Bloggers are Writers are Readers, And We Read and Read, Even Books

For people that know me, I am a sports nut in many ways. Despite that consumption of time on a daily and yearly basis, a few of my favorite things include following world events, understanding history and major things of importance, and reading on a multiplicity of topics. Including religion, which is another preferred subject.

I don't read as many books as I would like to, but I have some favorites, as well as certain authors and novelists and writers that I find outstanding. I usually fill my time reading articles about many subjects, regarding all of the above.

As a child, the seven book series The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis was my all time favorite. It is gratifying to bring my oldest daughter to the movies of it now, and she loves it. It is a nice legacy for me as a fan and a lifetime appreciator of Mr. Lewis. His non-fiction, especially his Christian writings are fantastic and I look forward to reading more of those tomes in the next few years.

When I returned from my two year mission in Chile, I told my mother and stepfather that the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ was my favorite book, and I was telling the truth. It had been such an influential force in my life up until that time. It still has been since, but other books have pushed themselves into my conscience as works of fiction. And I hold much of the Bible and other religious works in as high esteem.

I believe scripture to be non-fiction. But it obviously requires faith and patience to gain from it, study and contemplation more than most reads. Like novels and other forms of fiction, scripture is more like a textbook with many powerful stories, that are usually analogous of other realities.

But novels can definitely fulfill many of thsoe same needs, emotionally and psychologically as well as spiritually, at times.

That is what great literature achieves.

Personal fulfillment.

I read a lot of books while obtaining a Bachelors in Spanish and a minor in Theatre and Speech.

Perhaps my favorite was El Camino (The Way/Path) by Miguel Delibes of Spain. It covers the small town memories of a ten year old Spaniard before he goes away to school. I read it in Spanish with a key word glossary for English but I am sure the English is well translated.

Excellent read. I recommend it to all.

When I first tried my hand in the "profesional world" back in 1995, I happened upon a sweet novel called My Name is Asher Lev . Chaim Potak devivers an excellent tale of a young child prodigy artist who is torn between his orthodox religious upbringing and his talent in creating images born of his talent and imagination.

Tremendous. It has two succeeding books about the same character later in life, of which I have read one, and suffice it to say the first is classic. I identify with it.

And then two years later, I was lent a copy of The House of Spirits (La casa de los espiritus) in English by Isabel Allende.

Wow. She is Chilean and it was about three generations of Chileans throughout the 20th century. I had lived in that country over two years of my life and it wasn't until I read that book until I think I began to really understand that people, that nation, and thus the world to a better degree.

It was her first of many novels and they criticize her for copying the idea or premise of Garcia Marquez's 100 Years of Solitude, but it is a very enlightening book. At least for me, someone who has rubbed shoulders with the people down there.

My wife and I and the two girls went back to South America, to one of my favorite towns for half of 2005, and currently my wife is reading and loving this book. She has already read about three others of the same author's works.

A joint favorite it would seem. I am encouraging her to try to read Retrato en sepia (Portrait in Sepia) that is in Spanish. She finds this burdensome, which I empathize with.

And many books are burdensome.

And even some authors. I definitely have my favorite Americans: Steinbeck is tremendous. There are others worth mentioning, thrilled by London as youngster and quite impressed by Hemingway...

But these are a few of my favorite books.

In between baseball games. And halves. And seasons.

Clinch