Really, I know - too busy, slow reader, whatever, but really, why not? There is nothing that I enjoy more, after a long day when I feel frazzeled and just want to get away, than opening a book whose characters come into my mind throughout the day and see what is happening. When I was reading Atlas Shrugged, I thought about how that book was going to end, who was going to end up where and with whom, all throughout the day for the whole time that I was reading it - and it's a 1100 page book!!!

I'd much rather read a great book than see a movie where all the lose ends are feebly tied up in just the 2 hour time frame. Sure, there are some great movies out there - the new Bond is really fun, and Enoch and I both enjoyed The Prestige and The Illusionist, but these were movies that kept us engaged in conversation afterwards, trying to figure out how everything happened that really happened. There aren't many movies that do that anymore, but there are tons and tons of great books!!!

I think I'll add a list to this blog of books that are on my list to read - feel free to recommend some that you thought were great. Just a couple of thoughts on the books that I have read recently. A Farewell to Arms is the first Hemingway book that I've read - I don't know how I got an English degree without reading any of his novels, but I did. I was completely in awe - what a great book!!! If I ever get a job and get to teach American Lit, I will definitely be including this as a novel to be read some years.

Twilight - Stephenie Meyer. I got this book from the teacher who I did my student teaching with (Thanks Danna) and when I heard what it was about there was a part of me that groaned. But there were so many students who were riveted by the book, I thought I needed to at least give it a shot. It's about a girl who moves to WA to live with her dad and ends up falling in love with a vampire. I know, it sounds really dumb, but it completely consumed my life for the 6 hrs it took to read it (no, not all at once, I don't have that kind of solid time to read) :) It's written by an LDS author from BYU, but it's not completely cheesy - really, it's a great book. I just need to get my hands on the sequel...

Ayn Rand has changed my life - I bought a bunch of her books off of ebay and I just want to keep reading them. I'm forcing myself to read other authors, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if I've read all of her works that I have - 10 or so - by the end of the year. I love her philosophy and the more I see the ridiculousness of the world, the more I love her works.

Okay - anyone who has some suggestions of great books - let me have them - I'll add them to my list.