Finding Good Books

My October 15, 2011 blog listed 10 things seniors need with a brief description of each.  Each one of the items listed included a few descriptive sentences.  In retrospect, each one of the “needed” things deserves more than just a few words.

This blog will concentrate on item 3: A good book.  What constitutes a good book?  And how do you find them?  Do you like mysteries, science fiction, romance, or historical novels?  Perhaps fiction is not the type of book you read, instead you read non-fiction.  The genres of fiction and non-fiction are wide ranging and staggering amounts of any type of book can be found.  Maybe your preference is a mixed bag or of only one type.  You may have hated a recent best seller, or loved some obscure book that never received the recognition you think it deserved.  Classics may be your turn on.

A good number of people don’t read books, they prefer newspapers, magazines or the Internet.  Notwithstanding the medium, they peruse the written word in one form or another.  Perhaps my listing of a good book should be modified to state enjoyment of the written word, which would include a wide range of media.  But for me a good book is the ultimate manifestation of the written word.  So I will stick with my original listing that Seniors need a good book.

The problem is finding good books.  Booksellers want to sell you books that are on the shelves, friends know what they like and will recommend what they like, and it is hard to find time to go to the library and ask.  A friend who happens to be a retired librarian made some recommendations to my wife that turned out to be right (no pun intended) on target.  She made these recommendations by listening to my wife tell her likes and dislikes in a book and life. Women tend to talk more to each other and develop a mutual empathy and understanding of each more than men, which leave men at a loss. I would have a hard time describing my likes or dislikes to our librarian friend.  One of my sons makes recommendations that sometimes are great and at other times completely off base and I am left in a lurch when I search for books.

Last month I found the Goodreads website.  Goodreads is an internet service that makes reading recommendations.  When you register you are requested to enter at least 20 books that you have read and rate them.  Based on these entries Goodreads will make recommendations and as you enter more books the recommendations become more refined.  The Goodreads user can find information about books, read comments made by other users, add reviews, make comments, find lists of books, share thoughts with friends and find good books to read. 

Right now I have started two new books and have another book on my next to read list.  Register at Goodreads, become my book friend and find out what they are.  I too can find out what you like and what you are reading now.  Book Friends suit me better than Facebook Friends.

Goodreads is the next best thing to having a librarian friend.  But in the end you’ll have to read the book before you really know if it is a good book or not.  So my advice is pickup a book now and read.

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Nostalgia and the New Year

I usually don’t make New Year’s Resolutions and this year is no exception.  But with age comes nostalgic yearnings for the past.  A wish for some long ago memory, skill, size or a favorite car emerges.

Prompted by the references and use of the past in a novel I just finished, Stephen King’s - 11/23/63, ideas for this blog came to me.  Without revealing the plot, various twists and the conclusion I have a few thoughts to share about the novel and nostalgia.  Jake (aka George) goes back in time to prevent the assassination of President JFK.  He is transported to 1958 and must live there (or the Land of Ago as Jake calls it) until November 23, 1963 to fulfill his goal.  While living in the Land of Ago he reflects fondly on many of the joys of those days.  The taste of fresh home delivered milk, unlocked back doors and the trusting nature of people are a few of the elements of the past that Jake enjoys.  Several times the reader gets the impression that he would prefer to remain in The Land of Ago instead of the present day.

Oddly enough, Jake never lived during the time of the story.  Born in the 70’s Jake is actually not living in a past he remembers, but one that is familiar and close in time to his comfort level.  A few weeks ago my daughter-in-law (Nina), who makes marvelous homemade soaps, gave me a homemade bar of shaving soap.  I never experienced a soap and brush shave before.  It was fun once; but the second time I realized my technique needed improvement.  A shaving brush is probably better than a washcloth.  My shave was okay but not smooth.  This quirky past experience left me in desperate need of the predictable Colgate Shaving Cream and for a shaving brush if I intend to really appreciate the shaving soap experience of my father.  

Would you want to return to some nostalgic past?  Perhaps lurking in the back of your mind is a wish to relieve a moment or two and perhaps savor it for its joy or make different choices.  I spent a year in Thailand and now wish I had seen or done more.  That year is a hazy recollection of working on a military radio station with precious few special memories (other than a motorcycle accident written about in Oriental Tales).   Now a desire to see and enjoy that country with a mature appreciation exists.  There are other events I would love to just relive for sheer joy.

Not withstanding my moderate disappointment with shaving soap I still want to drive my 1955 Pontiac with all its faults, live in our second apartment, and relive the fun of riding my bike with no particular destination in mind at the age of 15.  Most of all I would love a redo of a few special moments.  I want to remember riding in my sports car with Iris, my wedding ceremony and the birth of our sons.  My wish would be to have digital and video recorders ready to record those events.  Of course neither of those devices existed then so I am left with my imperfect memory.  

As I wrote in another blog, today is the best day of my life.  Nostalgia will have to remain a playful wish. Making meaningful and special memories today to enjoy in the years to come is a more important principle for life rather than living in the past.

Happy New Year and make fond memories for the future.

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