Psycho-Babble Books Thread 371

Shown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

books for escapism

Posted by paulb on April 11, 2002, at 18:20:45

i would like to find out what other people find good for escapism when it comes to books. for me books are better than film for escapism because i can get much more lost in a book. not the most original i guess but ive always find stephen king good for escapism-such an easy read, a great storyteller with a equally good imagination. very clever too i think. ive read most of his main ones but pet sematary is still sitiing on the shelf as is the dead zone which are supposed to be good king books. i thought the film of the dead zone, which i only saw a short while ago was superb.
paulb

 

Re: books for escapism

Posted by susan C on April 11, 2002, at 20:04:41

In reply to books for escapism, posted by paulb on April 11, 2002, at 18:20:45

sometimes i escape to the library. I go to the fiction section, look for the little red lables that say "mystery" then hunt for an author who has more than, say, five on the shelf. I open one of them and read a paragraph, if it doesn't irritate me, I take all the books home. Sometimes I hit the jackpot, and take home 10 titles by the same author. When I get home, I arrange them by date and start reading them, one by one. Some times a week goes by and that is all i do, is read the one author, progressing through the development and mysteries and solutions of the character developed. I never remember the author or main character's name. I always seem to find a new batch when I go in. Sometimes I find a missing title in the series and actually put in a hold request or a request to find it in the 'stacks'. Sometimes the books are in Large Print. Sometimes, I actually look up a character or author...like Nero Wolfe, or Agatha Christie...But, most often, I leave it to chance and just look on the shelf.

Mouse, lost in the lye bare ee

 

Re: books for escapism » paulb

Posted by kiddo on April 15, 2002, at 0:45:06

In reply to books for escapism, posted by paulb on April 11, 2002, at 18:20:45

Hi paul

Like you, I can escape better in a book than with a movie. I try to read a variety, but lately have been sticking with anything that seems impossible to occur in real life. Dean Koontz, Stephen King, V.C. Andrews, Stephen White, Patricia Cornwell, Jonathan Kellerman..but of course, I've read everything they've published. Is there anything you would recommend?

Are you familiar with any of the other authors?


Thanks-

Kiddo

 

Re: books for escapism

Posted by paulb on April 18, 2002, at 16:52:42

In reply to Re: books for escapism » paulb, posted by kiddo on April 15, 2002, at 0:45:06


I am familiar with Dean Koontz. i have read mr murder, the voice in the night, whispers and watchers. To be honest with you i find that his books are very similar in their narrative. I have heard of patricia cornwell. She writes psychological thrillers does she not?

My favourate ghost story is called 'The Woman In Black'. its very creepy, so is the film and the West End Play. I also love 'Shadowlands' by Peter Straub and 'Ghost Story' by peter straub is also superb.

If you like horror i think James Herbert is on par with Stephen King. Some of Clive Barkers
is very good but tends to go over the top and I think the fantasty can become mundane. 'The Great and Secret Show' is mind-blowing and a very fine book. His 'The Thief Of Always' is magical. Barker did the films 'Hellraiser'(Director) and 'Candyman'(Original story, Producer).

In the UK Minette Walters is a very popular psychological thriller writer although her books can be quite dark. i want to read 'The Silence of the Lambs' because i was intrigued by the rappor between agent Starling and Hannibal Lector when i saw the film.

I think though all these books have to be read with a strong sense of discipline; that they are a form of escapism and thats okay but the distinction between the reality in our lives and the storylines depicted in the books must be clearly drawn.


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