Read All About It

One of my coworkers recently sent out an email to a few of us here at the office:

Does anyone have any magazines I can borrow for my awesome allergist appointment tonight? I’m going to be there until 8 and forgot all my stuff at home :-( plus, I like to be distracted when I get 50 needles of allergens YESSS

(she's a sarcastic girl, that one)

After looking around my desk, my response was this:

I have a cosmology book on the structure of the finite universe, and the ICanHazCheeseburger book you got me for my birthday.


After I sent the email, I realized how utterly random it was.

I'll admit, my choice in reading is a little unpredictible. Some have even called it schizophrenic. One day I'll be reading a book on the social interactions of capuchin monkeys, and the next day I'll be reading The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (a great book, btw, and another reason to avoid strokes at all cost - as if you needed one). I've read books on global warming and the Mir Space Station and the various presentations of traumatic brain injury. I even went on a quantum physics kick once and read a book discussing the movement of particles in a vaccuum.

[Aside: Quantum physics is some crazy shit. At one point, I briefly understood exactly what electricity was. And then I lost it. My head hurt for 3 days afterward. And then I read a book on traumatic brain injury and got freaked out thinking I had a TMI until my sister pointed out that I had just figured out electricity, which is some pretty heavy stuff, and I probably pulled a brain muscle. Good call on that one- saved me from an unnecessary MRI.]

And that's just the nonfiction. Luckily, having obtained an english degree from a prestegous (yeah right) university, the literature snob in me filters out a lot of today's pop fiction, so my tastes are a little more cohesive. Still, even when it comes to novels, sometimes I find myself wanting to read a book out of sheer appreciation for the art of writing, and other times I just want a beach read

[Another aside: one summer my parents rented a shore house and I spent the entire week sitting on the beach completely engulfed in a book about the (theoretical) impact of syphilis on various historically figures. The cover had the word "syphilis" on it so large that you could read it a mile a way. Needless to say, I wasn't hit on once that week.]

Out of all the books I've read, some have stood out more than others. Below, I've listed some of my favorites. It's a motley crew, but all of them have something special about them that I think you'll enjoy...

1. Life of Pi

This book has everything: A great plot, solid writing, and excellent discussions on theology and zoology. Although the story line is a bit far-fetched, the excellent writing of Yann Martel carries it through while weaving in undertones of spiritual debate and the human condition. Read it on the beach! (unless you're in to syphilis, and then man, have I got a book for you...)

also is a great "how to" book in case you're ever stuck in a boat in the middle of the ocean with a tiger. And no, I'm not ruining the story because it's right there on the cover. Duh!

1. Memoirs of a Geisha

Not only is the story of this book absolutely riviting, it's based on a true story. Memoirs of a Geisha reveals vivid charcters that are caught in a battle between the old-world and new-world cultures. It's an epic tale, and you're bound to get caught up in the riviting struggles of the main character. I've read this book at least 3 times, and plan on reading it more. [the movie is okay, but as always, the book is way better]

3. Head cases
Michael Paul Mason gets a serious thumbs up (and possibly a beej - I love a man who knows his way around the alphabet) for writing this book. He takes a relatively unknown subject, traumatic brain injury (TMI) and brings it to light with eloquent grace and stunning emotion. Now, as a medical writer, I've seen many experts strip medical conditions of their humanity and present data so dry that it could put a coke-head to sleep. But through portrayal of individual stories of TMI, Michael Paul Mason connects the reader with the subjectmatter in a very intimate way. But a warning: after reading this book, I was pretty convinced that I needed to wear a football helmet 24/7, just in case. This book kind of makes you scared to leave the house..

4. 1984

First of all, if you haven't read George Orwell's 1984, I need you to do me a solid and give yourself a round-house kick to the face . Once you've recovered from your broken nose, go out and read this book. It's incredible. Orwell's frightening portrayal of a future in which the government routinely rewrites history and brainwashes its people is disturbingly accurate. This book touches on some of the most current issues of our generation.

Also, Mr. T PITIES THE FOO' who hasn't read this book yet.

5. 100 Years of Solitude
This is one of those books that you read as much for the words as you do for the story. Gabriel Garcia Mirquez is a true storyteller who ties his novel together in dancing, lyrical sentences. Unfortunately, he also likes to give all of his 6 million characters similar (even identical) names. [You're going to have to write that shit down if you want to keep it straight]. BUT...names aside, this author strings together a generational tale that is full of humor, tragedy, and more than a little magic.

Of course, there are many more that I'd recommend, and probably will in an upcoming blog, But time is short and I'm having trouble remembering the names of some of the books I love (which I'm pretty sure is a symptom of Alzheimer's).

But I guarentee if you read any of these books and aren't 100% satisfied, you can sucker-punch me when I least expect it.

Peace out.