I’ve noticed a lot of bloggers listing all the books they read this year. They are rightly proud of their achievement. Reading is an activity that should be encouraged. The reward, as I see it, lies more in what one gets out of a book than in the number tallied though I do see the essence of truth in Stalin’s observation that “quantity has a quality all its own.” Reading is almost always instructive, even if (or perhaps because) the writing is bad.

I’ve never kept a list of the books I’ve read. Those that resonate with me stay with me always, and those that don’t drift away. I’ve also noticed that this internal list is constantly changing. Some grow stronger, etching their meaning ever deeper into my being while others that once captivated me get replaced with something else. It’s very much a living, sentient thing.

In other news, there’s a new interview with yours truly over at elbakin.net, the great French fantasy website run by Emmanuel Chastellière. If you’re up for it, you can read it in French – http://www.elbakin.net/fantasy/news/Un-entretien-exclusif-avec-Chris-Evans or English http://www.elbakin.net/fantasy/news/Un-entretien-exclusif-avec-Chris-Evans2 Personally, I think I sound much more sophisticated and certain of things in French. I should speak French more often…or as I don’t really speak French, just hire a full time translator.

Oh, and in a few hours it’s about to become 2010 here. I think I’m supposed to go to Times Square and shout. Maybe at a police officer on a horse. That could be fun. For the horse. They don’t wear those metal shoes just for show. Oops, I think my suicidal tendencies are showing again 🙂

Bonne Année!

Cheers, mes amis,

Chris

If you’re eagerly awaiting the film adaption of the Hobbit then you’ll be happy to know it remains on schedule according to producer Peter Jackson. Casting has begun and filming should begin this summer. Here’s a link to an interview Jackson gave last week:

http://www.heatvisionblog.com/2009/12/peter-jackson-talks-hobbit.html

In other news, I’m back from Florida and it’s freezing here in New York City! My blood must have thinned out a bit in the sunny south. I need to re-acclimatize myself quick because I want to get back out running, but I think if I went today I probably wouldn’t get past the first coffee shop.

I’m writing to you live from the Happy Days RV Park in scenic Zephyrhills, Florida near Tampa. The weather is a balmy 73ish with a light wind wafting across the shuffleboard courts. I’ve already trigged to the strategy of getting to the all you can eat dinner buffets about 20 minutes beforehand while they’re still charging lunch prices 🙂

I took the train down from NYC and rode in a sleeping car for the first time. I had what’s known as a roomette, and if it sounds diminutive, it is. Still, it was a lot of fun and well worth the experience. I will likely try it again.

I’ve been hitting the mini-golf courses between shuffleboard matches and otherwise soaking up the rays and thinking about all the cold and snow I’m missing in NYC at the moment. Not everyone is here for the holidays, but life doesn’t always go the way you plan, so you enjoy the time with those around you. So to all of you out there I hope you have a wonderful holiday and here’s to 2010 being the best year yet!

Cheers,

Chris

I have a large group of matching, heavy duty bookcases along with several others that I’ve accumulated over the years, but none exhibit the funk factor of these ones. I’m slightly envious, but as I only have a one bedroom apartment I don’t really have the space to indulge. One day, however…

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/15/11-of-the-coolest-bookcas_n_391684.html

http://www.oddee.com/item_96613.aspx

The staircase bookcase is a bit freaky. I love the Cave and the figure 8.

A little Kesha, Zeppelin, Motor, Crystal Method, Groove Armada, and more…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkeAUJ9I7X8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afa-2HErL70

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJZ2i6EKRwQ