A blog by Cameron and Shannon

I can’t have you thinking that I don’t read — Shannon’s bibliophilic streak contrasts rather strongly with my new XBox-enhanced evenings. And yes, I do play it all the time (currently: Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic, a burned copy of which I once started in college and then threw away, 4 discs in 4 separate trash cans, to preserve my GPA), but I’ll have you know, I read too. I also design websites and talk big about scanning the rest of my negatives and go for walks and write you this blog. I do things! I am a fully functional person! I am multifaceted — even my facets have facets.

Just so we’re clear about that.

We’ll be spending the majority of our vacation nights at Shannon’s mom’s place in Wellborn, FL, without Internet or said XBox, and here are the books I’m bringing:

Xenocide — Orson Scott Card

I actually have to remember to buy this at Borders this evening before we leave town — I had grabbed it from the library but some other person who just discovered how fantastic this series was had a reservation so I couldn’t renew it. It’s the third of four in this series, and after I finish that, I’m reading the Ender’s Shadow series, which follow another story branch.

Anyway, don’t touch this book — don’t even look at the cover too hard, lest stray plot leak its way into your psyche — unless you’ve read both Ender’s Game and Speaker For The Dead. Then pick it up and continue riding the mammoth story arc that Card has going here.

Created In Darkness By Troubled Americans — McSweeney’s

I don’t even need to explain this one. I’m excited about it. Also, that book title is one of my favorite ever.

CE-5: Close Encounters Of The Fifth Kind — Richard Haines

Nothing like a book of 242 semi-corroborated, cross-referenced anecdotes about the paranormal to wile away a summer afternoon. I’m hoping there will be stories about black triangles like the one I saw in Ohio in 2002. (Yes, it was a real UFO. No, I don’t believe in aliens. Yes, I do believe in man-made advanced propulsion equipment.)

UFOs, JFK and Elvis — Richard Belzer

I wasn’t actually looking for UFO books at the library; I just happened to pass the Alien Section and grabbed this book and the previous one. I’ve already skimmed through this one and, let me tell you, don’t waste your time. It’s basically 300 pages of that guy from Homicide, Life On The Street telling you about the cerrrrazy stuff he found on Google last night. So I’m not actually taking it on the trip but figured I’d warn you about it while you’re here. (Like you were ever going to pick up a conspiracy-theory book written by that guy anyway.)

If I Die In A Combat Zone — Tim O’Brien

Shannon had me read The Things They Carried, a creative nonfiction book by O’Brien, and it was great — moving, touching, appropriately complex. If I Die In A Combat Zone is nonfiction, and I’m looking forward to it. (If you’re ever interested in good Vietnam War novels, I recommend The Things They Carried as well as Fields Of Fire by James Webb.)

The Bobby Gold Stories — Anthony Bourdain

I’m disappointed; I meant to grab A Bone In The Throat, his first book, but the library website says I have this one checked out instead. In either case, I’m giving Bourdain’s fiction writing a chance. I basically never pick up mysteries (or whatever this book is) so that goes to show you the lengths I’m willing to go for Bourdain. My expectations aren’t too high; hopefully it’ll be a fun read.

Now & Forever: Somewhere A Band Is Playing / Leviathan ‘99 — Ray Bradbury

I’m a huge Bradbury fan, and I try to keep abreast of whatever new work he’s putting out. Cat’s Pajamas was a great collection (pick it up and read “A Careful Man Dies” sometime), but Farewell Summer, his sequel to Dandelion Wine (one of my favorite books of all time), felt a bit flat to me, and I didn’t make it all the way through. It just feels like he’s getting older and more melancholy, and that in turn makes me sad. However, I’m optimistic about this two-story set — Leviathan ‘99 is “Moby Dick in space”, so I hope it reads like his old R is for Rocket era stories.

The Awakening — Kate Chopin

Did Shannon blog about this one? She may have. In any case, it’s another that she wants me to read. It’s apparently a big-deal controversial novel from back when women making their own decisions was a cultural taboo. Plus, the (beautiful) Death Cab song “Death Of An Interior Decorator” is based on this story, so hey, I’m there.

I’m sure there are a couple of other books on our “To Read” shelf that I’ve been putting off, but they aren’t coming to me at the moment, and this list is pretty intimidating as it is. I’ll let you know how it goes, if “how it goes” ends up being an interesting enough story to write about here.

Happy vacation!