Part Two - The Eureka Moment in reading Fiction

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Today’s Blog Post
Part Two - The Eureka Moment in reading Fiction

I truly have never considered Paul Rellinger’s thoughts or actions before. I have never done something like Paul has done. I mean how could I live like that? His short “People ‘n’ Places” in our local “Peterborough This Week” newspaper caught my eye with his title this week. (The Link is below to this posting)

Paul is a newspaper person that works in various roles in the News paper industry – I think.

Paul’s revelation to me (and the world) this week is… are you ready for this?… he doesn’t read anything but History books. He has not read a book of Fiction since he was in Grade 11. No kidding! In his “People ‘n’ Places” article he describes reading just “historical, biographical or otherwise true, front to back” kind of material and books.

Paul you caught me off guard with that one. I have always thought that writers read everything… or anything.. as long as they have the time. In fact my guess was that you were like that.

Your confession as to not having read anything that is Fiction and not taking in a Movie that was Fiction – kind of blew me away. Really it did.

But then I am not unaware that some people just don’t read… at all.

I have a neighbor that dropped by my garage one day shortly after I retired. I had moved all my books from my Office into my garage for storage. He questioned me why there were so many boxes. I told him that they contained about 1500 books.

He looked shocked when I told him. He asked in a stunned way, “Why do you have so many? I mean what do you do with them?”

I told him off the cuff that I have read them all and I decided that I wanted to keep them as they were so good.

Still stunned and looking at all the boxes. I asked him how many books he had in his house. His reply kind of stopped me short and I didn’t know what to say back to him… He said… “None. I haven’t read a book in years… not since High School when I had to read..”

Well that was a strange bit of interaction. He and I looked at each other like we were from other planets. I can only imagine what he told his wife that evening!

From Paul Rellinger’s revelation to my neighbor’s declaration I am caught way out there in a funny world… where I read everything I can put my hands on.

I am like my parents – I read whatever I can. I mean EVERYTHING!

I even read Newspapers that are often filled with a kind of “fiction” that just blows me away. Sorry Paul… I don’t see Newspapers being totally truthful all the time. Oh yes – they try… but in reality they tell whatever the slant of that Newspaper is giving out… often based on a Political Party or the Political slant of an Editor, Newspaper Owner or whoever is in charge. Isn’t that Fiction too?

Newspapers kind of got me going on Fiction. Fiction was Fiction but Newspaper articles kind of were like reality but you were never sure if it was Fiction(truth) or what.

My 91 year old mom is still a reader. She will pour over her books day after day. Her eyesight is good and she loves her books or articles. As stooped over as she is now, she stoops over her books all the time.

I hope that I can remain free to read whatever I want to. And that this gift of reading will never be so driven in one direction that I will miss the whole world.

Paul I highly recommend that you read “The Hunger Games” (series). It is not history(of the past) – but rather History in the Future… and that of course is Fiction. The Grade 8s are reading it now and as my Granddaughter Emma stated the other day… “Grandpa this is a good book!”

And Paul… if you do get to read this Blog… I do read your truthful articles each week! Good stuff. I love it.

~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/

Resource:
http://www.mykawartha.com/opinion/columns/article/1289640--people-n-places-just-the-facts-please