Friday, October 18, 2013

End-of-Week Swanland (10/18/13)


Lack of focus is my great nemesis in this life.
 
Perhaps it's Adult ADD. Perhaps not. I've never been formally diagnosed.
 
But, here I am today, having jumped onto another book in my library...having jumped away from my long, slow reading of Jack Vance's Dying Earth. It was back in May that I vowed, after Mr. Vance's death, to finally finish reading his Dying Earth tales.
 
Sooo, yeah...now it's October. And I'm not done reading Mr. Vance's seminal work.
 
Oops.
 
I'm also jumping around between various other fiction and non-fiction works.
 
Oops again.
 
So, I've resolved to give myself some reading structure. I'm going to push myself to start reading all the books I haven't read in my collection, using my bookcases at home as a guide. Meaning, I'm starting with the books on the top of my bookcase, and reading only what's on that shelf until all the books there are done. Then I will move down to the next shelf, and so on.
 
I am DETERMINED to do this! I am determined to find the time to read again. If this means less TV and other distractions, all the better, right?
 
Wish me luck. Oh, this brings me back to the cover art for the Chronicles of the Black Company omnibus. Surreal art by Raymond Swanland. Initially, as I saw Mr. Swanland's work begin to grace fantasy book covers, I was a bit turned off by his pieces. But his work has grown on me.
 
Folks, I hope you have a great weekend! If you're going to be gaming, roll some dice for me!

1 comment:

  1. I had much of the same problem. Jumped from book to book, reading 2 or 3 at the same time and never finishing a book. I also decided to organize my reading schedule and create a solid reading structure. One book at a time and I only begin the next one when I finish my current one.

    Currently I am reading The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe. I heard good things about Jack Vance's Dying Earth tales. I am also trying to mix fiction with non-fiction to broaden my reading spectrum. Sad thing is: there are a lot more books out there than I can ever read in a lifetime.

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