neal stephenson

i've been curious about neal stephenson's writing for a while. he's written those big-ass books that collectively are called 'the baroque cycle'. the last volume is called 'the system of the world'.

anyhow,in the past,i've started reading 'the diamond age' and 'snow crash' but didn't get far.that's not a judgment on the writing,though.for some reason,i have a really short attention span for fiction,or something. perhaps it's because i love learning so much. when i read nonfiction,which i do a lot,i am learning something and it's just something i enjoy. i suppose you can learn something from novels,but i'm sure there are a lot of them that are just time-wasters escapist. there's nothing wrong with escaping in my opinion,though,as long as you enjoy yourself.

anyhow,i have heard raves about 'cryptonomicon' so i thought i'd give it a try. so far,i am intrigued by the way he puts words together...it seems quite unique and i don't remember it from the other two books i started,but who knows. and of course i also like it that there are historical figures in this book and perhaps things to learn. it's historical fiction,but i'm sure there are plenty of facts in there as well. in any event,if i become curious,it gives me one more thing to research,which is fun.

i hope i can renew this at the library a few times...if i keep reading it,i may need to! not only is it long,but i tend to enjoy reading things from many different sources and on different subjects on a daily basis,so i don't know how long it might take me. if i like though,i can look forward to reading many many more of his words!

evocation

the plane begins to sweat like a giant glass of iced tea.

-neal stephenson in 'cryptonomicon'

see what i mean? (see previous post if curious). i love it.

(no subject)

i'm just so happily bookish and content right now. i'm enjoying cryptonomicon and i got a great big fat new biography of e.e. cummings at the library today. going to the library is one of my favoritest things to do. i'm literally enchanted when i go there,and often under that spell i leave with a whole pile of books even though i had no intentions of borrowing anything (because i always have tons of things to read--lucky me!)

i also borrowed 'seven years in tibet' and i think i just want to watch it for the aesthetic beauty that i know it must contain.

last week i also bought a book called magnetizing your heart's desire which is a really cheesy title and has a really dorky new-agey cover,but it's all about law of attraction and it's an understatement to say i'm interested in that.

and now,back to sailing on the sea of words...

(no subject)

just one of the reasons i love robert anton wilson...

yes!