What Stimulates You?

I have told you before that I love to read and you obviously can tell by my posts that I also love movies, television shows, blogs, magazines and newspapers. I love all of those things that spur my imagination and challenge my brain; which with my brain doesn’t take much. I read all the time. I read while waiting in line at the bank, riding in the car, waiting in the doctor’s office and when I have a few free moments. Heck I even read while I watch television. I have noticed that my reading taste change over time and I no longer crave the horror tales and dark and morose movies that used to stimulate me. I don’t know what they stimulated me to do other than have nightmares and fear zombies but that is another story. I went through a period in which I read, watched and was intrigued with all things science fiction. I was a trekkie and watched every Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Star Wars and read every Science Fiction fantasy I could get my hands on. Then I went through my Elmer Kelton, Louis Lamar and Larry McMurtry phase where westerns were my passion. Oh I’ve done the non-fiction and fictional biographies as well as the love and passion phase of my reading maturity. All of this brings me to what I read today.

It becomes increasingly difficult for me to find things that either I haven’t read or is a new and fresh story. I watch movies and think “hey isn’t this just a re-make of a Rosalind Russell movie? Didn’t Cary Grant play George Clooney’s part?” I will critique and compare new releases to their predecessors. Oh I’m not all full of myself and think I’m superior or even have the background to judge other than I soak everything in. I watch and remember. Isn’t it funny I can remember lines from The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer but I can’t remember my own phone number? Is that a sign of an idiot savant or just an idiot? Don’t answer that.

What all this rhetoric is leading to is a book I just finished. I wanted to share it with you. I picked it up on a whim, actually because of the cover. Now let me just take a minute to tell you that I am the book purchaser that publisher’s target. I can not tell you how many times I have grabbed a paperback because the cover looked intriguing only to get home and realize that I have not purchased and read that book before but several times before. You see they will change the cover just to confuse me. I know they follow me with a camera and watch me pick up a book look at the cover and see me throw it in my basket. They say “AH-HA! We can put the same book out forty-seven gajillion times with a different cover and Gladys will buy it.” They then rush back to their printing presses and stick a photo of a kitten hanging from a limb on the front and put it back on the shelf knowing full well that War and Peace has nothing to do with that kitten.

They know that I will pick it up and say “hey I’ve never read this before.” Then I’ll plop down my $8.00 and walk out only to find I have read this book before. Do I learn? NO! I will repeat this over and over again. That is why I have read “Where the Heart Is” by Billie Letts two thousand times. I digress.

See what I mean and there are two other covers out there but I couldn't get them to fit on the page. They do this KNOWING I will pick it up and buy it yet again.

The book of which I speak is called The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. I picked it up because it had a picture of a dog on the front. I didn’t read the synopsis or even see if it was on my reading list. Yes, I keep a list in my purse of books I want to read. It is 10 pages long and I never remember to check it when looking for a book. Anyway I threw it in my basket at the local big box warehouse store and headed to the check out. I sat down yesterday at the beach and devoured the book. It is a good story but it is even better in that it is told from the dog’s point of

view. It is just a good tale. If you are looking for something that will make you smile, cry and angry all at once this book will do it. It also made me look at my dogs a little differently. Now I’m not going to give you a run-down on the book because honestly I hate it when people review a movie or a book and tell you the whole plot line and spoil it. Instead I just suggest you read it or unlike me, read the cover. I’m just bringing it to your attention. If you really want to know more about it go here and watch this. Enzo will tell you all about it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/m21A77I4M0UM2A

I also just finished Billie Letts’ book Made in the U.S.A. I enjoyed it but not near as much as Where the Heart Is the first bazillion times I read it. It is the story of two children who are pretty much on their own finding a friend and a place to belong. I think it’s pretty apropos of many family situations in today’s society but it’s not preachy.

Another book I just retired to my Friends of the Library stack is Janet Evanovich’s Finger Lickin Fifteen. Honestly I love her more than my Kenneth Coles. Her Stephanie Plum series never disappoints me. She is laugh out loud funny. I recommend these if you are feeling a little down or just want a good laugh. Yes there are now 15 of them. Start with One for The Money and work your way through them. You’ll thank me later.

Now I’m off to read My Life in Paris by Julia Child and Alex Prud’homme. Yes I’ve already read The Julie/Julia Project and no, I have not seen the movie, yet. I’ll let you know what I think of it.

Other books on my queue The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I know this is the latest greatest movie out there but I have not read the book and as I have said before my imagination is so much better than most movies. I am also working on The Fountain Head by Alice Rand for Bye Bye Pie’s Virtual Book Club. As June, the author of Bye Bye Pie, who is linky Mclinkinstern today?

So my question is, what are you reading?