Book Journal

Books are a major part of my inner life. I average about 3 books a month, and read a wide range from biographies to science fiction to murder mysteries to just about anything that catches my fancy. I don’t feel that I have to finish everything I start, and I will start several books at once, so I often have to clear out of my piles of books!

The latest book that I read is a recent one of an author that I’ve read quite often over the past 20 or so years, but reads as a biography since the main character is a male author of the same age and background. It blurs the line between fact and fiction, and one of the themes is how much can you learn about an author from their fiction? It is a surprising question. I’ve often finished a book and felt that I “knew” an author.

One of the other main characters in this book argues that all book reviews should be done away with so that people can experience books in their own mind without any preconception. Literary reviews are unfair if read before the book itself, she argues. Ironically this made me want to keep a book journal. I’ve started one a few times in the past but never kept it up. I thought I might on the blog but felt it was too public of a place to put my personal opinions. So here is my opinion – keep reading, and do it for your own enjoyment! If you keep a personal book journal, it will be an interesting record of your inner life that will be fun to look back upon. I’m going to start a book journal again now, in digital format on my computer. Wish me luck in keeping it up!