Polar Opposites

Lucky for me, I ended up with a few new books (which is rare, since I normally buy used ones or hope that books get paid forward to me as I pay books forward, or I grab loaners from friends) in the last few weeks. I was pretty excited since I had grabbed books that I really wanted to read, rather than books that appeared to "fit the reading bill" and time would tell once I dove between the covers.

Well, the books ended up at opposite ends of the sprectrum. I started with this book by the dynamic duo Preston and Child, and it was a fast paced page turner that kept me on the edge of my perpetual seat. It was a great book/read. I like their writing style, and I also think that it is cool that Preston's brother was the one that wrote the Hot Zone, a non-fiction book that I must admit scared the hell out of me (and then some). Actually both books to differing degrees reminded me of how much we live in a world of trust, social contract, and faith. You really have to believe that most people out there have their own best interests at heart, which by extension means that they are trying to create as little negative waves as possible because of the potential to have a rippling negative effect on their lives reflected back on them.

Then I picked up back to back novels by the next writing combination of Michael Slade, one of which was a book about the second world war in Europe, and the other was a different take on the war in the Pacific. I found the first one riveting, but a harder one to read. Back in my university days I did a course on the Holocaust and it was a chilling, bone numbing experience of just how dark human nature can be. This book reminded me of some of that, but to be aware of the darkness is also to be aware of the lightness of the human soul as well (witnessed by books such as this, which is still one of the most inspiring novels I have ever read). All of the Slade books are dark, but very well researched and very well written. They also take off from a base here in BC, and it is always a thrill to recognize your home town(s) in novels.

In between these two thrillers, I figured that I would dive between the covers of a chick-lit book. I had picked up Bushnell's Four Blondes at a great steal. I thought that after such an intense few novels, something light and fluffy was in order. I could not have been more wrong. I am sure that this is not the quintessential good chick-lit example, but it is complete and utter trash. Even at 5 bucks I think I got ripped off, and it is even a hard cover. After reading the first short story (I am not much of a fan of a short story, the longer the better generally for me) I dropped the book in disgust and went for the second Slade book. Well, now that the rest of my new books have been read, I am trying to get the rest of my way through this one, especially since it really isn't that long. The terms vapid, shallow, pulp writing keep coming to mind. I am disappointed because I am a big fan of S'inthe City, but this is no where close to what I expected. Between this one, and the Sh0paholic (which also didn't do much for me) I can't say that I am a big fan of chick-lit at this point. I am more than willing to try out more if there are some good suggestions out there.

Personally, it was an awakening moment as I realized my own literary journey has taken a few more turns. When I was a kid I loved the Nancy Drews, the Black Stallions, then came all those harlequins and bodice rippers, then all of the literature that I read and continue to read in between the other stuff, and then just plain old romance, to modern day books, to the suspense, some law, some thriller, and crime novels that I am now attracted too. I've really enjoyed books like the Lovely Bones and the Secret Life of Bees, or the Red Tent... but I wouldn't classify those books as chick-lit... which right now I can't say is going to top my list of great reads (however I will keep an open mind since you really can't judge a book by its cover and you just have to try and figure it out and see if the shoe fits for your own reading style).