Non-Reading List

Last post I mentioned that I received a new graphic novel for my birthday, and would read and review it soon. That is, assuming I finish it. I've had a habit lately of starting books and never finishing them. We all have that experience of course, but it's happened with almost everything I've tried reading this past year. I think the only book I actually finished was "A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess, but it's short so that might be why. Not having ever seen the movie (just a few scenes and pop culture references) it was a difficult read, the slang that seems fairly straightforward on film is hard to decipher in print. Then when I did work out what's being said...well, I sometimes wished I didn't as it's usually quite nasty. I understand the movie leaves out the entire last chapter, as did the original American book release, so fans of the film would be advised to seek it out as it pretty much puts a whole different perspective on the work as a whole.

But I digress. The point is I currently have three books on my nightstand in varying degrees of completion. I hope to finish at least two of them someday soon. Say, this year. Here is a list of the books and my reasons/excuses for not finishing them.

1. "And Another Thing" by Eoin Colfer

This is an attempt to keep the "Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" series going after the author, Douglas Adams, died. Mr. Colfer was a friend of the late author, and does have a similar writing style. The problem here is that he's trying too hard. There are some interesting ideas and some decent laughs, but there are problems too. The technical stuff, for example, is too technical and lost me. There was always a little bit of that in the original series, but here it's too much. Also, of the aforementioned good ideas, there are too many. Way too much going on here. It's nice to have some sub-plots and bring back beloved minor characters but this is overkill. I do want to read it to the end but my patience is waning.

2. "Catch 22" by Joseph Heller

I know, it's a classic. But see, I have this weird thing about books where I actually want something to HAPPEN. I'm about halfway through, and so far it's just been descriptions of enlisted men being driven crazy by war, and the certifiable idiot nut-bags who put them there. Quite a revolutionary idea for a book when first published, but now it just tells us what we already know. It has been quite funny, I'll grant you, but I'm yearning for a story here, and there are way too many characters involved-I have no idea who's supposed to be important and who's just in the book to provide comic fodder for a few set pieces. Maybe I just haven't read far enough, but it's just becoming tedious. I never saw the movie here either, so no comparison to be made there. But since there is a movie something's bound to happen, right? I mean, they don't make movies with no plot...well, "Lost In Translation" but otherwise...

3. "Watchmen" by Alan Moore

Okay, this I like and am not disappointed by in the least. It's just that this thing is so dense. It's the weightiest graphic novel ever published. Calling it a graphic novel is limiting, though. The scope is far bigger than your average comic, and after every chapter there are multiple pages of text. The film, though great in it's own way, doesn't do justice to the source material, even as faithful as it is. It couldn't. So I'm very interested in it, but it's really a chore to read-though I mean that in a good way. The book requires commitment as there are so many layers. I literally feel tired after each chapter, though no less intrigued. Plus I want to know what the deal is with that squid.

So that's where I'm at with reading stuff. Not sure if anybody cares or not, but there you go.

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On a completely unrelated note, look for a posting soon about a new tax law that has the potential to cripple the business I'm in (probably won't, but could). I don't quite have enough information to mention much now, therefore it would be irresponsible of me to do so.

I'm actually thinking about starting up a separate blog dealing with social/political issues where I can rant freely about what's going on in the news and how it affects my life...and yours too. So maybe that post I referred to will show up in a new thing. Haven't got a title for it yet or a clear direction, but it's something I've been working on for a while now. Then I can have two blogs, and maybe more than eight people will start reading my stuff. I'll keep you posted.

Stay thirsty my friends.