Read a Trashy Novel
This is my first of a series of posts where I tell you about something I like.. something random… a song, a book I just read, food… anything.
When I was traveling to and from NY for the O’Reilly Factor show, I was stuck in the airport with nothing to read… so I picked up a Jackie Collins novel, and let me tell you something… I LOVED IT! For the next day I was engrossed in the book and didn’t put it down until I was done with it. It was so refreshing to read something light, and people have been telling me about Jackie Collins for some time… so I took a chance and had fun in the process.
After I read the book, I started to think about the fact that so many people I know, DON’T READ! And the ones that do read DON’T ENJOY what they are reading.
Let me clarify. When I ask most of my friends what they are reading, they invariably tell me “Oh, I’m reading 3 books right now” and the books are always self help related. I used to do the same thing.. and I would end up with 3 or 4 half-read books on my bedside table, until I realized that I wasn’t enjoying those books. So one day, I put the those books in the book-shelf, and went and bought the trashiest romance novel I could find and I polished the book off in a day! As opposed to months of reading for the other books!
So my advice to my friends and to you is:
Put those half-read books away and go buy a good fun trashy novel!
Whether it be a romance novel, or a murder mystery, or spy book, just get something fun to read… and start enjoying reading again!
It’s far better to read something fun that may not be so “educational” than it is to not read at all, which is what happens when you start reading these books that you never seem to finish!
For the women out there (and some of the men 
), here is a link to that Jackie Collins book I just read…. it’s called Married Lovers. If you want to read something fun and light, check it out
beevee14 on 
pennsyltucky9 on 
Che Volay on 
greatestpotential on 
James on 
leonard on 
neuroway on 
soud84 on 
wetsuit5 on 
pennsyltucky9 on 
Chemikal on 
Capman911 on 
greatestpotential on 
leonard on 
Hey MARINA: your grammy twitter/picture was linked…free audio book,too bees are good
Marina,
Didn’t you get some sexy reads recently? If so, how about a trade? A steamy title for a steamy title? Because I’m reading some real page turning material.
So hot it stings my fingers when I’m turning the pages (ouchie, ooh, owie)
Hi Marina! I’m so glad you are encouraging people to pick up trashy novels. I’ve been addicted to them for a couple of years now, and people look at me like I’m crazy when I say what I like to read. Since you’re a vampire and all, try the Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris (now made into the show “True Blood” on HBO) or the Carpathian series by Christine Feehan.
Not sure if you’re even around to read this but for everyone else out there check out novels by
Kurt Vonnegut completely hilarious trust me if you want entertaining that’s the man that can deliver it
I’ve been trying to tell people that for YEARS! I know few people outside my own family who LIKE to read, and fewer still can do so Well because they don’t do it much at all. Reading is all that’s kept me sane and alive for all my life, because I can pick up a book and fall right into it. No matter HOW Bad life may suck, give me a good book and it’s better than any drug. Not to mention it does NOT rot my brain. Not sure how things are in Europe, Marina, but if you’re at all curious about REAL Americans, and Real MEN, read anything by Louis L’Amour, especially Reilly’s Luck and Ride the Dark Trail. His short stories ain’t bad, either. You can’t enjoy reading if the subject matter is boring you to death, and I think most people don’t realize that there are OTHER subjects besides biology, Science, World History, Civics, or any of the OTHER over-condensed nonsense they teach in Public Schools. I look at books as my own version of Escapism. My worst fear is of going blind.
KY Jim
I’ll recommend one. “As I lay dying” by William Falkner…http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b_0_4?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=as+i+lay+dying&sprefix=as+i
That one is tricky. It’s a story of a mother in an extended family who is passing away during the story and the family members bring her to her burial plot, which seems to be a long way from where they originally come from. Each new chapter is titled by the characters’ name who sees the death and procession of their mother to her plot. The write as though this is their Point of View in a different chapter. Very interesting.
I was not able to get through “The sound and the fury” by the same author… http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b_1_13?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=the+sound+and+the+fury+by+william+faulkner&sprefix=the+sound+and&sprefix=the+sound+and
The first chapter is through the eyes of a mentally challenged child…..Whoa. A bit more then I could handle initially. I’ll take another crack at it sometime when I am a bit more courageous.
Happy reading.
I would recommend “Treasure Island” or “20,000 leagues under the sea”.
Classics have become a book that everyone talks about but no one reads. These books are AMAZING and among my favorite.
Novel might be a good word to research
My books are like my ice cream. I like variety. I will read fantasy stuff (Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time), science fiction, some non-fiction (a ton of history), historical fiction (John Jakes!) is my favorite. Sometimes, I will pick two or three at random. Mix it up. I wish more English teachers felt the way M does. A reading professor taught me a lesson that I will always remeber: “If we teach children to read and teach them to hate reading, what have we accomplished?”
Hello Marina,
I understand what you mean. I even do it with books from the library that I thought would interest me. If I can’t get thru it, I just return it. Sometimes you just got to go with what makes you to continue to read. And read things you don’t think would interest you too. You would be amazed by what you thought you might not like, then find that you did.
I’m currently reading “The Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett… it’s excellent, though it’s very long (over 900 pages). I agree with you, Marina, when you say that people often start 2 or 3 books and are only partly finished each one… I used to do the same thing myself! Now I read one book at a time, focusing on books I enjoy.
shelby
I just finished reading The Genesis Code by John Case (NY: Ballantine, 1997). It was one of the best thrillers I have read. The title sounds like it will be all techy with stuff about DNA, etc., but there’s none of that; somebody’s killing all the mothers and sons that used a fertility clinic. It’s just a good “relentless bad guys after the good guys to kill them/ you can run, but you can’t hide” kind of novel.
It’s about time that people become more interested in literature. Reading is an essential part of life, go out and find something you like… its really easy and lots of fun!!!!! Yeah for Books!!!!!!
Milaya Marina,
My (now ex-) wife was reading a book by Judith McNaught, and I said, “McNaught…as opposed to Hidalgo?”
Sorry, I just had to tell that joke to someone who would get it!
marina,
if you like fantasy novel I suggest reading the wheel of time by Robert Jordan.
by far it is the best fantasy I have ever read and I don’t think I will be able to find such a novel.
I sometimes enjoy short stories with an ironic twist or two. But mostly, I like reading for research of something which piques my curiosity. I take pleasure in the learning of new things even moreso than in travelling to imaginary worlds through literature.
I like this addition to the site very much, as well, and very much look forward to future ‘episodes’!
Marina,
Just finished a very good action/adventure novel.
Guys version of a trashy romance novel.
Had one section of Russian cultural stuff I wanted to ask you about.
Have you ever heard of Federal’naya Sluzhba Bezopasnosti?
Just wondered if it was real.
Thanks!
That’s the Федеральная служба безопасности Российской Федерации to you, sir! (Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation.) Check it out at http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/world/russia/fsb.htm