Once again, there were many good answers to my question, “Why Do You Read Fiction?” But the winner was clearcut:
Josh Vogt.
Here’s what Josh wrote:
“I read bad fiction so I know all the ways I should never write. I read good fiction so I know all the ways I should write. And I read fiction in general because there are only so many technical manuals and textbooks you can go through before they start looking like a viable food source.”
Josh gets points for brevity, for originality, and for wit. Check out Josh’s web site.
I’d have been a little quicker judging the entries, but I was in New York yesterday and didn’t get home until nearly midnight. Um, that’s 1896 New York, where I was helping solve the mystery of a serial killer who was terrorizing boy prostitutes.
That’s, right, I was reading a psychological thriller, THE ALIENIST, by Caleb Carr. It’s a book I’d been wanting to read for a long time and I finally bought a copy of it on Saturday and started reading it Sunday. The book was excellent, not to mention timely, given the horrible shooting at Virginia Tech this week. If you’d like to know how somebody becomes a serial killer, this is your book.
Congrats, Josh!
Reading your answer made me chuckle, too.
Many thanks, Randy! Enjoying the blog and all the fun comments it is generating right off the bat. I’ll be around a bit, no doubt.
Congratulations, Josh!
I’m curious now about “The Alienist.” Great, another book to read, like I don’t have enough already. I think my floor is going to give way soon as it is.
Again… Congratulations Josh!
And so right too. It’s really very much like playing an instrument, or cooking or driving or anything else; you don’t learn by reading technical manuals–you only learn by doing.
Excellent works of art serve as a touchstone that we can use to help us in our studies as we get our hands dirty and send thousands of failed constructions to the trash bin.
Hmmm…New York…been trying for a long time to get some details about “Esposito’s” on Long Island (a tavern across from Belmont Park which existed when Seattle Slew won the Triple Crown). Apparently, now it’s a church. How does a bar turn into a Church, I’d like to know?
You had me going though Randy…glad you enjoyed your trip.
Blessings,
Joleena Thomas
I liked what you had to say Josh, congrats to you.
Sincerely,
Paulette Harris
Congrats, Josh
Congrats, Josh. You are right on target
June
Sorry for this late response. I’ve just arrived. Josh gave a good reason for reading fiction and therefore deserved victory. I read fiction for one reason and one simple reason only: To enjoy as much powerful emotional experiences as possible.