The Thousand Books

Hey everyone,

One year ago (thanks in no small part to the SPFBO) I decided to take myself seriously as an author. I started writing more and reading as much as I could.

I managed 35 books last year.

I know, Matt, I know. I’m shooting for 50 this year.

Just hear me out.

Around that same time, Brandy read this article (or something) about the number of books the average person reads. The writer posited that the average person reads about 1,000 books in their lifetime.

1,000.

That’s it.

Now Let’s say I read 50 books every year for the next 50 years. Even at that rate, I’m only hitting 2,500 if I live to 80. The number is unimportant. What is important is for you to understand we now use, “the Thousand Books” as shorthand for the books we can read in our lifetime(s).

Okay? Cool.

So I was reading this book:

It is considered by many to be the very best of Grimdark, it is incredibly divisive, and Bakker is worshiped by many authors who I respect.

Like a lot.

You ever have two friends who can’t keep their bodies off each other?
They’re always flirting and giving each other back rubs…
It’s clear to everyone they want to sleep together, but scruples keep them from doing it so they just subconsciously decide to make everyone uncomfortable about it?

Imagine that but between a fan and a book.

It is for these reasons, I put off reading it.

Until I did. Last week.

And it was fine.

It wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever read, nor is it the best.

It certainly isn’t the greatest work of fiction ever written, but I get the appeal.

I told Brandy (I complained for most of the time while reading it) I was planning on reading the rest of the series because it had an unsatisfying ending.

“Do you really want it to be part of your thousand books?” She asked.

I was a bit stunned. She had never used the Thousand Books like that before.

After very little consideration, I realized she was right.

I’ve become a bit of a slow reader.
I try to read things to pick up on style and voice to better craft my own, and I very rarely get lost in a story.

I’ll read an author I dislike if I’m invested in the story.
Similarly, I’ll read a story I’m not invested in if the author is fantastic.

But both?

Life’s too short for that.

So now I’m reading Malice by John Gwynne and loving it.
I picked up the next three at the library and will purchase them all in the future.
Support authors.

I also have The City Stained Red by Sam Sykes and An Echo of Things to Come by James Islington on my shelf. To say nothing of three of my four most anticipated books of the year out next month: Bloody Rose, The Tower of Living and Dying, and Ravencry.

So…One Thousand Books…

What are you gonna read?

-scritch out