I admit it – I am completely geeking out over The Martian. No, I’ve not seen the movie yet, but I will.
Let’s rewind to a book I read this spring that changed the way I pick books from now on. The Goldfinch is a Pulitzer Prize novel and Best Seller.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-goldfinch-donna-tartt/1114308487?ean=9780316055444
Normally, I trust everything that the booksellers tell me. They are, after all, much more ‘well read’ and better educated than I am. Everyone was raving about it – there are study guides for bookclubs and everything. Well, I’m not trusting these people anymore. Goldfinch was a lovely crafted story of 784 pages…. yes 784, that continues on and on, and wraps you up in the characters. Then, at about 15 pages from the end, her publishers must have walked in and demanded something to send to press. She wrapped up the entire story with a quickie ‘…and they lived happily ever after…’ style ending. I loved the pretext of the storyline, but I was furious. This is what it takes to win a Pulitzer? NEXT !!
I went on my own search for something worth my time and stumbled across a blurb about a new movie. Yeah, big deal. Wait, this looks interesting,…. it was a book? Ok, I’m game.
The Martian was wonderful. A first time writer, with nothing but his story, heart and soul on the line. It was great. My inner geek was so happy. Yours will be too.
It has set me on another literary junket. ‘Ready Player One’ intrigued me just by the title. Video games never start with ‘ready player one’ anymore. What’s the deal, is this a teen book, or what. I’ve just started into it and I love it too. I am enjoying the flashbacks to the ’80’s (because they’re valuable antiques in the book), and a frightening visualization of a future that I could actually see coming to pass. A multi-decade recession, no work, no gas for vehicles, people living in a virtual world,….. I won’t spoil it.
Get outside your literary comfort zone and pick up something new…. maybe you have an inner-geek as well just waiting for the right book.
