What in the world would I possibly want to confess on a blog? Deep dark secrets shouldn’t be confessed in public. Should they?
Well. Here it goes.
I cheated. I cheated on all my friends and acquaintances who are non-fiction writers.
I read a novel.
I’ll let this sink in for a minute…
Okay. Now that you’ve hopefully gotten past the initial shock, let’s discuss what led me astray.
I was bullied. A group of friends ganged up on me and insisted I leave the comfort of my non-fiction world. They tempted me with words like “fantasy”, “creativity”, “growth”, and “relaxation”.
It took them a while. But after months of pushing I finally gave in to their sweet temptations.
“I’ll just try it once”, I said to myself. “I won’t get hooked.” “I’ll be able to stop.”
I’m still clinging to those words. But it isn’t easy. Now that I finished one, I’m finding so many others to try.
I must stay strong.
The novel I read was recommended by numerous people. Is it possible they conspired against me and all recommended the same book?
What book?
11/22/63 by Stephen King
I couldn’t put it down. Seriously.
This past Saturday was dreary and rainy. I had the day off. I don’t think I ever left the house. I didn’t even turn on the baseball game.
I read the last 400 or so pages in one sitting. I’m not even sure if my family was home. They must have been. Someone must have taken the dog out at some point, right?
All kidding aside, it was great to get out of my comfort zone and read for pleasure.
11/22/63 is a huge book. If you’re thinking about reading it, and I highly recommend you do, don’t let the size get in the way. It’s a fast read. It keeps your attention. It also makes you think.
While it isn’t a horror novel, as many would expect from King, it does make you pay attention and it may cause some issues with your dreams at night. Nothing scary, but not your normal dream process either.
One thing that attracted me to this particular novel is the historical aspect. It is based on a specific event in U.S. history. The Kennedy Assassination.
I’m very much into presidential history. Not too long from now I’ll have read at least one biography for every president.
So there it is.
I cheated.
If you’re like me, and I know a large majority of you reading this have similar interests to mine, I recommend it’s time for you to cheat too.
Go ahead. You can do it. Trust me.
What novels have you recently read that you’d recommend? Make sure you tell us why you liked it!
I was wondering about that book. I’m definitely getting more and more into historical fiction. May have to check that one out. I’m in a book club and we are reading “World War Z”. I never would have willingly picked up a zombie novel, but the author writes like a journalist, pulling together all the causes and effects of the “plague”, getting input from every corner of the world. Really interesting read.
The history part is probably what pulled me in. I read dozens of history books every year.
The third book in the Apocalypse Triptych. (The end is nigh, the end is near, the end is come). I like Stephen King a lot, too.
I love the Dan Brown books with Robert Langdon as the main character. They’re mostly set in Europe, and there’s tons of history. Very intriguing, especially the most recent one, Inferno.
I’ve spent most of the time in the non-fiction world. One fiction book I would recommend is “Skipping Christmas” by John Grisham. It’s not your typical Grisham book.
“Not typical” is probably the best way to get me to read a novel. Thanks for the recommendation!
My family got me 11/22/63 for Christmas a couple years back; like you, I devoured it quickly. Here’s something King said about fiction: “Fiction is the truth inside the lie.” Fiction may be a lie, because it’s made up, but it certainly can, and does, give us great insight into the human condition, into situations and circumstances the characters face which are (like our own lives) beyond their control. Fiction allows us to live vicariously, and simultaneously learn about ourselves as learn about the characters lives. How would we, ordinary people, react in the face of xxxx? You get the point.
I would recommend making fiction a regular part of your reading regimen.
In a shocking turn of events, I reserved ANOTHER novel at the library. I’m thinking my friends are having an undue influence on me.