Fiction or Nonfiction?

Today is my day off from work...dare I talk about books on my day off. Well, maybe just a quick talk. I often wonder how many bibliophiles out there read other than one genre of books. I remember  that up until my late 30's, I never read anything but nonfiction titles. I was one of those folks who believed that reading fiction was a waste of time. What could you possibly learn from fiction? I still deal with people on a daily basis who have that same mindset. I agree to a point...nonfiction titles are often more educational, whereas, fiction titles are more of an escape. Something I have noticed lately though is that those of us who read mostly fiction seemed to be just a little more relaxed. less uptight. Maybe it's because when we are immersed in a good novel, we are transported to an alternate reality. All of our problems disappear for those brief moments. Yes, fiction is one of the greatest escape mechanisms available to us all. In this crazy world we live in, it's wonderful to know that even for a short time, we can forget all those daily issues we deal with. I know that many of you may disagree, but it's just my observation...so, please jump in and tell me what you think.
A few good reads:    The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
                                  Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt
The book by Mr. Schmidt is actually a juvenile/teen fiction title. It is a sequel to Wednesday Wars which is one of my all time favorite YA titles.
COMING SOON ON MY BLOG: Let's discuss why we all love The Hunger Games...

Jumping on the Blog Train

So, I have decided to start my very own blog. Is it unreasonable to think that there are actually folks out there that are interested in reading something I have written. I guess only time will tell. People have been blogging for years now, and since I have been a late bloomer my entire life...I didn't shave until I went to college...I guess the time was right for me to get started. I will probably share my thoughts on the book business since it is the world I inhabit each and every day. It is an ever-changing world, but one that has been a part of my life for many years now. It helps that I love books almost as much as I do food. I love talking about books more than any topic I can think of, so I guess I am in the right business. I can't imagine working in an environment and not being passionate about it. I was a teacher for 20 years, and for most of those years, I was quite passionate about educating young minds. At times I still feel like an educator. My classroom is a tad bit larger and my students are quite a bit older, but I still educate on a daily basis. So, I will attempt to make my blog a place of education. Stay tuned if you love to talk about all things book-related.
Books of the day: In My Time by Dick Cheney
                             The Leftovers by Tom Perotta
                             The Sookie Stackhouse Companion by Charlaine Harris
                             A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny
In case you are wondering, these are all titles that were released on Tuesday, August 30. Tuesday is the big day in the book world. It's the day that most new titles are released.  Of the four, I am most excited about the new Tom Perotta. He is the author of Election and Little Children, both of which are great movies, but even better books.