The question of which is better, printed paper books or e-books or audio books, comes up a lot on social media among readers, and frequently it’s more a question of aesthetics or personal preference. But I have actually had people challenge my preference for e-books, claiming that my e-reader used power to charge and was made of plastic and other materials that aren’t biodegradable.
The Silo series by Hugh Howey
I first read this series of three novels in late 2014, which was the first year that I had my Kindle e-reader. I seem to recall that at first I found the original short story, and then the collection that became the first full novel in Hugh Howey’s self-published Silo series, which at that time…
The Broken Queen by Lidiya Foxglove
The Queen of Songs isn’t quite what they were expecting.
The Broken Queen (Court of the Last Dragon, Book 1) by Lidiya Foxglove: Harrai is the dragon king, king of the Miralem people, who are all telepathic. The royal family of the Miralem ride dragons who are also telepathic, and the king is part dragon. He has been king since his parents died when he was a child, and for years only reluctantly filled that role, purely out of a sense of duty. There is some dark mystery surrounding his parents’ deaths. Now, he cannot marry until he finds the reincarnation of a prior queen, the Queen of Songs. It is she who will become his wife and bear his heirs.
The Moonspinners by Mary Stewart
Sometimes, while reading certain passages in The Moonspinners this time around, I got the impression that Mary Stewart was already, in 1961-1962, working on what I consider her masterpiece, The Crystal Cave.
This is the kind of writing that holds me spellbound in that later book, and it’s typically a point of interest in any of her romantic suspense novels, when it occurs.
2023 and the Books I Enjoyed
How much reading is too much? Back at the start of 2022, I deliberately set out to read less than in 2021, because I read at night before sleep, and I have trouble getting enough sleep. And that’s usually the only time I have to read. So I started 2022 with a reading challenge of just…
May-June 2023 favorite reads
The future of my favorite reads posts I’m covering two months of reading with this post. That would cause it to be extra long if I listed all the four or five-star reads as I have in the past, so I’ll place the Jane Austen variations last, and include only those I like so much…
Books to screen: Arrival
I’ve written here before about my love-hate relationship with movies from books, or at least about the dichotomy they present. I found this video about how the story was adapted to film a fascinating look at the process of taking a story from one medium to another, and why certain things are done.
Awaken Your Genius by Ozan Varol
It’s early in the year yet, but Awaken Your Genius, by Ozan Varol, may turn out to be, for me, the best nonfiction read of 2023.
I just had the pleasure of reading this book, which is not so much a pleasure-reading experience as it is eye-opening, even mind-opening, though it’s also a pleasure to read. I’m 66, and I have to say, this book made me feel young and ready to look at myself more clearly so that I can navigate a path forward with more self-knowledge. For the same reasons, if I knew a teenager I wanted to buy a gift for, I’d get them this book.
Some J. S. Bach
I want to take a moment to share this here while it’s on my mind. I’ve watched/heard this video a number of times because it’s a favorite of my spouse’s, and sometimes we watch music videos in the evenings. This one, every time we come back to it, amazes me yet again. I love how it brings musician friends from around the world together in one performance.
Bach’s Prelude in c minor for 6 Instruments played by Sansar Sangidorj and friends.
Jane Austen on my mind
For those who, like me, can’t seem to get enough Jane Austen, whether it’s her books, information about her, variations on her works, or discussion of her works, I thought I’d share some of my finds. This will probably span several blog posts. First, there are a few YouTube channels I follow that provide content about Jane Austen or her fiction, some of them only occasionally, some more frequently. Here are a few of my favorite videos they’ve shared.