If you're reading this, you probably love books. I love writing novels, but what some people don't know is that authors love to read, and often feel resentful that they have to write rather than read.

I also feel quite disappointed when I invest in a book and it just flat lets me down. But I keep coming back for the next book, because of the gestalt experience of diving into a powerful story and being swept away by it, especially if it connects strongly to my emotions. Usually I feel that way about fiction, but sometimes nonfiction, too. I guess there are all kinds of people in the world, but I can't imagine living without books. Nor can I quite explain my passion for novels and why I feel they make my life more meaningful--and certainly more pleasurable.

So I'll be checking in here to hear what others are reading and which ones swept them away.

I must recommend The Terror by Dan Simmons. This is historical fiction about an ill-fated arctic expedition in the 1840's, when two ships of the British Navy are frozen in. The crews are stalked by a beast, perhaps mythical, perhaps real. The several viewpoints were riveting, and I deeply cared about the characters, especially the complex captain of one of the ships, The Terror. The book is worth it alone for the fascinating details of British naval life. Simmons beautifully shows how that discipline fares when confronted by the surreal, horrifying, and enobling conditions of two years locked in the ice. Please read it! (Can be a disturbing read for some of the violence.)

-- Edited by Kay Kenyon at 16:21, 2008-09-26