1 complex novel 1 nonfiction work, usually biography or history, but sometimes science 1 comic novel
Complex novels OSC stuff classics The later Harry Potters Most fiction
Nonfiction In practice, usally a biography or a history. Sometimes a science book, and, towards the beginning of the month, my Atlantic Monthly and Scientific American.
Comic novels Terry Pratchett P.G. Wodehouse Things like Bruce Campbell's biography The early Harry Potters Agatha Christie
It is very, very difficult to do the comic novels well, which is why it is such a limited list. Fortunately, those writers between them produced almost a 150 books, so I'm covered for a little while. I welcome suggestions.
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I don't have anything nearly as structured as that. Lately, as in the last couple months, I've been on an "older OSC stuff" kick--SftD through CotM, Songmaster, Hart's Hope, etc. I just bought "Finding Serenity" and a book on square foot gardening, though, so I'll be reading those now (and very likely getting my garden started a lot later than I should). I read a lot of fiction, not nearly enough nonfiction, but then I don't have a whole lot of time to read--usually just while I'm eating lunch, and a few minutes in bed before I fall asleep.
Posts: 957 | Registered: Aug 2002
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Since you're an aspiring writer, I hope you subscribe to at least one magazine devoted to fiction. Posts: 13123 | Registered: Feb 2002
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I wouldn't say I have a regimen since that concept and I don't get along. I have, however, had particular motivations concerning my reading list. For instance, last year I was working my way through certain authors' entire works--Madeleine L'Engle and Sandra Brown--or reading series from beginning to current--HP, Left Behind, Lemony Snicket.
I am now trying to read all the books that correlate to movies coming out this year since there seem to be so many. I made it through War of the Worlds, The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants, and Hitchhiker's Guide, and I'm now working on The Chronicles of Narnia.
Everything else on the list is pretty much just random. I try to avoid non-fiction unles it's the creative kind. I put in my 16 years of school. Everything else I need to know, I'll learn on Hatrack. Posts: 226 | Registered: Mar 2005
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Take your pick. Ellery's, Asimov's, Analog, F&SF. I think there are some Christian short story mags out there and some romance oriented ones, but not being into that stuff, I wouldn't be able to name names.
edit: I hear it's normally good to keep up with the genre that you're interested in so you can see what various editors like.
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I pretty much just read whatever catches my eye, but that generally translates to having 3 or novels and 2 or so non-fiction books, usually but not always history, going at any given time. I'm teetiering on the brink of mining Steinbeck at the moment. I got Grapes of Wrath on CD for a trip awhile back, and couldn't believe what a good book it was. I've gone to the library and gotten a stack of his stuff, but I haven't started any of it yet. His The Wayward Bus will probably be the next piece of fiction that I start.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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I tend towards doing mini-segments based on themes or specific authors.
Current major themes:
1. Terry Pratchett -- the witch series [I've read the lower half of the reading guide -- and I'm sad to say].
2. I'm preparing to review the first book in the Leven Thumps series so I'm trying to get up-to-speed on YA fantasy from the past 15 years [I've read many of the classics (Susan Cooper, Lloyd Alexander, etc.) already]. I just finished reading all five Harry Potters [in 11 days]. I'm not sure where I'm going to go next.
3. Mormon novels. This is a long-standing course of reading for me. I try to do one every 2-3 months. My current focus is the best literary novels of the past 20 years. I need to start getting into some of the genre novels, but it seems like there's always a literary novel out there that I'd rather read first.
4. Print culture, book history, design theory, etc. I'm currently reading a fascinating book titled "Graphic Design, Print Culture, and the 18th Century Novel."
5. Literary theory. This another ever-present course of study. My current topic is "aesthetic theory." I'm reading Ernst Bloch's "The Utopian Function of Art and Literature."
6. Whatever else catches my eye in my net travels. But I'm trying to be a little more conscientious about reading modern literary fiction [a serious gap in my literary studies]. I have a hold on Gilead. I also need to get back into some history and biography. And I have some Hatrack recommendations of popular science books that I should look up on my list and see if they are available at my library.
I seem to have stopped reading classic literary fiction for the moment, but I never stay away from it -- esp. the 19th century Russian writers -- for long.
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kat: you could also add Irreantum , the literary magazine of the Association for Mormon Letters, to your regimen without it dominating your list.
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Kat, one of the most amazing stories I have ever read is "Life is So Good," a biography/autobiography of a man who went back to learn how to read when he was 98. It is just incredible, especially for you, as most of it takes place in Texas.
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As for a regimen, I basically just have to wrench myself away from fantasy to read a good li fi, mystery, or adventure novel. I also read a lot of math teaching books, and teaching books in general.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
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Yeah Kat, I'm kind of saving that one, because I know it's good. If I'd intended to go on a Steinbeck streak from the beginning I'd have approached his stuff chronolocially, so that I could see how he evolved as an author. I love doing that. I'm going to need to find some collections of his essays and journalistic work.
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Analog is awful. I asked for a subscription last year for Christmas. I've been so disapointed. Everytime I read a story in it I become ever more convinced that the primary criteria is bad writing. I no longer wonder why hatrack writers whose stories I've read can't get published, they're good. /rant
I generally read an author all the way through. Or most of the way through. When I don't have an author I'm craving I go to Borders and write down all of the young adult books I'm interested in and check them out of the library. If that fails me than I read one of the classics that I've gotten halfway through and then stopped. It's probably not the best regimen, but it's generally how things work out.
Book Rec for anyone who wants one: The Trial of Socrates by I.B. Stone I got this on a lark, fully expecting to not get more than a few pages into it before I found something I liked better. I was wrong. This is incredibly well written and easy to read even if, like me, you don't know the first thing about Greek philosophers and don't really care to. The only reservation I have is that I have no idea how accurate this is, it sounds like he knows what he's talking about, but I don't know enough about the subject to know if he actually does. It's a very engaging book, regardless.
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I read most of his stuff, but it's been years. Honestly I'd forgotten how much I love his work.
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