Reading List Redux
Category: Books & Writing...
Posted Tuesday, March 15, 2005 at 10:02 PM [GMT-6]

Here's what's comprising my reading list, which I attend to religiously for, oh, six or seven minutes a day.

• The Bible (New American Standard), and, specifically, the books of Deuteronomy and Mark. Some people don't enjoy reading the Books of the Law, but I figured God had a reason to include them above and beyond their immediate relevance to their contemporary audience, and far be it from me to have the hubris to decide that I don't have anything to learn from them. (Actually, I, um, religiously attend to this reading 10-15 minutes each day, on average. Can't think of a better way to start the day.)


• "Kiln People" by David Brin -- I know, I know...I've been reading this book for, like, decades. I'm still only about 60% through it, but my lack of progress is not a judgment on the book's quality or my enthusiasm for it.


• "The Zen of CSS Design" by Dave Shea and Molly E. Holzschlag -- The ultimate geek coffee table book, taking the reader on a tour of 36 contributions to the legendary CSS Zen Garden website. I've opened pages at random, seeking inspiration and enlightenment, with mixed results that aren't the book's fault.


• "Hold the Enlightenment" by Tim Cahill -- This was a purchase at Collected Works, that little bookstore located a block or two off the square in Santa Fe, where you can't fail to find something that the Big Guys don't carry. This book isn't one of those, however, but it's still got promise. Cahill is one of the best "adventure travel" writers around, and this is another collection in the vein of "Road Fever" and "Pecked to Death by Ducks." Hilariously informative, especially if you're planning to trek across Outer Mongolia wearing your underwear on your head and carrying a dull machete.


• "Kings of Infinite Space" by James Hynes -- Another Santa Fe purchase, from the downtown Borders Bookstore. I have no idea what it's about, but the little blurbs from all the other authors contain the key phrases "funniest, creepiest...," "darkly comic," "dark and funny" and "mordantly incisive satire." I couldn't resist.