Lately, the things I've been looking forward to most are books. The newest Complete Peanuts, two new Sonic Youth biographies, and the latest novel from my favorite living writer, Joseph Wambaugh.
As a blogger, I wondered how much space and time I would devote to these blocks of paper as I finish them. Anyone who has submitted to one of my reviews knows I don't specialize in brevity. But then again, I don't trust blogs that review whole books in less than two paragraphs. Seriously. Even Hop On Pop is worth seven or so.
Talking with Patrick about the challenges of book reviews, I wondered aloud why no one live blogged books. Political debates, sporting events, award shows, television episodes...why doesn't anyone do a minute-by-minute chronicle of reading a book? Beyond it would be intensely impractical, as I don't know one person who could or would want to finish a 250+ page tome in one sitting, or would spread the experience across several posts over several days. Beyond you'd get a lot of posts looking like this:
Page 4--First line of dialogue, and it's a doozy.
Page 18--Worst metaphor involving sea shells and orgasms EVER.
Page 24--Just read a sentence that went 75 words. I need a drink.
See? In the wrong hands...not a good idea.
But in the right hands...oh, it's still a shitty idea. But lest y'all forget, this be's the Interweb, where mental manure flourishes. I won't be engaging in "live-reading" anytime soon, but I think someone somewhere should. It's one of the only virgin pathways left.
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