tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post8452118314063133224..comments2023-09-29T05:32:04.308-07:00Comments on StrangePegs: A Good Book Is Like A Bad ColdAndrew Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-63143480618502119162014-02-11T13:39:46.046-08:002014-02-11T13:39:46.046-08:00G_G: Hmm... I don't have any "sick" ...G_G: Hmm... I don't have any "sick" books. I suddenly feel incomplete.<br /><br />Tina: I still mostly finish books I start. My wife lets me know when it's time for me to quit reading something, at this point. You know, when she can no longer deal with me complaining about how bad something is. It is a system that works.Andrew Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-30699744300396861282014-02-11T11:46:01.881-08:002014-02-11T11:46:01.881-08:00...and it's unfortunately been so long I forgo......and it's unfortunately been so long I forgot to subscribe...<br />~TinaTinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08925730745204736744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-78575484201190979082014-02-11T11:45:09.791-08:002014-02-11T11:45:09.791-08:00Oh, I didn't miss an analogy post! Yeah! Thi...Oh, I didn't miss an analogy post! Yeah! This is especially a good analogy for me right now.<br />I definitely want to write those kinds of books. I want to READ those kinds of books.<br />I used to ALWAYS finish a book I started. I felt like I'd made some kind of non-verbal yet binding agreement that I'd finish. I got ever that as a 12 year old when a friend's mom, who was a librarian, had given me this book about a kid living in a dilapidated house that was condemned to be demolished, and the family was just trying to make ends meet. It was terrible. My mother kept insisting I read it since IT WAS A GIFT. And not to be wasted, but I thought man, if I spend my life reading books out of guilt then I'll never have time to read the books I really want to read.<br />Am I the only one who had/has that problem? I mean, I'll give a book a good 15-20% before I give up (I hate that the Kindle doesn't do page numbers, but I totally MATHEMATICALLY get why it doesn't.) I think life is too short to read crap out of guilt.<br /><br />Tina @ <a href="http://kmdlifeisgood.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Life is Good</a><br />A to Z Team @ <a href="http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com" rel="nofollow">Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2014</a><br />@TinaLifeisGood, #atozchallenge<br />http://www.facebook.com/TinaLifeIsGoodTinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08925730745204736744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-60673570978684725682014-02-11T04:11:22.757-08:002014-02-11T04:11:22.757-08:00Sorry you've been sick. My hubby had the flu d...Sorry you've been sick. My hubby had the flu during the holidays and had a bad cold that went into bronchitis. When I was fourteen and had to have my tonsils taken out back then you spent seven days in the hospital. My mom got me a boxed set of Judy Blume books to read while there. Even today if I am really down and sick with something I read those same books.Gossip_Grlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06603645371306284338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-41563721929845054202014-02-10T21:53:21.651-08:002014-02-10T21:53:21.651-08:00David: We hate when Strep comes around.
Jeanne: I...David: We hate when Strep comes around.<br /><br />Jeanne: I don't remember much about the bad ones other than that they were bad. Usually. Snow Crash is an exception. I still get a bad taste in my mouth from that one from time to time.<br /><br />Rusty: Maybe like cancer. It might go into remission, but it can always come back.Andrew Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-55728246706751030742014-02-10T18:11:22.711-08:002014-02-10T18:11:22.711-08:00What a beautiful comparison. I guess that makes a ...What a beautiful comparison. I guess that makes a life changing book like an STD. Or something. I love it.Rusty Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09887821877521181811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-43125577183408346602014-02-10T17:22:04.153-08:002014-02-10T17:22:04.153-08:00Sometimes the bad books stick, too, but they are.....Sometimes the bad books stick, too, but they are...greasier, I guess. Or less infectious. There are books I thought were absolutely terrible, but pieces are still there. Maybe it's like being vaccinated and they're the dead virus reminding me what kind of writing sucks.J E Oneilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09780097298061829471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-72909601423581593452014-02-10T14:36:15.235-08:002014-02-10T14:36:15.235-08:00Great analogy.
My family is recovering from Strep....Great analogy.<br />My family is recovering from Strep. I'm the only one who didn't get it. The kids basically took a week off from school, and have to play catch up!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06208969934278199592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-88281852752138162202014-02-10T12:30:19.717-08:002014-02-10T12:30:19.717-08:00JeffO: I know! How does it store all of that gunk?...JeffO: I know! How does it store all of that gunk?<br /><br />Alex: Well, mostly, that was last week. I mean, it was last week that I was -really- snotty. This week, I hope, is just kind of snotty.<br /><br />Donna: I tend to not enjoy the aftermath of a cold at all.<br /><br />TAS: I'm sure there is, but I didn't read YA geared stuff when I was YA. At the time, it was mostly romance stuff aimed at girls. I've been reading adult fiction since middle school.<br /><br />Pat: Thanks. It's probably because of years working with teenagers.<br /><br />Elsie: There are not a lot of books I've ever bothered to reread.<br /><br />L.G.: And I kept it fairly tame.<br /><br />Briane: Yeah, me either. I guess I need to keep working on it.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I don't find a lot of books that really blow me away. Almost all of the books that I think of in that "amazing" way are books that I read when I was a teenager.<br /><br />Jo: But do colds believe in you? That's the real question.<br /><br />ABftS: And how does it make it so quickly?<br /><br />Crystal: I am glad, though, that amazing colds don't stay around like that. I mean once they're gone for good, that is.<br /><br />WPW: thanksAndrew Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-81111165349488117112014-02-10T11:32:24.005-08:002014-02-10T11:32:24.005-08:00Sorry you've been feeling under the weather.
