To borrow a thought from Total Chaos: With all the reading I have to do for work, when it comes time for my own reading, I want that juicy stuff that drips out of my eye sockets when I read it. Okay, it's not that dramatic. I work earlier hours nowadays and whatever I'm reading on the train must keep me awake. It's also gotta get my synapses snapping before I get into the office, then keep me engaged on the long train ride home.
I don't want reads that linger for months, reading a chapter here and there between chapters from other books. I hate that. I want to devour books whole one right after the other. Serial monogamy reading. One book at the bedside, the rest on the shelf.
And I found that for the most part with Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. I was hooked, though I'm not surprised The Golden Compass movie is getting mixed reviews. The story is a bit jumbled and maybe not the best fit for film. There's a bit of deus ex machina for too many plot points. But for language and style, and that's my big draw, it's delightful. And suspenseful. If the language is compared to Tolkien, then it's more the fast-moving Hobbit than the trudging Rings.
I'm ambivalent about the surrounding religion debate, though I grew up Catholic and lean more agnostic nowadays. My critical "ism" for books is simply that they hold my interest and spark my imagination. I take these books as-is: Simply a pleasure to read.
The Amber Spyglass, Philip Pullman
The Subtle Knife, Philip Pullman
The Golden Compass, Philip Pullman
How to Draw Hip-Hop, Damian Scott & Kris Ex
The Beat of Urban Art, Justin Bua
The Good Fairies of New York, Martin Millar
Hand to Mouth, Paul Auster
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, J.K. Rowling
Total Chaos: The Art and Aesthetics of Hip-Hop, Jeff Chang
Positively False, Floyd Landis
From Lance to Landis, David Walsh
Ten Points, Bill Strickland
I don't want reads that linger for months, reading a chapter here and there between chapters from other books. I hate that. I want to devour books whole one right after the other. Serial monogamy reading. One book at the bedside, the rest on the shelf.
And I found that for the most part with Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. I was hooked, though I'm not surprised The Golden Compass movie is getting mixed reviews. The story is a bit jumbled and maybe not the best fit for film. There's a bit of deus ex machina for too many plot points. But for language and style, and that's my big draw, it's delightful. And suspenseful. If the language is compared to Tolkien, then it's more the fast-moving Hobbit than the trudging Rings.
I'm ambivalent about the surrounding religion debate, though I grew up Catholic and lean more agnostic nowadays. My critical "ism" for books is simply that they hold my interest and spark my imagination. I take these books as-is: Simply a pleasure to read.
The Amber Spyglass, Philip Pullman
The Subtle Knife, Philip Pullman
The Golden Compass, Philip Pullman
How to Draw Hip-Hop, Damian Scott & Kris Ex
The Beat of Urban Art, Justin Bua
The Good Fairies of New York, Martin Millar
Hand to Mouth, Paul Auster
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, J.K. Rowling
Total Chaos: The Art and Aesthetics of Hip-Hop, Jeff Chang
Positively False, Floyd Landis
From Lance to Landis, David Walsh
Ten Points, Bill Strickland
Comments
Also-"Monster" by Sanyika Shakur will blow you away.And Luis Rodriguez's "Republic of East LA" is dope too.I will check out the ones you listed-I need a good book.