Moments June 24th
Listen to this blog? Don’t feel like reading? Click on the image to the left to listen to me read it to you.
Yesterday I finished reading Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut. It was something great. By “something great,” I don’t mean it was the best book I have ever laid my hands on – that would be his Slaughterhouse Five – but I found it rather enjoyable. A lot of the books I rate so highly I like for the smallest of details. I think I read books for their moments, rather than for their overall story.
That would explain a lot about me. It would explain all those unfinished written works in my Documents folder. I have all these unconnected blurbs and scenes that will never be connected. That’s why I’m not a novelist. I am a poet. I will never have to unite these moments with words that I don’t really mean.
But I digress. I want to tell you what struck me in Breakfast of Champions. It was the notion of “bad chemicals.” I could tell you about my bad chemicals – or I could create some literal bad chemicals if I had the means – but I won’t. First of all, I am alluding to a novel I don’t think many of you have read, and secondly, it wouldn’t make a good blog. It would make a good novel or a memoir, and I don’t really write those.
I think that’s why I like Kurt Vonnegut’s work. I’d probably like him, too, but he’s dead now. So it goes. He died the day before a presentation I had to make for my English class. I think I tried to put it in an order no one else would have. An unconventional chronology. Kind of like in Slaughterhouse Five. Except it was much less well-executed.
Anyway, I keep alluding to these books, which probably makes no sense if you haven’t read them. So, I’ll stop. Here’s something for you: Why do you like the books you like? Have you ever really thought about it? Because I did just now, and this is what happened.
erin@killerjewels.com
First time commenter! I’ve been lurking for a while, but decided to answer this blog.
I love to read. I seriously believe people don’t read enough. I’ve never read the books you mention in your blog, and content sections. I think it’s because I prefer entertainment books to literature…it’s just who I am, I guess.
Hmm. I like to find a novel to escape in. I like to get lost inside of the character, essentially become the character. When I read a good book, it’s like a movie I can see in my head. I guess that’s why I’m so dissapointed when it becomes a film, because it’s so much better in my head.
I’ll check out those novels, though.
I’m a writer. I write fan fic, chapter stories…that stay in my Documents as well. Sometimes I go through dry periods where I don’t write at all, and it makes me crazy!
But I just thought I’d post and say hello =]
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You’ve been reading a lot lately! And I love how you’ve been doing audio blogs.
That’s a really interesting point. I love reading! But I really like Sarah Dessen right now, and her books. I like books where I can relate to the characters.
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This is a neat idea
That is a good point….I’m more of what you call a “sketch writer or a story writer” I can’t write anything more than 5 pages D: I can only write short things, but I dislike to write poems…lol
Why do you like the books you like? Have you ever really thought about it?
I have no idea =S
Take care
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*bursts out laughing* “o hey nice syte yo” XD Thanks!
Gah people were commenting so they could get top commenters XD crazy people…these days 
Aw thank you …again! 
He must have loved your gift! A movie! 
How nice! Did you get popcorn? Mmmm popcorn *drools* XD
SORRY FOR THE HYPERNESS I’M VERY HYPER RIGHT NOW XD XD XD
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Oooh, audio! I didn’t listen to it; I prefer to read hehe.
I like writing both poetry and narrative, but my stories always go funny and I introduce too many characters – I can’t really write anything long. I tried, a while ago, and my story turned out quite wonky.
I don’t really know why I like the books I like. I think I can sort of relate to the characters so I understand them. In some cases I think the book really helps me in some way or makes me realise things, or it’s just a great book overall. I like books that make you feel.
Hahaha with those “lima’s”… I’m having a discussion with a friend about correct apostrophe usage…
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hehe friendlys is the place to go! xD; Its not that expensive and its walking distince, so thats why we love it! haha; lucky, I didn’t know that the biggest person was one the outside, outside. I would’ve been on the outside, inside cause my friend who is like so short [lol] would have been in the middle. It’s still fun to get squished and to squish people lol
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haha (: i guess that’s true
thankyou (:
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Well if you’re ever in a movie kind of mood, then check that movie out if it’s possible.
I can write neither books nor poetry, so you’re a step ahead of me. BUT, I think I do read stories for overall plot, because if I get bored after 3 chapters, then I can never finish. It’s hard. :/ I love it when I get hooked and every little detail means so much, then the little scenes mean a lot too.
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Yeah, it was very special indeed. She made me so jealous. xD
Oh jeez, I laughed hysterically hard, at that picture of Kevin.
You’re the second person in my entire life who doesn’t know know Taylor Lautner is. :O Congrats on being unique. I actually admire a person who has the will power to stay away from anything Twilight related. IT TAKES A LOT. Well, for me it would lmao.
A 7?! OUT OF 10? I’d give him like 100 out of 10. LOL.
Glad you enjoyed your book.
That’s pretty awesome that you’re a poet. I wish I could write anything meaningful lol, but it’s not going to happen.
Just not my thing, I guess.
Why do you like the books you like? Well, because they’re interesting, captivating and I can relate to them somehow.
Have you ever really thought about it? I really, truly have thought long and hard about the Twilight series lmao. Although, I didn’t become as die hard obsessed as some of my friends did.
