A question of “What are we reading?” in a forum prompted me to realize that of all the reading I do I mention so little of it in this blog.

Recent reads (most recent first):

The Book of Mormon - the President of my church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) invited all members last fall to read this book by the end of the year, promising certain blessings as consequence - an increase of peace, a greater resolve to do what is right. Those blessings happened for me. Apart from that: this book is true. It’s a mix of glory and the profoundest tragedy. It’s lighting and thunder against bad religion and philosophy. According to many it is also stylistically bland - but that was never the point for me. More than any of this, it is a witness of the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, and His power of deliverance.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - This is a classic. The recent film adaptation was a philosophical, overly humanistic and diabolical, amped-up butchery of it that children shouldn’t watch besides because the fear is beyond any level of intensity Lewis ever intended. Not content with the level of tension in the original, they invented dangers and extremities of fear galore to put the children through. A fairly young child behind me wept in fear in this movie. So much for our children. Fetch the wolves on them!

So you Want to Self-Publish - This is an excellent, excellent resource of advice and a guide to resources from a successfull self-publisher of mostly civil war history books. My wife found this at the Provo Library. The first thing I remember from it is the importance of self-marketing and getting on the radio and your book in reviewer’s hands well before publication if you possibly can.

If You Want to Write - this book is exceptional. Besides being a fiery dismantling of many of the problems of intellectualism, analysis, wieghing and measureing which it alleges destroys creativity (and myself I would add that it destroys enjoyment), it offers some excellent advice on the creative process and how to change contrived, dry writing into honest, unabashed, detailed, and lively writing. Has some appreciative asides about Jesus that I disagree with - philosophically. Please understand I appreciate Jesus, or at least, I profess to..

Taking Control of Your College Reading and Learning - Gold. Every student needs this book. Every serious reader, too, I think. Wonderful suggestions and methodologies for actually retaining what you study - and studying more efficiently. It’s an investment of time to improve your study methods, but the payoff is infinite.

Current reads:

A load of math books for school. Must conquer math. .. Hmm.. I want to find that book I ran accross about overcoming math phobia.

Super Reading Secrets - I want to learn to speed read so I can get through everything I want to faster :)
The Star Wars Trilogy - Familiar material to practice speed-reading

The Old Testament (King James Bible) - I’m going through this (for this year) with the aid of my church’s gospel doctrine class member study guide and a commentary on the Old Testament whose title I forget. This includes what my religion calls The Pearl of Great Price, which contains books of scripture by Moses and Abraham purported by the Prophet Joseph Smith to have been removed from the beginning of the bible, and which he recieved by direct revelation. Minor note: I’m fascinated by a fascimile from an egyptian scroll which fell into Smith’s hands, replete with notes on the religious nature of the iconography, also containing such notes as “ought not to be revealed at this time.” Anyway, this book applies to real life, as it turns out, and I classify it as a workbook along with the following four.

102 Great Dates for any budget - Erm.. my wife and I watch movies together, which is neat..

How To Win Friends and Influence People - A book whose advice I overlook to the point of being laughable, which my posts in this and this forum betrays.

The Artist’s Way - I have minor criticisms of it, but this book is, so far, gold - if you actually follow it’s advice.

What they Don’t Teach you in Film School: 161 Strategies to Making Your Own Movie No Matter What - Urges you to begin with even the most miniscule projects you can. Sound advice - the rest is probably good.

Writers of the Future Vol. 20 - The “best” (according to this contest) of new science fiction and fantasy writers and illustrators. I’ll enter this contest one day. I consider this a workbook of sorts in observing writing trends.. if I can pick out any among the stories in the book.

Prince Caspian - The second published book in the Chronicles of Narnia, which I only know by referring to the back cover of an antiquated copy of the first in my wife’s possesion. I prefer reading them in the published order and haven’t read these since I was a kid - if I read all of them. Sad how little we remember even from such time investments.

First Meetings in Ender’s Universe - A birthday present. So far the first story in it is good.

The World of Tolkien - This and the three following are Christmas presents, this one requested. Fascinating and apparently thorough exploration of the myths, legends, and history of earth which inspired Tolkien’s work. The illustrations I think are often “meh” - but sometimes great.

The King in the Window - Haven’t started yet. Looks good.

The Tale of Despereaux - A mideavalish/fantasy mouse’s adventure - started reading and it’s kinda funny. My wife liked it.

Rough Stone Rolling: A Cultural Biography of Mormonism’s Founder - Fascinating. Things I never knew either about him or the society around him.

A Historical Atlas of Mideaval England - I’m not finding this online. Aging Christmas present. Very useful to me in combining history with visuals - the changes of who is where on a map of Europe. Interestingly sorts people not so much by nation but by language - which isn’t always cohesive with nationality. So it’s also a sort of history of language.

Bulfinch’s Mythology: Legends of Charlemagne But this was from two Christmases ago and I still haven’t read it, very interesting thought it is..

My sister gave me a history of mideaval england whose title I forget. Very interesting looking through it so far.

The Hobbit .. I want to read this.. I actually.. never read it. I know I’ve missed out on a lot, I know, I know.. Le sigh. I never read a *lot* of things.

The Spoils of Time - Never get around to reading because I want to take notes from it to actually remember what I read.

The Right to Write - Kinda “meh” actually, glancing through it.. but I know there were some things that resonated perusing through it at the bookstore, or else I wouldn’t have bought it. Maybe I’ll enjoy it after finishing her other book, the first on this list, and the two other books on writing I hope to acquire (read on)..

Myth and the Movies - Now I think of this as probably a useful idea generator - but not a backbone for screenwriting. Perhaps philisophically in line with structuralism, and sometimes glamorizing things I disdain while overlooking things I love. So far.

The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers - Haven’t much looked through but suspicious I’ll react much the same as to the above - because -

I plan on acquiring Zen in the Art of Screenwriting and its follow-up, because Richard Dutcher recommended these when I had the opportunity to ask his advice on screenwriting resources. Dutcher added that he only has use for “the structuralists” as he put it (Note the subtitle of “The Writer’s Journey”) for screenplays that need fixing up.

Second to last, and far from least, I’m reading a screenplay a prominent local screenwriter sent me for feedback. But it’s secret, and I probably shouldn’t have even said that much, but I want to brag because I’m flattered!

The Great and Terrible, Vol. 1: Prologue, The Brothers - A drama beginning in the pre-earth life, or existence before earth, which I couldn’t stop reading at my local Deseret Book but couldn’t buy either - I’ll finish reading that in the store. Evil, I know.

Future Reads

Hmm.. I want to get The Backslider, and LDS novel. From there, various from this list.. and the films and books listed in the syllabus I requested from the professor who replied to that post (under “New-Topics”).