Reading and Writing

MY WRITING TUTORIALS claim that one of the best ways to improve one’s writing is to immerse oneself in reading all types and styles of literature. I have done just that for the past fifteen years. This practice is purported to help refine one's style and improve one's skill in the art of writing.

I just finished Centennial by James Michener. Coming in at 910 pages, staying focused was a bit of a challenge, especially with my attention deficit disorder. No wonder Cliff Notes were so popular in college. I must admit the book was an eye-opener. It blended history and fiction surrounding the settling of the Great Plains (Colorado) over many millennia. Yes, there are stories of dinosaurs and mastodons, mountain men, cowboys, and Indians. It was quite a learning experience for me that deepened my understanding of our continent’s history. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book, even at such an exhaustive length.

Historical fiction tops my favorite fiction category, but biographies about our founding fathers and our nation’s early industrialists have also piqued my interest. One of the best in this genre was by Steven Watts, The People's Tycoon: Henry Ford and the American Century.

I began reading John Grisham books last year, and I have enjoyed his sense of humor that comes through in his protagonists. Dark sarcasm at our justice system shines throughout the storyline in Rogue Lawyer, a book I finished this week. Grisham’s trained lawyering background brings deep insights into the legal maneuvering that takes place in our nation’s courtrooms.

Calico Joe was a diversion from courtroom dramas for Grisham. It is an excellent account of a baseball player’s rookie year in the big leagues and a late-season beanball pitch that ended a sensational rookie’s career. After thirty years of silence, the two protagonists come together with a very emotional account of forgiveness and redemption. I haven’t cried like this since reading Black Beauty.

Recently, on a whim, I checked out a couple of Hardy Boys books from my library. I was still curious about them as I read so many in their series as a young teen. They were a nice fantasy escape for me back then. I could hide in my room and get wrapped up in Frank and Joe Hardy’s sleuthing as they called their adventures. They were independent lads, and I liked that. The series has had many reboots over the years under the prolific pen name of Franklin W. Dixon.

What a blast from the past to revisit after so many years. I randomly chose The Secret of the Old Mill and The Shore Road Mystery. I loved that they were 150 pages and easily readable in half a day - a template I am a fan of. I also appreciate the shorter chapters that appeals to my impatience.

I should investigate novellas and short stories in the future. It brings great pleasure to this old boy to read and write; hobbies that spontaneously occurred after I turned sixty. I am a most fortunate fella.

I must admit I didn't read Black Beauty. I left those tears to my two sisters.