You Do You

I've always been slightly rebellious (okay, my mom just laughed at the use of the word "slightly"), so I've never been one to read something because it's a best seller, or because someone else tells me that a book is "important."
In today's New York Times Book Review section, I loved reading a debate about this very idea: Is a book good because it's "LIT-ra-ture," or because it's just fun to read?
I believe that, much like a Twinkie, the middle is where the good stuff happens. On one end you have what you're supposed to read, and almost never do. And on the other end, the things that you're slightly embarrassed to admit you read. Much like admitting that you ever ate a Twinkie.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of Henry James, William Faulkner, Plutarch, Shakespeare, and Jane Austen. And I also enjoy the books that I call "popcorn books," those by Dick Francis and Agatha Christie. They aren't on any classics lists, but I love them and gobble them down like popcorn. In fact, I have every single one of the Dick Francis books - 49 if you're counting.
But tell me that I have to read something just because everyone else thinks it's fabulous and I balk. Because I'm usually let down (thanks a lot, Dan Brown and Jonathan Franzen) and the attention is often not worth the blather.
Frankly, it's why I gravitate to book awards like the Man Booker and the Morning News Tournament of Books - the nominated books are usually good to fantastic, amazingly well written, and creatively entertaining (except for that John Irving thing, but more about that in another post).
The middle is occupied by wizards like Jo Rowling and Elizabeth George, who create indelible characters while pulling us completely into their worlds. Or by Jo Nesbo and Robert Harris, who paint mesmerizing visions of worlds we don't occupy.
And I've read breathtaking writing - crying (hard) over Harrison in Pigeon English, holding my breath over the pain suffered by Dorrigo in The Narrow Road to the Deep North, and sighing when Marie-Laure finally meets Werner in All the Light We Cannot See. The middle even made me change my mind over apocalyptic novels after I read Station Eleven. The middle is really satisfying.
So don't let anyone tell you that your favorite author isn't a good one. Or that you aren't intelligent enough to "get it" if you don't like James Joyce. You read what you want. You do you. And we'll meet in the middle.

Record-Selling Books

Art by Christophe Gowan, ceegworld.com

There are some super-creative people out there, and I'm trying not to be jealous.
File this under "Why didn't I think of that": Brit-based Christophe Gowan is an amazing art director and designer who wondered what some of the best-known albums would look like if they were redesigned as books. You can see all of the fabulous results here.
I do have some favorites. Bob Dylan's "Blood on the Tracks" was crying out to be re-thought as a pulp fiction novel. The super-genius touch was to use Dylan's real name as the author name.
Prince's "Purple Rain" is reimagined as an L. Ron Hubbard-esque story, George Michael's "Faith" is just a tawdry memoir, and Jimi Hendrix gets a business guide upgrade for "Are You Experienced?" Boggles the mind, right?
But the Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" as Japanese manga? Well, let's just say I almost spit my coffee out.

Tuesday's Magazine

I'm still in love with print. No, I'm not a dinosaur - I have a Nook and I read Vanity Fair on an iPad. But I do still enjoy the feel of a nice glossy magazine and the smell of newsprint.

I especially like design publications of all types - interior design, art, graphic design. I recently saw a post on one of my favorite blogs about a new design magazine that is the most "green" magazine I've ever heard of.

It's called Wrap, a large-format illustration and design publication that combines a magazine to read with a product you can use - wrapping paper.

The magazine features interviews with artists from around the world, as well as examples of their work. Each issue is produced without staples or stitching so the pages can be used as wrapping paper once you've finished reading it. Currently, you can find Wrap in stores and museums throughout Europe. If your budget isn't up for an overseas trip, the magazine is sold in a store in L.A., or you can buy copies of current and former issues online.