In lieu of a reading recommendation this week, I offer some unfocused thoughts about book abandonment. Many readers seem to think that it is a virtue to finish every book they start, even if they aren't enjoying it. I used to think so myself, but as I have gotten older and more aware that time … Continue reading Some thoughts about immersion and book abandonment…
We'd like to believe we live in a meritocracy. This is part of the American myth we tell ourselves, that only the person with the best qualifications should be admitted to the college, get the job, etc. However, we don't start out on a level playing field. The circumstances of your birth gives you distinct … Continue reading Life as a Monopoly game…
Here's something I see a lot, at least in Internet discussions: When someone criticizes a belief held by a group of people, such as a political or religious group, they are shouted down for being "intolerant" of that group as a whole and not willing to accept others' beliefs. But this is a fallacy. There are … Continue reading Thoughts on tolerance of others’ beliefs…
It has become the norm to blog about every teeny-tiny facet of daily life, from cooking to getting dressed to home organization to raising children. I think these blogs have set an unreasonable standard for daily living, though. If you follow enough of them, you start to think that everything must be absolutely perfect all … Continue reading Less than perfect…
I find myself wishing sometimes I could start all over again with a blank slate. Just wipe everything out and start anew. I don't mean my entire life, of course (or I should say, I rarely mean that). I have to believe that many people have had one moment or two when they wished they … Continue reading Blank slate…
The last book I finished reading in 2013 was The Circle by Dave Eggers. The title refers to a fictional company that is quite obviously an amalgam of Google and Facebook. The book is a dystopian view of a near-future, a nightmarish outcome of current trends like living our lives via social networks, and the resulting … Continue reading Thoughts on The Circle…
Like most people who have read 1984, it profoundly affected my way of thinking about power and political systems. Orwell introduced concepts and language into the general consciousness, such as "doublethink" and "Big Brother." The struggle against political oppression and the tyranny of the powerful few over the many seems to be a never-ending one, … Continue reading Some thoughts on George Orwell’s 1984 inspired by the so-called Birther debate and other current events…
I have been following all of the conversations about the future of publishing, particularly with regard to e-books, going on over the past few months with interest. I thought I'd share some of the more interesting conversations I've found, as well as some of my still-nascent thoughts on the whole kerfuffle. I have a bit … Continue reading Thoughts on publishing & the digital age…
I don't like to write down my thoughts about a book or draft a review immediately after I've finished the book. Instead, I like to let the book sit with me for a few days, or even a few weeks. That's because one of the most important qualities for me in deciding how much I … Continue reading Some thoughts on book “stickiness”…