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I simply love the audio feature. I was able to listen to your blog whilst I continued browsing! Sometimes I’m so impatient or doing a quick blog – check that I can’t keep to one page at a time. I freaking love it! I also love hearing what someone’s voice is like, espesically if you’ve only ‘met’ them online. Fascinating.
You should write novels, you write so amazing well! I really agree with the ‘you read for the moments, not the overall story’ point – it does say a lot doesn’t it? Certain parts of a book can fascinate me and then I skip a couple of pages because I lose interest too quickly. Again that probably says something about me …
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Thanks
I like books for the same reasons you do – not for the whole story, because obviously there’ll be points you don’t like, but some parts stick with you. It’s like the obsession with the Twilight series – I liked them at first, but now I realize that since a lot of pre-teens have been reading them, they’re incredibly badly written and a lot of the characters seem to have no personality whatsoever. The writer’s had a good idea, but the series could have been written so much better.
I like books that have an actual meaning behind them – not ones where the author just published them to make a quick buck. Well, actually – I suppose that’s why all authors publish books, but as long as their novels had some origin rather than dollar signs in their pupils, then I’m fine with it.
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Thanks for the comment on my blog, or blogs, much appreciated.
I have never really thought about what sort of books I am into, though I must say I think if I see that book I will definitely being checking it out. I am a person who enjoys series of books, not ‘one offs’ usually. My favourite is the series ‘Noughts and Crosses’ my Malorie Blackman.
I am sure that I drew Flourine attack Boron once because it could displace it in reactions or something like that. It might have been with different chemicals, perhaps Bromine and Iodine. I think that was it! It helps me to learn sometimes, but others it’s just because studying can be boring. ):
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Uh, hmm… I’ve never really thought about it that much. I guess the book just has to mean something to me. If it was just a bunch of pointless stuff thrown together, it won’t mean much. :/
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Oh, the audio thing is cool. xD I read the blog while listening to it. Who’s voice is that? Yours?
Why do you like the books you like? Have you ever really thought about it?
I’ve actually never thought about why I like a certain book. But it’s sort of a mixture on the overall story and the “moments” in the book. I guess it depends on the book and what it’s about.
Haha, whenever you talk about books you’ve read, it ever makes any sense to me because we don’t read the same books. But I try to follow along. xD
I went to B&N yesterday, and I planned on having a little book spree because I had the $100 gift card along with my old $20 one which I think only has 10 dollars left. But I couldn’t decide on which books to buy, because there were just so many, and I didn’t want to spend the whole card! So I ended up not buying anything. I’m probably going to go there again tomorrow or some time over the summer vacation so I can get something on the Reading List.
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Thank you so much for your comment Erin! It was really sweet.
And I see your a writer too – good luck with your writing! 
I love how I can ‘listen’ to your blog with that audio button. That is so awesome!
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Why do I like the books I like?
Hmm… I have absolutely no idea.
I don’t really read anymore though, because I like to write my own. So I can send myself places I want to go. I’m pretty much one of my characters. Usually the main.
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I’ve never read the book you spoke of before, but I sure will look for it the next time I go into the bookstore to get mail for work. =] I’ve been waiting for a suggestion for a good book for a while now, and I trust your tastes! I really like how you compared a novelist and a poet though, really put it into the right words. ^^ My problem with writing is…how often I get inspiration to write. And sometimes I’ll start it and get interrupted and lose it. =/ I can’t ever get started again because I’ll know in the back of my mind that it wasn’t the first idea, it wasn’t what I wanted to do at first. *shrugs* Its a good thing I only write to alleviate my other troubling thoughts.
Let’s see, my favorite book of all time? It’ll still be Ender’s Game, something I read when I was in 7th grade? Yeah…I just found out that there is a new book in the series that came out and I’m way excited. I like books that criti
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Blah, I clicked enter too fast…but yeah, I like books that critique society? I guess? I’m not really sure, but science fiction and sometimes fantasy is definitely my thing. I like the fact that I can escape to a different time and/or a different world from the one I’m in right now. It makes me happy to imagine that there is a cooler place. =]
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I hope so too! We have another modem from our old internet service that our current service failed at telling us how to configure, so my dad was trying to get that one to work, but so far he hasn’t been able to. He said he has another idea to try, but he hasn’t been home in a few days to do it. Thankfully I’ve had access to some other slow networks from the neighborhood! And a guy’s here trying to fix our AC literally RIGHT THIS MINUTE. Good luck Mr. Fix-It Guy!
Thanks for listening to the first episode! I’m glad you’re looking forward to others.
(our next one in this Saturday by the way ^.^).
Man, I haven’t read in SO LONG. I used to read all the time in elementary and middle school, but I kind of just stopped once I hit high school. It’s not that I don’t enjoy it, but I find myself online all the time, and especially during the school year, I don’t have time for both things… mostly I just read assigned books then. Every so often I do get engrossed in a novel though, and during those times it’s wonderful
I guess the reason why I like the books I do is probably that they capture my attention right from the start and make me constantly wonder what will happen next. If ever there is a book that’s still slow after the second-ish chapter, I have trouble getting through it and often don’t.
I’m also a poet rather than a novelist.
It is definitely much easier to capture moments than to write a novel.
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