A book that seems to be my life is THE RAZOR’S EDGE by W.S. Maughn.  I reread it often.  EAST OF EDEN had a big effect on me.

I find something good in nearly every book I read.  If I don’t like it or get into it I put it aside.  My appreciation of the written word has changed.  If someone went  through the rigors of writing a book. I do not dismiss the effort as I believe it has merit to the author and I cannot always see or appreciate it.  I really have never finished a book that I did not see a value.

One of my sisters loves action thrillers.  She gave me her NOOK and she had a bunch of Rollins books.  The first sentence was in the passive voice and I put it down.  I will read it but I know that it is a different type of literature.  I will learn from this book.  I read the acknowledgements and the research and already I see the effort, the organization of the work albeit the prose may not be what I get lost in.

It is not a book that I dislike but sometimes it is an author.  The author promotes a book and presents as a self righteous I know something person and that can turn me off.  Usually I do not read that work because I see it as a political expression but that seems to occur because I saw the author.

I have been involved in reading groups and I see how we can read the same book and take from it what is foremost in OUR thoughts.  I enjoy when someone gives a thoughtful presentation of a work.