Random Thoughts - 11

An Autobiography of Reading:

Bruce Coville
Bruce writes children's books, and I read them until I was 9 or 10. Loved them. Where else do you learn that aliens do indeed fart?
K.A. Applegate
Applegate was the author behind the Animorphs books, which I read until the series ended. They were a bridge to more adult books; the Animorphs dealt with some staggeringly adult themes; war and loss and ethics.
Christopher Pike
These were my real transition books. I remember reading one, and there was a swear word in the first chapter. I put the book away, terrified my parents would get mad at me. Eventually, I kept reading. I don't remember these books adding anything of value to my life, but they did prepare me for the next step.
Dean Koontz
Aah, the mindless thriller. Loved Dean Koontz. Still do, as a matter of fact. Something about his writing lets me just forget what it is I'm doing or what it is I'm worrying about. Some of his newer stuff has some good things to say against bioethics and stuff, so nowadays I don't see him as too much of a guilty pleasure.
Stephen King
And then we get to some of the heavyweights. King's books range from the terrifying to the thoughtful, and it was first through King that I learned that a story that stays with you is one that doesn't wrap up all the neat ends. I hate(d) that King would kill off certain characters, and I wanted to rewrite the story so that they lived. And then I realized how effective that was; I was so disturbed by the book that I found myself thinking about it long after I had read it. IT and The Stand are two of the best horror books I've ever read, and they have so much more to offer than just chills down your back.
COLLEGE
Funny enough, but I didn't read much of anything when I was in college. If I was reading, it was certainly for class, and not for the sake of reading.
Rob Bell
My first introduction into postmodernism, and I loved it. I fell too deep into it for a little while, and I needed to actually remember to read the Bible to make sure I wasn't just making crap up. Rob helped me to see postmodernity in a good light and how to balance it with the Bible.
Anne Lamott
I debated whether or not to put Donald Miller here, but I decided it would be more appropriate to go with Lamott. Lamott inspired Miller, afterall. And on my first reading of Blue Like Jazz, I didn't like it. I loved Bird by Bird (by Lamott) on the first read. I loved the realistic combined with the poetic, and the honest emotions. It helped inspire me to write Ashram, and ultimately to continue writing.

What's next?