Bookless
While checking out the blog of my newest commenter Lisa I realized I haven't had anything new to read in a while and it's making me fidgity. One of the side effects of being unemployed and broke is that I can't afford to buy books. Yah, I know I could check out the library, but the local libraries around here don't carry much in the way of new horror, my reading of choice. I hate to admit it but I'm somewhat picky about what I'll read. Add in that I'm a fast reader and I have a tendency to go through new books so quick that I end up waiting quite some time between books. But that's differant than just not being able to buy a book if I want to.
Of the writers I frequent the 2 tops would be H.P.Lovecraft (Who I got my Blog name from) and Stephen King. I have to date read everything published by Stephen, and quite an array of books published by and about Lovecraft. As I have mentioned before Lovecraft is kind of unique in writing. He set up a circle of writers who used his story ideas that has continued to this day interusing ideas and charectors and locals. It's fun having a writer using another writers charectors and continue on with thier stories, and while there may be others who have done it I'd be hard pressed to name them, much less find one that has lasted as long as the Lovecraft circle has (Since the 1920's actually) and still continues to produce good stories and new books. I'll read Dean Koontz and old Clive Barker (at some point Clive seemed to have broken away from his horror roots). I like certain books by Anne Rice: Interview, Lestate, Ramses, and Memnoch are my personal favorites from her. I have dabbed in John Saul, James Hebert, Alfred Hitchcock, Peter Straub, and many others.
Not that I only read Horror. Another big one by me is Terry Pratchett, who writes a series called Discworld that are sort of fantasy/humor books. Also I will always have a soft spot for Garfield, Get Fuzzy, Calvin and Hobbes, Bloom County, Dilbert, Far Side, and many other News Paper Funnies. I'll read books by Tim Allen, Bill Cosby, George Carlin, and other comedians who have gone from stand-up to paperback. I love Have a Nice Day by Mick Foley. The Ring trilogy, as well as the prequel the Hobbit, has been a favorite since I was little. I even like some adventure in the form of Clive Cussler books. Then there's Agatha Christie, Micheal Chrichton, Gregory Macdonald, the Arthurian Legends, Sir ArthurConan Doyle. Then theres the classics like Mary Shelly, Bram Stroker, Mark Twain.
Ok, so maybe I'm not always all that picky.
As for non-fiction, well I'll do books on Cryptozoology, I avoid biographys, and other than that I'll grab something if it catches my eye.
And of course there is my ever expanding comic collection ( I think I still do the comics just because it gives me something new to read every week, helping to alliviate the pain of waiting months between books sometimes).
Needless to say reading is a huge part of my life (along with Music, without which I'd be lost). Having to go this long with nothing new to read is maddening. I can and often will re-read books, whats the point of owning a book if your only going to read it once then sit it on a shelf after that? But sometimes I just need a new story to explore.
See reading to me is an escape. For a little while my mind can dwell somewhere else and forget about the day to day problems and worries. I need that now more than ever. Seems like I don't sleep anymore because I can't get my mind to shut down for the day. There's just too much for it to pick at.
Crap.
Well, maybe I will go check out the library. Even if I can't find something new maybe I can find something I don't own and so haven't read in a while.
So what are your favorite books? Any suggestions to read (I avoid Romance, most Sci-fi, am picky about Fantasy. But I'm also open minded so if it's good I'll at least give it a running chance) would be welcome.
Of the writers I frequent the 2 tops would be H.P.Lovecraft (Who I got my Blog name from) and Stephen King. I have to date read everything published by Stephen, and quite an array of books published by and about Lovecraft. As I have mentioned before Lovecraft is kind of unique in writing. He set up a circle of writers who used his story ideas that has continued to this day interusing ideas and charectors and locals. It's fun having a writer using another writers charectors and continue on with thier stories, and while there may be others who have done it I'd be hard pressed to name them, much less find one that has lasted as long as the Lovecraft circle has (Since the 1920's actually) and still continues to produce good stories and new books. I'll read Dean Koontz and old Clive Barker (at some point Clive seemed to have broken away from his horror roots). I like certain books by Anne Rice: Interview, Lestate, Ramses, and Memnoch are my personal favorites from her. I have dabbed in John Saul, James Hebert, Alfred Hitchcock, Peter Straub, and many others.
