Books, relaxation and life

Book are a...hit and miss are not the right words, but they go fast or slow. I go though phases where I read 1-3 books a week, then I take over a month to get thought a 300 page bio. I love to read but over the last few years reading a major book has become a challenge but I’m still reading magazines.

In the last week I’ve finshed two books and am almost 100 pages into a third. I ordered Pat Beneath’s bio Between a Heart and a Rock Place almost a year ago and started in early May.

Again, just working like it’s the end of the fiscal year (which it is) leaves little time but I finally killed the last 250 pages in two days. You really get the story of a woman pursuing a passion for music with a legitimate chance at Juliart...then she got married. Oh well young and stupid. Fortunately she met her future husband Neil Giraldo and then they got locked into a bad contact with the record company. A lot of good music pushed out too fast but she was major force in 80s rock, including the second video played on MTV in August 81,You Better Run. She has a real attitude in the video because of arguments with the record company...silver lining. It was an awesome few minute but I still prefer the less often played I’m Gonna Follow You with it’s dark overtones of obsession and betrayal.

Now last night as Beth and I were sitting in bed she found a great one on YouTube. A literal version of Love is a Battlefield. Funny as hell!


Another book (that took less than two days and has big type script...my eyes are grateful for that!) was The Shootist by Glendon Swarthout,

the book John Wayne's last movie was based on. The movie pretty much goes with the plot of the book but they definenately changed the Gillom role to fit Ron Howard's Opie/Richie Cunningham persona. Plus the scene with his old girlfriend Serepta was much more entertaining in the book then with Wayne in the movie. And it doesn't quite go into the personal of JB Books as Wayne did (RIP Duke) but I understand why he wanted this book for a film.

I just started Ann Coulter's Demonic

and I should have this finished by mid-week. Next comes up is The King's Speech. Great movie, great book from what I hear.

I reason I go on the subject of books...well I love reading and nothing beats a good book. And I just can’t see curling up with a good Kindle, some scotch and a great cigar in front of the fire. There is something about reading through one to two inches of paper. Like reading a large book (Rand, Clancy or Michener, who’s books all start with “And the earth cooled..”). Finally I love pissing off all the leftist out there with the fact I’m killing a tree while enjoying a good read.

So after a few honey do’s this evening I’m heading to the front of the house with a Habana Reserve Churchill, a glass of 12 year old and Demonic...

Here’s to a great summer!