Stagger's Books Page

I love many different topics. My love for reading started early, and continues to this day.

In Jr. High School, I was one of those kids who couldn't wait to order books at school (via that Scholastic Book Service). I remember they used to pass out those order forms and I would pour over the thing. The excitement of new books was one of the thrills of life. I would order 20 books at a time; my parents, bless them, never put a limit on the number of books I could order. When the order came into the school it was like Christmas several times a year. They would call out your name and you would get your package of books. I always had a big stack of these to take home. Even the smell of all those books waiting to be read was something I looked forward to. I loved everything about books. The way they felt. The way they smelled. How insanely handy they were to have around.

I read all sorts of books via Scholastic Book Service - mystery, adventure, humorous, and a little bit of science non-fiction (if I recall correctly). Then, when I started buying books on my own a visit to the book store was an adventure. There was this particular bookstore at Prices Corner in Wilmington that I used to love to go to. Not because there was anything special about the store... it was just the closest one to home and the easiest for a kid without a car to get to (my parents shopped at that mall plenty, so I got to go frequently). I bought books on UFO's, para-normal phenomenon, and weird story books (you know the kind... where they tell some story about some strange event that no one has ever explained).

Some where in High School I fell in love with Science Fiction (click here to see what SciFi I've read)... Arthur C. Clarke was how I got started... first it was short story collections.. then his novels.. then Asimov .. then Heinlein. Back then you could literally read all the science fiction available. Very few new books were published in a year. I can't recall how many hours I spent in bookstores checking to see if anything new had come out since the last time I had checked. A new book was a find and was devoured instantly as if by a starving man. In the mean time you fed your hunger for more Science Fiction with terrible B-movies; and fanzines. I read every single Science Fiction book there was to read at that time. I don't remember spending hours reading, but I must have. It was a love (Science Fiction) that has stayed with me my whole life (though I've branched out in topics - these days I read a science fiction book once in a while as a treat between other books. It's a little like a sinful snack these days rather than a steady diet.

Over the years, I've read books in many areas of interest. Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, True Crime, History, Psychology, Physics, Biography, Travel, Humor, Biology, Philosophy, et al. The list below contains those that I can remember reading, and my opinions on them. In addition to a small review I've added links to Wikipedia for the authors and the books in case you want to read more detailed information on either. If you want to read the reviews of other people, click on the AMAZON links to the right and read the reviews there.

Today, as a rule, I have 2 - 5 books going on at any one time. Generally one non-fiction and one fiction book at least. By doing this I

• Always have something I can pick up and read.
• Always have an alternative to switch to if something I am reading gets difficult (eg. Mrs. Dalloway needed some Chris Moore breaks before I got the hang of Virginia Woolf's prose.)
• Nearly always have a book at hand where ever I am... since they don't all sit in the same place.

I always try to take a book with me where ever I go. Heading to the doctor's office - take a book. Getting on a plane - take 2. Business trip - take 2. DMV? Definately take a book. Any place where I am likely to end up with 5 minutes on my hands alone and undisturbed is a perfect place to whip out a book. I don't understand people who say they have no time to read... there are so many under utilized minutes in a day, and books make a great way to fill them.

And I like to share my books. For many years I carted around my collection of books... 6 floor to ceiling book cases worth at one point.. then I just started to give the best ones away. These days I'm very likely to try and foist a book on you, should you come calling on me at home. When I love a book I will buy copies for friends. I don't keep them anymore, unless I think I might refer to them in the future, or unless I have written in them (a habit I picked up from my mother, I would guess, who is notorious for writting in books.... she once wrote a bunch of notes in my signed copy of Buckminister Fuller's Synergetics: Explorations in the Geometry of Thinking. Sheesh)

Because I gave them away the SciFi list may not be complete, but I do recall the best ones now and then and re-add them to the list. It's always the best ones you give away. Sigh.

I hope to be reading until the day I die... it will be a bummer not to finish that last book.

The rating system is as follows:

- Read it so long ago I can't rate it now until I do a re-read.

- Don't bother reading this one. It was not worth the time.

- Probably not worth the bother, but if you like this author, you may want to read it.

- A good read. You may or may not enjoy it, but I liked it.

- I recommend this book. I enjoyed it, and feel that others will too.

- Among my favorites of all time. I heartily recommend this book to any and all. (unless otherwise noted in the paragraph)

- Among my favorites of all time. I heartily recommend this book to any and all. (unless otherwise noted in the paragraph)

- Among my favorites of all time. I heartily recommend this book to any and all. (unless otherwise noted in the paragraph)

- And this little symbol next to a book means that at some point in time it was BANNED by someone, somewhere!! Click on the symbol to find out who banned or challenged it when.

The links provided will lead you to Wikipedia for more information on the author, or the particular book. If you want to see what other people thought - click on the Amazon link and read the reviews.