An Innocent Escape

      I, being an introvert, find books to be just as good of friends as people can be. Looking at me at any given time at school (or anywhere else for that matter), one would find that I am more likely to be buried in a book, chipping away at homework, or looking up the latest news on the school computers than socializing with friends.

      They carry endless possibilities, ideas without end, they capture the spirit of the times. They can provide a place to go where there will almost certainly be someone who would understand you, even if you don't actually communicate with them. Unlike video games or computers, you can get endless hours of entertainment without having to charge the batteries, or look away from eye strain or mind-numbness.

      Also, another advantage books have over electronic means is the amount of material available. Books have been published and read for centuries upon centuries, while computers are only several decades old at the most. This allows for a much wider selection of material, and also reflects views on life extending back through history.

       You know another awesome thing about written literature? Anyone can do it. Take a paper, a pen, and start writing. If you do it enough, you might just become good at it. Video games, or computers in general, need extensive and lengthy schooling to even start programming (Okay, yes, classes are required for English, but you do gain a basic knowledge of the language just by experiencing the people around you; this isn't true of programming).

Long days and pleasant nights,
Neal

My Shelved, Yet Unread Books

      There are, of course, many books that I want to read. But first, as I naturally would do, I have quite a few books on the shelf yet to read. Half-Price Books will be the death of me.

      What do I have to read? The next three Dune Books, and a couple Louis L'Amour books (on the bottom of the picture). Right now, I'm reading Empire of the Sun, The Dark Tower #7, and the first Dune (top of the picture).

      Although only four of these books actually belong to me, you can see how much of a bookworm I am. Also, you can see the genres and styles of literature I'm into right now. Science-fiction, a genre I haven't explored much beyond Star Wars, is one that I'm very slowly stepping into. It's very much like walking into a cold pool- you have to take a while to get used to it. Post-apocalyptic fiction is one of my favorites- I Am Legend (the book, not the movie) is a prime example, and one I liked quite a bit. The Dark Tower series is part Western, part science-fiction, and part post-apocalyptic fiction- it's an amazing series with great characters, ideas, and a great plot. I've been living it since spring break earlier this year, and I almost can't bear the thought of being on the final book.

      Empire of the Sun, a Historical Fiction novel, revolves around the experiences of a young kid in Shanghai after the Japanese invade in the late 1930's. I find it to be a very emotional book, and it is based off the author's own experiences.

      Anyway, that's what I have on the shelf now- at least until I go to another bookstore.

Long days and pleasant nights,
Neal