Not so abstract

“When I was your age, television was called books,” says the pensive old man to his grandson in the movie, The Princess Bride, which I saw again over the long weekend. Sure, I like to escape to the movies, but I like to be distracted with a good book. As I write this, I’m reading Stephen Davis’ Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga. Before this read, I had my head buried in A Room Full of Mirrors, by Charles R. Cross — an engrossing biography of Jimi Hendrix, which kept me in a purple hazy delight.

Okay, so I can’t get enough of books on musicians and music. But, I also drown my thoughts in classic literature, books on the Elizabethan reign, mystery novels, first-person journalism, etc. I used to read a lot of fiction, but have been on a non-fiction path over the past couple of years — not self-help or celebrity biographies - but anything on history, war, stories on heroic struggles, and so on.

I am completely enraptured by the book I am reading now, the biography of Led Zeppelin — one of my favourite bands. It’s not just a regular bio of who did what and when, but a fascinating tale filled with scrumptious details and musical notes. I like biographies that are interwoven with stories, anecdotes and dialogue, such as Bob Dylan’s Chronicles Volume I, which also has some riveting time shifts — no doubt Dylan is great writer.

Is there a biography you’ve read that you enjoyed, or maybe one you want to read? What other books are on your read and readings lists? Let me share some of my other favourite reads:

-The Face of War, by Martha Gelhorn
-The Bullfighter Checks Her Makeup, by Susan Orlean
-The Hours, by Michael Cunningham
-Iran Awakening, by Shirin Ebadi
-The Stone Angel, by Margaret Laurence
-The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien
-Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott
-All the President’s Men, by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein

They are a couple of books on my to-read list: Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace…One School at a Time, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, Best American Travel Writing, by various authors, and I’m sure more will be added on. Lately, I’ve become interested in books on Arthurian legends and medieval history. If you have suggestions for possible reads, please do send them my way.

If you’re looking for next reads and book events, check out these sites:

-Chapters-Indigo community zone

-Toronto Public Library book:
Events
Recommendations

-TorontoOnline.org (by the Toronto Arts Council)

-New York Times book lists

-The Globe and Mail book lists

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