...Sorry you've been feeling under the weather.<br /><br />Thank you. Love love, Andrew. Bye.WordsPoeticallyWorthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05932809387878012226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-60978904201256300152014-02-10T09:31:03.321-08:002014-02-10T09:31:03.321-08:00Oh man, I'm down with a head cold right now. A...Oh man, I'm down with a head cold right now. Actually, I have really bad allergies, so it doesn't take much to push me over the edge, but when I get started into one, it's always at least two weeks to feel human again. Of course an amazing book never leaves you. I pick up titles all the time and just grin thinking about how much I loved that one. Crystal Collierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03912469552483168148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-59002723898102260502014-02-10T07:22:18.295-08:002014-02-10T07:22:18.295-08:00Amen to that! I have only a few books that have &#...Amen to that! I have only a few books that have 'infected' me, but they definitely are still rolling around in my mind.<br /><br />Also, I'm in the cleanup stage too, and it's nasty. At a certain point I just have to wonder how much snot a human being is capable of making.A Beer for the Showerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17029139745335325356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-31994458337036138242014-02-10T06:51:36.276-08:002014-02-10T06:51:36.276-08:00Don't believe in colds. Don't get them in ...Don't believe in colds. Don't get them in our home. Sorry you got one and sorry you are having such a long recovery period.<br /><br />I still love a good book and retain many of them in my mind for years. Even when I can't remember the titles or authors sometimes, I still remember things about the book.Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14087140585742801854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-76778607344724890912014-02-10T06:40:39.348-08:002014-02-10T06:40:39.348-08:00Somehow, I don't see your slogan catching on i...Somehow, I don't see your slogan catching on in publishing:<br /><br />"Books: Just like snot!"<br /><br />You know how I know it was a good book, short story, or movie? After I finish it, I just sit for a while and think about it, and I don't want to start anything new right away. If it's a really good book, I'll go DO something, like clean the house or go for a walk or fold laundry, so that my mind can just work on the amazing things I just read, and not get distracted by extraneous details.<br /><br />If it's a REALLY good book, like you said, it's with you a lot longer, and it'll pop into your head all the time.<br /><br />But I disagree with you that amazing books are more prevalent when we're kids. When I think back to when I was a kid, there were books that wowed me (The Phantom Tollbooth, e.g.) and books that I liked but wasn't amazed by (Hardy Boys books). I'd say the ratio is about the same as an adult, except that I read SO MUCH less now. As a kid I'd go to the library and get a whole stack of books for 2 weeks. Now, I'd never do that. I read for about 20 minutes a day, tops, and a lot of that is news and smaller articles because sometimes I just don't have it in me to get into a story or book.<br /><br />But I'm sure there are many, many, amazing stories out there. I haven't finished (or barely started) my review of 2013 yet, but I can think of two books and a short story right off the bat: "Emergency" by Denis Johnson, and both of Nick Harkaway's books, that wowed me like that. That's not bad, for a guy who doesn't get to read much.<br /><br />(That's not to take away from "Shadow Spinner," which was amazing in a different way; I know you meant it as YA but it's totally not, and I was thinking the other day that you should write more short stories from that world, like "Evil That Men Do." Maybe you should write them and have them published on someone's website...)Brianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01616494058636881575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-22011827023326337602014-02-10T06:35:52.703-08:002014-02-10T06:35:52.703-08:00I totally had to skim this post. Gross.
But inte...I totally had to skim this post. Gross. <br /><br />But interesting observation about how we get inoculated against the influence books have on us. I've noticed that too as I've gotten older.Luanne G. Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15762881276976395955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-13646934426361335292014-02-10T06:21:36.150-08:002014-02-10T06:21:36.150-08:00Your analogy was totally disgusting but extremely ...Your analogy was totally disgusting but extremely accurate. There are some books that have stuck with me the years. So much so, that I reread them over and over again. That's when you know you've found a great book rather than a mediocre book. You're willing to revisit it again and again.<br /><br />Hope you're feeling better soon!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-51802525881825420002014-02-10T06:21:10.044-08:002014-02-10T06:21:10.044-08:00It's impressive how you can turn anything into...It's impressive how you can turn anything into a writing/reading-related analogy.PT Dillowayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09394481476862013009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-65719578331107830392014-02-10T05:18:19.519-08:002014-02-10T05:18:19.519-08:00I've got it, too. Ick.
Your thoughts on book...I've got it, too. Ick.<br /><br />Your thoughts on books are interesting. Over the past few years that a lot of children's/YA literature is simply better written than most adult books. Yes, we are probably more receptive as readers at that age. But there's plenty of genuine talent in that genre, too.The Armchair Squidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13509001761075530940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-6717290373808322532014-02-10T04:33:31.093-08:002014-02-10T04:33:31.093-08:00I know what you mean. Good analogy, however I tend...I know what you mean. Good analogy, however I tend to enjoy the aftermath of a good book more than that of a good cold.Donna Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13738281869266957726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-36163636591494475992014-02-10T03:51:23.932-08:002014-02-10T03:51:23.932-08:00So you're going to be really snotty this week?...So you're going to be really snotty this week?<br />It takes a lot for a book to wow me now as well. I agree we slowly lose that child-like wonder. Movies are the same way, although I can still be wowed by a good movie.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-71187270617818694402014-02-10T03:19:43.638-08:002014-02-10T03:19:43.638-08:00When I'm sick like that, I'm amazed at the...When I'm sick like that, I'm amazed at the volume of mucus/phlegm/snot that comes out. It makes me wonder about how much empty space there is in my skull to contain so much....<br /><br />And I know what you mean about writing books that last. I hope you do it. I hope I do it. Keep at it!JeffOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07947660745120963286noreply@blogger.com