Tags
Alan Moore, Band of Brothers, Bruce Chatwin, E-reader, Easy Company, J.R.R. Tolkien, Jimmy Buffett, Kindle, Kobo, Lord of the Rings, Songlines, Stephen E. Ambrose, Tablet, Tales from Margaritaville, The Hobbit, Watchmen
So besides writing, one of my favorite things in the world is to read (but when you think about it that should be obvious for every writer). I love reading, and I especially love books.
And yes I know, in this digital age with Kobo, Kindle, any E-reader, or even any tablet, you can take a virtual library wherever you go. But books themselves will always hold a special place in my heart. I know you can do so much with digital media now, but the feel and the scent of books have always exhilarated me. I have a Kobo but it will never replace my love of actual paper books.
Pardon my digression. Or to quote a truly great movie:
Squirrel!
So what happens when you have a favorite book and you want others to share in the joy of something you discovered? You buy a copy of that wonderful tome and you pass it on to a friend, or even an acquaintance, of course. The thing about these books is that you don’t expect to get them back and you don’t care. Because all you want to do is share the love and hope when the time comes they will pass it on to others. At least that’s what I do, or have done, and will keep doing, particularly with some favorite tomes.
See for me, it’s not enough to read something good. If I love it enough I want to share it with others. I want them to read it too and then we can discuss it and analyze every aspect of it to the last period. The joy of good words is something universal. I love to take something as introspective as a piece of literature or some other kind of writing, and then pass it on and explore it with others.
Books I have shared with no expectation of return or given as gifts:
Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose. I’ve had two copies; both were lent out, the last to my father-in-law. He forgot he got it from me and added it to the shared library at the condo he lives. I don’t care because it’s a good book and I love for others to read about the experience of the men of Easy Company. The fact that it is in a place to be shared by many others thrills me.
Songlines by Bruce Chatwin. Bruce Chatwin is one of my favorite writers. I started reading him when singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett mentioned him in the foreword to his collection of short stories and tales (aptly titled Tales from Margaritaville). Songlines was the first book of Bruce’s that I’ve read and I was hooked. I picked up all this travel accounts and even his novels. He is a great writer. I believe I am on my fifth or sixth copy of the Songlines. I’ve lent or given it to friends many times over. As a matter of fact it’s been too long since I’ve read it. I have to take some time to enjoy it again.
Another favorite of mine that I like to share with friends is one of my heroes Jimmy Buffett and his short story collection: Tales from Margaritaville. This is just a fun collection of his creative short stories along with some actual true tales of his own adventures. To me Jimmy is an expression of fun and relaxation. But more than that, it’s the expression of an adventurous heart and the desire to follow the hemisphere to see what lies beyond the horizon. This is kind of an exception because I have my original copy safe from others. Over the years I’ve added my own thoughts and personal expressions (yes I do write in books I own and with good reason…I promise to explain another time) to this book. So if I think someone will enjoy this, I buy a copy and hand it out. It doesn’t even have to be a present for a special occasion; I just want to share the joy that this book has given me. Giving someone a book that you cherish should be an occasion unto itself.
And it’s not just exclusively written books that I enjoy sharing. I am a huge fan of Alan Moore’s writing, particularly the wonderful Watchmen comic miniseries. Some think it’s just comic books, others call it a Graphic Novel, and I agree with the latter. Graphic art and the written word married in perfect unison expands a form of storytelling that separately they could not accomplish. And I believe that Watchmen is the standard that all graphic artists strive to meet or exceed. It took the classic comic book tale and turned it on its head. I remember when The Incredibles came out critics and people who did not read Watchmen were saying that this is the story that changes our perception of how we view comic superheroes, and no one else ever thought of doing something like this. I shook my head and walked away with a very low opinion of that person. Please, if you have never read a comic book, pick up and read Alan Moore’s Watchmen, you can pick it up at any comic book or true book store in the Graphic Novel section. Alternatively you can befriend me in real life and tell me you’ve never read it. Chances are I might give you a copy.
There is one writer and particularly one series that I give out the most and that would be The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien. Now the version I give out is the four book set that also includes The Hobbit. My first set given to me is long gone, to a guy I knew in university. So I bought another four book set, lent it out, never got it back. That happened three more times, and you know what, I don’t care. At one point I would pick out the set and hold on to it because I knew I would be giving it away. It was Tolkien who made me want to become a writer. So he and the series are important for me. As I’ve said a million times, I started off wanting to be a fantasy genre writer, eventually I moved on to other styles and ideas, but you don’t forget what started you on the path. I have no problem giving away a series to others because you never know what it might inspire in others.
These are just a few of my favorite books to give away and share. They have all had an effect on my life, and influence on me as a writer, and are just plain wonderful to read.
What are some of the books you like to share? And why?