Thursday, October 7, 2010

Too Much is Never Enough

Thanks to The Rap Sheet, I learned about an amazing British website which I will probably spend way too much time reading, ignoring my dangerously tottering TBR pile and my promise to myself to write at least one, hopefully two reviews a week. I ask myself: when is enough enough?

But still, I keep following up on links like the one mentioned by Coffee and a Book Chick today, FiveChapters.com, where every week a five part short story is posted, one chapter a day, (how clever is that?)beginning every Monday. I mean, I don't have enough to read? But sure enough, I'll be wandering over to fivechapters whenever I have a free five minutes or so.

But back to the link from the The Rap Sheet which, coincidentally, also involves the Number 5. This one is titled, Five Books - The Best Five Books on Everything. Talk about a wonderful literary conceit. Everyday an eminent writer, thinker, commentator, politician, academic chooses five books on their specialist subject. I will definitely be spending too much time checking this site out. I can't resist. You can never have too many book recommendations - or can you? I mean to find out. I'm always interested in what experts consider good reading.

Examples:

Professor of English, Patricia Meyer Spacks on Jane Austen.

Mystery author, M.C. Beaton on Cosy Mysteries.

Author Louise Bagshawe on Chase Stories.

Author Sophie Kinsella on Chick Lit.

Jeffrey Archer on Bestsellers.

The subjects are many and varied: from Horror to Moral Philosophy to Ancient Rome to Nordic Crime Fiction to Creative Writing to Death to Elizabeth I, etc, etc, etc. A great website for people (like me) who are interested in lots of different things. Also heaven-sent for people (again, like me) who love LISTS.

Can 5 books make you an expert?

Nope.

But it couldn't hurt.

2 comments:

  1. Isn't FiveChapters.com just so addicting? You have to read Daniel Stolar's story from last week -- totally hooked me right in!

    And I'm definitely going to check out The Rap Sheet!!

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  2. Hi! Thanks for dropping by. Yes, try The Rap Sheet, it's perfect for book reltated news and ideas. I will definitely be jumping back and forth between my two '5' new links, thanks to you and Jeff. When I'm going to actually do any book reading is anyone's guess. HA!!

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