Not that I only read Horror. Another big one by me is Terry Pratchett, who writes a series called Discworld that are sort of fantasy/humor books. Also I will always have a soft spot for Garfield, Get Fuzzy, Calvin and Hobbes, Bloom County, Dilbert, Far Side, and many other News Paper Funnies. I'll read books by Tim Allen, Bill Cosby, George Carlin, and other comedians who have gone from stand-up to paperback. I love Have a Nice Day by Mick Foley. The Ring trilogy, as well as the prequel the Hobbit, has been a favorite since I was little. I even like some adventure in the form of Clive Cussler books. Then there's Agatha Christie, Micheal Chrichton, Gregory Macdonald, the Arthurian Legends, Sir ArthurConan Doyle. Then theres the classics like Mary Shelly, Bram Stroker, Mark Twain.
Ok, so maybe I'm not always all that picky.
As for non-fiction, well I'll do books on Cryptozoology, I avoid biographys, and other than that I'll grab something if it catches my eye.
And of course there is my ever expanding comic collection ( I think I still do the comics just because it gives me something new to read every week, helping to alliviate the pain of waiting months between books sometimes).
Needless to say reading is a huge part of my life (along with Music, without which I'd be lost). Having to go this long with nothing new to read is maddening. I can and often will re-read books, whats the point of owning a book if your only going to read it once then sit it on a shelf after that? But sometimes I just need a new story to explore.
See reading to me is an escape. For a little while my mind can dwell somewhere else and forget about the day to day problems and worries. I need that now more than ever. Seems like I don't sleep anymore because I can't get my mind to shut down for the day. There's just too much for it to pick at.
Crap.
Well, maybe I will go check out the library. Even if I can't find something new maybe I can find something I don't own and so haven't read in a while.
So what are your favorite books? Any suggestions to read (I avoid Romance, most Sci-fi, am picky about Fantasy. But I'm also open minded so if it's good I'll at least give it a running chance) would be welcome.
These Echoes In The Silence Brought To You By Azathoth100 at 11:21 PM
How was S.K's Cell?? I havent read that one yet..it's the only one of his I haven't.
We have the same reading list it seems...love horror and some fantasy and war/history but thats about it...
There is a great (LONG) fantasy series The Wheel of Time...great writing...
Oh and BTW yes you were right on my blog about a certain Arizona woman...
Aza, you and I have similar taste in books. I will send you a care package!
You like Mick Foley? Awesome!
When I'm broke but want to read something new, I go to Books-A-Million or Barnes and Noble and read the whole book there. I know that's HORRIBLE. But if I like something, I usually go back and get it when I do have the money.
Have you thought about going back and reading Poe? I see his influence in a lot of modern horror writers. It might be worth a shot to take some of his stuff on a test drive because it'd be easy to get at your local library.
I have read about half of Stephen Kings, and a few Koontz books. Horror writer of my choice is John Saul, alot of his old stuff creeps me out.
I'm big on fantasy too, but it has to be good. I'm just now on the 6th chronicle of narnia. One more to go, and yes I like harry potter, but I like some Ann Rice stuff, and Christopher Rowley, he makes some really good fantasy, The Basil Broketail series is real good. I also like a new author, he wrote the first book when he was 15, got published when he was 19. He has two out and it's gonna be a trilogy. Chistopher Poulini. He wrote Eragon and Eldest so far, very good books.
My husband has some really cool one's I'll have to go look at the author, but they are called The Lost Regiment. And a civil war regiment gets sucked into another realm where giants live and have humans as cattle, and they try to fight to survive. it's pretty cool.
I don't know if this is an option for you and I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but I found this the other day, where apparently people swap books for free:
http://www.paperbackswap.com/
Let me know if it turns out it's cool!!
'cell' is a pretty good book, but i think the ending fell flat...
mary higgins clark writes great mysteries, so does Robin Cook! he writes medical mysteries...and he's a dr, so he's pretty accurate! you read one of his books, and i swear, you'll be hooked!!
Mmm, I was hooked on Robin Cook for a loooong time. If I see a new one I'll pick it up even today. My favorite book would almost have to be Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman(and I KNOW you know who he is!!). His book Stardust is good too, but Neverwhere has held me well in times between new books. I've probably read it at least 40 times. Also, I think you might enjoy this series of zombie short story books. I've only been able to get my hands on the first one, but I have read it several times and can't wait to get my hands on the other 2 collections. In this order: The Book of All Flesh, The Book of More Flesh, and The Book of Final Flesh. They were collected and published by a company that makes zombie RPG's, if you want to check out their site it's www.allflesh.com . Maybe you can get B&K in on a regular game, and then I'll wish I was there! Good luck sweetie.