Sunday, September 07, 2014

Enjoying the ride

I don't read as much as I should, but today was a perfect day for it. We didn't have much planned, so I pulled books by Thoreau, and Tom Wolfe from the shelf. A quick Internet search yielded several New Yorker essays written by E. B. White earlier in the last century.

Glancing at the E. B. White essays, I was drawn to flow of his words. He painted a word picture one sentence at a time. Each line packed with nouns and action verbs. White had a sense of humor that appealed to me. I'll buy a few of his books to study his style more closely.

I'm also reading a book by William Zinsser entitled "On Writing Well." It's a beautifully written book that details practical tips on how to make you work stronger, no matter what it is you write.

When I look at the work of White, Wolfe, and Thoreau, I realize the road is long, but I'm enjoying the ride.









10 comments:

  1. Once I started reading at age 58, I could not get enough. Until that time I had read only business and work related books and manuals. As a kid I liked Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer and I liked 'The Black Stallion', most of my book reports in school were BS knowing my teacher would not read them. HA did get caught once.
    Now I know what I like, I have read several suggested classics but I am more on the simple line. Louis Lamore, Tom Clancy, Patterson etc. I do like most everything Grisham has written.I now have read over a thousand books. I am too enjoying, but not to the depth you are. Good on you!,

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    1. I just reread Tom Sawyer. That book is good on many levels. I've never read any Louis Lamor but I need to.
      Love reading, but as I mentioned, I don't read enough.
      I'm off to see what you and your lovely bride have been up to.

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  2. Anonymous12:07 AM

    You're already well along that road!!

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  3. I could hug you neck girkfren :)

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  4. Thoreau's words always resonate with me. I like how he draws a lot of things back to nature...

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  5. All good reads...I love reading because it allows me to escape my normal day to day and relax a little! I read a lot...always have...probably why I became an English literature and composition teacher. If my day is hectic and time is short, I still read before going to sleep at night...love it! All great writers mentioned and so many more out there. Reading actually improves writing...so many unique styles, such as your own. Don't underestimate your own writing...you have a style all of your own and so many of us enjoy it!

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  6. It's always wonderful to find something that inspires us and helps us grow in what we're doing. If I come across one of those books I'll need to read them :)

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  7. My son in law was so impressed by Thoreau that he named one of his son after him.
    You don't need to imitate anyone, you have a style of your own but you can't go wrong studying someone else style.
    JB

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  8. I have never fallen in love with an author's writing as quickly as I did yours…keep doing what you do!

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  9. When I was younger I do not remember my dad reading much but now he is always reading, myself I have loved books since I was a child although nowadays I am more into audio books I prefer to listen to a book while in the car over the radio

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