It's A Conspiracy

"It is a writer's greatest pleasure to hear that someone was kept up until the unholy hours of the morning reading one of his books. It goes back to authors being terrible people who delight in the suffering of others. Plus, we get a kickback from the caffeine industry."

Proof - THEY want me to be short tempered through lack of sleep...

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson
Page 251

Conference and Graduation Over

The MLA conference in Chicago ended and I flew home to meet out-of-town family who are visiting for my younger daughter's college graduation. After the graduation were the parties and the family get togethers. The last one is tomorrow, then family flies home and on Wednesday I return to work.

On my way out through the first night of the conference, I read two and one half books (finished Pitch Black, then read Starshine and Second Sight). After that I picked up No Defense by Kate Wilhelm to read throughout the rest of my (little) reading time at the conference and finished it on the way home. On the flight home I started Mrs. Mike. (Have I mentioned how much I like flying because it's a good time to read?) I finally finished it this morning in between parties and gatherings.

That means five books came off Mt. Bookpile during that time. But I added two more since I came home. My brother was buying a book for my daughter's graduation present, so I bought one at Barnes and Noble. Then I HAD to show off Mysterious Galaxy, and (of course) bought something there as well. I've now added two books to Mt. Bookpile. Of the five I took off, two were received in the last month. That means I've only removed one book net from Mt. Bookpile. It is a never ending battle that Mt. Bookpile will win...

Traveling Again

Once again I'm traveling - to a conference. That means deciding what books to pack. Since I'm flying, I don't want any hardbacks, which eliminates James Patterson's Sunday at Tiffany's or Anne Tyler's Breathing Lessons. I refuse to take library books when traveling far from home, so that eliminates Philip Dick's UBIK. So I THINK I'm going to pack:

Second Sight by Amanda Quick (paranormal romanctic suspense)
Starshine by Theodore Sturgeon (science fiction)
Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freedman (literature)
a mystery novel (I can't remember which one I finally pulled off Mt. Bookpile)

Even if I only read on the plane, I'll have a choice. Since it's a medical librarian conference, I doubt I'll get any of Lazy Gal's infamous reading SWAG - at least in fiction. I'm sure the exhibitors who want our business will have lots of other stuff, though.

5/20 - between the plane ride and waiting for the continuing ed session to begin, I started and finished 2 books. Since then, though, I've only gone though another half. I'll be fine until I get home although at first I was going so fast I was concerned I'd finish all four and have to stop at the airport bookstore...

Those Pesky Details

After reading Twilight and New Moon by Stephenie Meyer, I had to read Eclipse. I logged on to my local library web site, did a search by title and author, and opened the first book link on the list. I clicked the request button, glad to see that there wasn't a wait for the copy.

I picked the book up at the library last week and laid it on my library shelf while I finished The Shack and Overtreated. Today I turned to the first page, then quickly to the second page, then to some random spot in the middle. I had reserved the Spanish copy, sigh. I didn't look at the details on the library record that plainly say that I had chosen the Spanish version. I'm returning that copy. Meanwhile, there's a long wait on the English version.

I admire people who can speak and read fluently in two languages.

It Just Doesn't Work

My daughter recommended Darkly Dreaming Dexter for me to read. She even told me a little of what it is about. It's premise is that a sociopathic killer only preys on other sociopathic killers. But I just can't accept Dexter as the "good guy" - the protagonist. Here's how Amazon starts its description of the novel:

"Meet Dexter Morgan. He's a highly respected lab technician specializing in blood spatter for the Miami Dade Police Department. He's a handsome, though reluctant, ladies' man. He's polite, says all the right things, and rarely calls attention to himself. He's also a sociopathic serial killer whose "Dark Passenger" drives him to commit the occasional dismemberment.

Mind you, Dexter's the good guy in this story."

No, he's not. He's just another bad guy who takes justice into his own hands. It's comforting to know that sometimes the killer who escapes the system still is punished on Earth. But Dexter is no better than the people he preys upon - only he justifies better.

I've already skipped one killing scene, but may finish the book. Jeff Lindsay has written this easy to read novel in a sardonic, self deprecating tone that helps. Even so I can't appreciate Dexter, and I certainly won't read any more of them.