Our Everchanging World Of Reading & Books

A few interesting conversations are going on around the country right now about reading and books.  With the shift being made over at the L.A. Times in the book review department the question is being posed, “Is the printed book review losing the popularity contest to on-line book reviews such as blogs and on-line professional publications?” 

Are our humble little book blogs a threat to such great publications as The L.A. Times?  Now that the L.A. Times has published it’s final stand-alone book review section, only three newspapers have stand-alone book review sections that are printed; the Washington Post, the N.Y. Times and the Chicago Tribune.  You can read or watch more about this discussion HERE on PBS’s NewsHour. 

In the N.Y. Times Opinion section this morning, there is a collection of letters to the editor about what constitutes reading now a days.  Are you reading when the words are on-line?  Are you only reading when it is a piece of literature?  There are some interesting points being made HERE. 

What are your thoughts on these two topics?  Do you take pride as I do in your own book blog?  Do you respect and admire the bloggers whose book blogs you frequent and take into consideration the opinions that people like you and me have on books that are vying for your attention and money?  I think we live in a very exciting time when everyone can have a voice and be heard.  Knowing that people are taking their time to read what I have to say and leave comments is a huge thing and an immense compliment to me intellectually.

Today’s Favorite Song

Both Keeping The House and Ellen Baker’s guest post talk of war and sons and husbands going off to report for duty.  These topics have reminded of one of my favorite songs.  It’s by the amazing Belinda Carlisle and it’s called Summer Rain.  The lyric tells a story of a woman seeing her lover off as he reports to duty and though she never sees him again, she will always remember “dancing in the summer rain” with him at the train station.  The video is touching and due to the subject matter, is timeless.  The tune is rich and displays the perfect pop sound that was so prevalent in the late eighties. 

Belinda Carlisle was a huge influence on me musically while I was growing up.  Not only as the front woman of The Go-Go’s but as a solo artist.  In 2001, my husband and I saw her in concert with The Go-Go’s at the DC101 Chili Cook-offin Washington, D.C.  It was right around the time that Belinda Carlisle had posed nude for Playboy and she was in fine form that day.  Both physically and vocally. 

The song Summer Rain is off her 1989 release titled Runaway Horses.  It is a good video but an even better song.  Enjoy!