What Are You Reading Right Now?

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Comment by wiffledust on May 15, 2010 at 2:01pm

oh i think that's crap. there, i said it. not what YOU said, but what gladwell says. tons of people like my furniture i've painted, and i just started that. the fellow artist i sell ..the magnets and cards...she started relatively late. we are constantly evolving and growing beings. EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE. ok, figure skating might be hard. the really physical things involving muscle memory MAYBE. but please. he's wrong about alot!

Comment by Maura C. Ciccarelli on May 15, 2010 at 1:54pm

I liked "Outliers," but I had one negative emotional reaction. It presents case after case of successful people who share several "specs": the luck to be born at a certain time, to have the resources early on to develop their art (10,000 hours is minimum to achieve mastery, according to research), and to have someone take an interest in mentoring them. The Beatles probably wouldn't have made it if they hadn't gone to Hamburg, Germany to play music around the clock. Software giants like Microsoft's Bill Gates and others were born at the right time and had unlimited access to programming hours at a university computer lab. THAT SAID, these folks wouldn't have made it if they hadn't focused and committed themselves to the pursuit. Do read the book and be amazed at how much of we call "talent" is really good old-fashioned hard work. I'm working through my feeling of "I'll never be a true master if I don't meet the specs listed above." Problem is, it's hard not to feel a bit discouraged by it all. (BTW, I'm NOT a negative person when it comes to encouraging others to pursue their dream. When I turn the mirror back onto myself, I don't give myself the same support. Again, I'm working on it...)

Comment by wiffledust on May 15, 2010 at 1:42pm

i want to read malcolm gladwell's "outliers", but i just haven't had time lately. i'm a non fiction reader too, maura, and i want to read more fiction. to escape! but once i pick it up , i can't put it down. and i don't have enough hours in the day. i like to get lost in a book. with non-fiction, i can put it down and come back. "the artist's way" is fabulous. thanks for the info about "drive" ...i want to check that out!!

Comment by Maura C. Ciccarelli on May 15, 2010 at 1:33pm

I'm reading non-fiction because I'm sloooooooooowly working my way back toward writing fiction myself. I've tried reading novels but I just can't get into them! That's a sad thing for someone who wants to escape into an imaginary world every once in a while.

Recent non-fiction included Malcolm Gladwell's "Blink" about "thinking without thinking and Atul Gawande's "The Checklist Manifesto." I just got two more books, including Daniel Pink's "Drive" about what motivates us. If I can find my copy of "The Artist's Way," that may join my stack of books, again.

Comment by wiffledust on May 1, 2010 at 8:16am

thanks for posting this, barry! it's weird that you said this, because although i don't know this particular book, i always like to check out the adolescent section at the library when i'm there. there are some great books there like you said. and they go under the radar for sure! in my little library they stick some of the best movies over there too. so it'll be fun to check this out. thanks!

Comment by Barry Parsons on May 1, 2010 at 1:37am

I just wanted to throw out something I found. In a way it's light reading, but it has a lot of great references in it and it makes you think (if you think like I do....which can be scary).

It's called Here, There Be Dragons by James A. Owen. It's the first in a fantasy fiction series called The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica. When I find a book like this I get through it no time. It's 326 pages and I read it in 2 days.

I'm getting #2 and #3 tomorrow. They're actually listed as teen fiction at the library. It amazes me sometimes what they put in that category. Some of the best fiction I've read has been in that section. This series is about travelling to the lands of Lilliput, Styx, Asmund and more. Characters from our "fiction" are real in a world that is a part of ours, yet different and unreachable by most. I won't say too much so I don't give things away. But when you read it and get to the end it's one of those "wow" moments. If you believe that things beyond normal could exist, it makes a lot of sense.

OK, I've babbled enough. It's a good read if you're into that sort of thing. If not, carry on.

Comment by Paul Halpern on April 26, 2010 at 7:22am

Although the link says "pre-order" the copies are already available. It takes about a week.

In publishing, copies are usually printed at least a month before the offiicial publication date to generate advanced "buzz."

Interesting to hear about the astronomy show on the Discovery Channel.

Comment by wiffledust on April 25, 2010 at 11:26pm

i told ya he'd be excited, paul! i called him the minute you posted. but this link also says a pre-order. how did you get an actual copy???? this is so exciting!!! btw, paul, i'm watching the discovery channel about the big bang and all that. i'm trying to understand anti matter!

Comment by Paul Halpern on April 25, 2010 at 10:58pm

Here's a link to order a copy of Christine Lavin's book:

Cold Pizza for Breakfast

Comment by stephen dijoseph on April 25, 2010 at 10:40pm

wow...woohoo...man..gosh...geez..let's see...OMG!!!! that is ...like...I...I'm VERY honored/happy to hear THAT!!!!!! Thank you Paul...how do I get a copy?

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