What are you reading?

In which I introduce a new blog I will begin publishing soon … What are you reading?

This past summer, I finally got around to reading a book that had been highly recommended to me a while ago by long-time book pal, Judy Gardner. (And I’ve posted before about Judy here and here and here.)

The book, The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe, was better than just a good read for me … it was life-changing, in that it made me see a new approach to books and reading and sharing books that had never occurred to me before. There was a lot in there too about life in general, about how we interact with other people (albeit, fellow readers), family and friends, and how we deal with loss and grief. The book was so good that I immediately began recommending it to everyone I spoke with – kind of like a recent religious convert – bought a print copy to keep forever and ever, and borrowed another of Schwalbe’s books from the library. I wanted to read everything the man had written.

It was this second book, Books For Living, that gave me the idea for creating another blog. The following quote, from “The Final Word”, specifically planted the seed:

I used to say that the greatest gift you could ever give anyone is a book. But I don’t say that anymore because I no longer think it’s true. I now say that a book is the second greatest gift. I’ve come to believe that the greatest gift you can give people is to take time to talk with them about a book you’ve shared. A book is a great gift; the gift of your interest and attention is even greater.

Reading is a respite from the relentlessness of technology, but it’s not only that. It’s how I reset and recharge. It’s how I escape, but it’s also how I engage. And reading should spur further engagement. P. 255

And from the introduction:

We all ask each other a lot of questions: “Where did you go for vacation?” “How did you sleep?” Or, my favorite, as I eye the last bites of chocolate cake on a friend’s dessert plate, “Are you going to finish that?” … But there’s one question I think we should ask of one another a lot more often, and that’s “What are you reading?”

It’s a simple question but a powerful one, and it can change lives, creating a shared universe for people who are otherwise separated by culture and age and by time and space. p. 15

Note that Schwalbe says this question has the power to “change lives” … and that’s what I’m aiming for with this new blog. (No slouch me! I’m heading for world domination in a reading capacity!)

I will post my own contributions from time to time, and I do already have a few books in mind to recommend. But I’d really like to make this about you, the other readers out there who have a favourite book to talk about and that you just want to share with everyone. I’m looking for books that have really grabbed you, as happened to me with the book Judy recommended (above). If you have read or are reading such a book, please send me a message using the form on the contact page and we can discuss you posting to the new blog.

Remember, I’m not looking for reviews of books for this blog, but for titles of books that have really knocked off your reading socks, books that have made a difference in your life or that have been influential because of the ideas they present or the way they are written. (Great writing is also capable of knocking off our reading socks!) You just need to give me a brief explanation as to how you discovered the book and/or why it is one you believe others would find equally amazing. I will add links to the book and a cover jpeg to your text. Also, I will include a brief bio of you as a reader, if you wish.

I have already had the pleasure of “interviewing” a reader last week while she was still on Bequia and will begin this new blog with what she had to say about her current reading material. Once that post is published, and I’ve had a chance to tell you in another post what I have been reading, you’ll then have an idea of how I expect each post will look and the information that I’ll need from you to be able to post about what YOU are reading!

(Authors, please take note that this will not be an opportunity to showcase your own books. Let’s leave that up to my other blogs, Reading Recommendations and reading recommendations reviewed, okay? As I said above, these are not meant to be reviews but just a shout-out for any outstanding books readers happen to be reading. Thanks for your understanding.)