I didn’t grow up as an avid book reader, but still enjoy it. Most of the books I read are about my profession, business, biographies, or something that has some learning to it. There is a part of me that ties reading to some type of study or self-improvement, not entertainment. This is nonsense; I know.
Perhaps I never developed a taste for fiction, or novels, or books in other entertaining genres. Perhaps I didn’t read the right books. My high school years were in Venezuela, so you can imagine the reading trends were different than in the English-speaking world.
I did read some fantasy / fiction books that had an impact on me when in high school (Paulo Cohelo’s The Alchemist or Michael Crichton’s Congo (what?) come to mind for whatever reason), but I was never the guy you hear say “I loooved Harry Potter, I read all the books in one night…” or interrupting the movie to say “Oh, this is BS! In the book this guy dies!”… you know that person. I’m not it.
So in the spirit of giving a chance to feeling that rush, I couple of days ago I finished reading “Earthsea: A Wizard of Earthsea.” This story is supposedly up there with Harry Potter and LOTR – I liked those movies.
I’m a little disappointed to say, I did not experience the mind-blowing rush I was expecting – the enthusiasm I hear from LOTR and Harry Potter readers. The book was entertaining, no doubt. I will read the next one, probably. But for now, I am still not on the fantasy genre reading team. I better enjoyed the Nelson Mandela biography or “Shoe Dog, The Story of Nike’s beginning” or “The Master Plan” from Chris Wilson – all true stories – for example.
I guess I like non-fiction? Or perhaps I once again didn’t read the book that would hook me? Perhaps it is an age thing? I’m sure I’ll read this in a few years and have the right answer.
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