I have been struggling for something to write about. Everything that comes to mind seems like a stretch. In other words, it would not flow naturally, and I would be forcing the issue. This morning I read a post by Garry about his disappointment with Three Bad Men, a book about John Ford, John Wayne and Ward Bond. I read that book and was disappointed, as well. Garry’s complaint is more serious than mine. I just thought it was a badly written book.
The post brought to mind the reading that is going on in our house. My stepdaughter is constantly reading a book, and I could not be more proud. Right now, she is in the middle of the Pretty Little Liars series. I have no idea if they are any good, but I know that a kid who loves to read will probably take that love with them throughout their life.
I love reading and am constantly in the middle of a book. Usually, it is something that I do while on the treadmill. I know a book is good when I miss the times when I am supposed to increase the speed. I know that a book is not as good when I am constantly glancing at the timer for my cue. However, it does not matter the quality of the book. When I start one, I have to finish it. I finished Three Bad Men, and I promise that it was a chore.
At the moment, I am reading The Quick, a novel about the mysteries of Victorian London. It started slow but is starting to get better. Before that, I read Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History. You know it is a history book when it has a title that long.
Speaking of history books, I recently submitted a book review of Tennessee Women in the Progressive Era: Toward the Public Sphere in the New South. Any day now, I expect to receive an email explaining revisions that need to be made.
A few days ago, my wife started book that has been in the drawer of her bedside table for a while. She is really into it and tells me all about it when she puts it down. She has been reading this blog and thinks that I should try my hand at fiction. I may dabble in it a little, but there are other important things to do. It is almost syllabus time, and I have also spent several weeks putting together a new course for the fall semester. Who knows? I may give it a quick shot during my spare time.
Anyway, there is always a book being read at our house. There is always some writing going on, too. It could be a blog, which my wife is started to do for her business. It could be a review. It could be something fun. Whatever the case, we are always reading or writing.
SBI: A Thinning Crowd 
Garry and I are both readers … but our eyes aren’t what they used to be, so a lot of it is now done as audiobooks. My son reads, but my granddaughter doesn’t. She started to, then there were boys and parties and books disappeared. Hopefully, they will come back.
Garry found “Three Bad Men” slow going. Not so much bad, as the kind of non-fiction that we readers of non-fiction call “authoritative” — aka boring. Garry was interested enough in the material to wade through it, but I don’t think you could pay me to do it. Garry’s a serious movie maven, so he will slog through relevant material as I will sometimes slog through some pretty leaden history books. Bet you know what I mean.
Garry says thanks for the shout out!
I love history, but historians can do a great job making it boring. I like the word authoritative. Trying to do that takes the fun out of everything.
I do most of my reading on the Kindle. Maybe y’all should try it. The print can be as large as you want.
I was going to ask if you read the traditional book or use a Kindle and then you answered my question in a comment reply. I can’t get on with the Kindle – still like the feel of the real thing.
I thought that I would never go to a Kindle. However, it is much easier to read while exercising. I still have real books all over the place.