{"id":17066,"date":"2026-07-22T13:21:18","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T18:21:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ericsiegmund.com\/fireant\/?p=17066"},"modified":"2026-07-22T13:21:22","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T18:21:22","slug":"interlude-reading","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ericsiegmund.com\/fireant\/2026\/07\/22\/interlude-reading\/","title":{"rendered":"Interlude: Reading"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Reading is like breathing in and writing is like breathing out.<\/em> \u2014 Pam Allyn<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I see that it’s been almost three weeks since I last published anything on the Gazette; I trust you’ve enjoyed the respite from the usual trivial blathering. Now, I would normally fess up to sheer laziness \u2014 and I’ll admit that there might be a tiny<\/em> grain of truth to that \u2014 but I’ve actually taken time off to do more reading, and by reading<\/em> I mean actual books, and not just memes posted to Facebook \u2014 and I’ll admit that there might have been a tiny<\/em> bit of that as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.<\/em> \u2014 Stephen King<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone says that writers need to be readers, and I won’t argue that point. The thing is, I’m never exactly sure what I’m supposed to be picking up from what I read and applying to what I write. My literary choices are all over the place \u2014 as you’ll soon see \u2014 so the subject matter<\/em> doesn’t necessarily provide me with inspiration. Plus, I’m too old and set in my ways to change my writing style<\/em>, which is best described as comedic chaos infused with vocabulary that I don’t always understand<\/em>. Regardless, I feel compelled to prove to you that I am technically literate, and I’ll do that by documenting some of what I’ve recently read (or intend to read once I’ve caught up on my meme consumption).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t be a writer. Be Writing.<\/em> \u2014 William Faulkner<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve categorized the books into some simple…uh…categories: those I’ve finished<\/a> reading, those in-progress<\/a>, and those I have in hand and plan to read<\/a>. As an added bonus for anyone who somehow makes it through the entire list, there’s an additional category for the one book that I quickly gave up on, aka a waste of time<\/a>. Be like me in that regard; you don’t have to waste your time on dreck.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, you’ll note that I don’t actually review any of these books, other than an attempt at a cutesy one-liner, but I’ve linked to a serious third-party review of each one, in case you’re interested in knowing more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, finally, I’ve applied the usual scientific rigor the Gazette is known for in coming up with a rating…the universally accepted Ant Rating. (It should be obvious, but the more ants, the better…although more than five is too many.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the moment I picked your blog<\/s> book up until I laid it down, I was convulsed with laughter. Someday I intend reading it.<\/em> \u2014 Groucho Marx (mostly)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warning: Toward the end of this post is a book cover with a closeup photo of the head of a venomous snake.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Finished<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Book<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Delete That (and Other Failed Attempts to Look Good Online)<\/em> \u2014 John Crist<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

My format: hardcover
Place of purchase: Bay Books Coronado<\/a> (California)
My rating: \"Three<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mini-Review: Christian comic admits that he’s not perfect. Bet you didn’t see that coming.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More insightful review<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Book<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Snakes That Ate Florida: Reporting, Essays, and Criticism<\/em> \u2014 Ian Frazier<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

My format: e-book
Place of purchase: Amazon Kindle Store
My rating: \"Three<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mini-review: More details about more things than are probably necessary. But there are Burmese pythons, so it has that going for it.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More insightful review<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Book<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Trash! A Garbageman’s Story<\/em> \u2014 Simon Par\u00e9-Poupart<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

My format: e-book
Place of purchase: Amazon Kindle Store
My rating: \"Two<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mini-Review: Garbage stinks. People suck. Trashmen are heroic.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More insightful review<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Book<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Alan Opts Out<\/em> \u2014 Courtney Maum<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

My format: e-book
Place of purchase: Amazon Kindle Store
My rating: \"Four<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mini-Review: <\/em>Your Friends and Neighbors (Apple TV) without the burglaries, guns, binge drinking, and sex. But it’s still pretty good.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More insightful review<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Book<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Pulphead: Notes from the Other Side of America<\/em> \u2014 John Jeremiah Sullivan<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

My format: paperback
Place of purchase: Leather Bound Books & Goods<\/a>, Marathon (TX)
My rating: \"Four<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mini-Review: When it’s good, it’s <\/em>really good. And it often is. But not always.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More insightful review<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Book<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Known World<\/em> \u2014 Edward P. Jones<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

My format: paperback
Place of purchase: Leather Bound Books & Goods<\/a>, Marathon (TX)
My rating: \"Five<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mini-Review: The Pulitzer Prize doesn’t always mean a satisfying read. This is an exception, but, man…what a slog to consume.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More insightful review<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Book<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Remarkably Bright Creatures<\/em> \u2014 Shelby Van Pelt<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

My format: e-book
Place of purchase: Amazon Kindle Store
My rating: \"Three<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mini-Review: I would never argue that a talking octopus is smarter than most humans, but I also wouldn’t argue that the concept makes for a compelling novel. Sally Field and a thousand at-home book clubs probably disagree.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More insightful review<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In Progress<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Book<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The End of Everything: How Wars Descend into Annihilation<\/em> \u2014 Victor Davis Hanson<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

My format: e-book
Place of purchase: Amazon Kindle Store<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First impressions: Potentially nightmare-inducing, given the current state of the world<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Book<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Noticing: Intimate Encounters with the Natural World<\/em> \u2014 Richard Louv<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

My format: hardcover
Place of purchase: The Twig Bookshop<\/a>, San Antonio (TX)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First impressions: A bit woo-woo in places, IYKWIM, but somewhat consistent with the Gazette’s mantra, All You Have To Do Is Look.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Plan To Read<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Book<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Snake Men: Rebels, Reptiles & the Race to Name Earth’s Creatures<\/em> \u2014 Zach St. George<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

My format: hardcover
Place of purchase: The Twig Bookshop<\/a>, San Antonio (TX)
Why? Surely you know me better than to ask that question.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Book<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How the Gringos Stole Tequila: The Modern Age of Mexico’s Most Traditional Spirit<\/em> \u2014 Chantal Martineau<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

My format: paperback
Place of purchase: The Twig Bookshop<\/a>, San Antonio (TX)
Why? I’m all about agave-centric controversies. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Waste of Time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Book<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Stainless<\/em> \u2014 Todd Grimson<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

My format: e-book
Place of purchase: Amazon Kindle Store<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mini-Review: Sixty pages in, and that’s all I could take. One of the few books I’ve deleted from my Kindle library. YMMV, but I doubt it, given what I know about the Gazette’s readership.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I took a break from writing to do some reading. It’s supposed to make me a better writer. We’ll see about that.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17068,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":17097,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[75,10],"tags":[239,678,677,676],"class_list":["post-17066","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-books-writing","category-reading-writing","tag-book-reviews","tag-essays","tag-historical-novels","tag-novels","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/ericsiegmund.com\/fireant\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/header_followthebookcoverroad.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ericsiegmund.com\/fireant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17066","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ericsiegmund.com\/fireant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ericsiegmund.com\/fireant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ericsiegmund.com\/fireant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ericsiegmund.com\/fireant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17066"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/ericsiegmund.com\/fireant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17066\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17099,"href":"https:\/\/ericsiegmund.com\/fireant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17066\/revisions\/17099"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ericsiegmund.com\/fireant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17068"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ericsiegmund.com\/fireant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17066"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ericsiegmund.com\/fireant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17066"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ericsiegmund.com\/fireant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17066"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}