The First Step

My knowledge is strong but dynamic it is not. That's something I plan to change. As each day passes, I make an effort to learn new things outside of my primary interests. Unfortunately, exposure is all it ever seems to be. With my weak memory, I never seem to retain the lessons I've learned. My verbal skills are the strongest, so I'm incorporating that strength to gain knowledge.

There are many ways to gain knowledge. Reading even the most ordinary of books can offer that. But the choices are infinitely vast. You have educational subjects, historical fictions that provide insights into past cultures, popular fiction exposes us to societal perceptions and standards, other types of fiction literature can stimulate our imagination (the right hemisphere of our brain), books can teach us about foreign lifestyles that we're unwilling or unable to discover on our own, the strength of individuals in memoirs can inspire us and show us the strength people can possess, philosophical and confrontational books test our ability to be open-minded enough to exercise objectivity, etc. The required focus in reading keeps us alert and strengthens our memories. I enjoy gaining knowledge, but I haven't found that one fiction book that's inspired me.

Everyone seems to have that one fiction book that's truly touched them. I want to find that book. I have to find that book. It's important to me. Existing for as long as I have without experiencing that makes me feel deficient and unintelligent. Is it something within me that fails to make that connection? Sometimes I fear that I'm not deep enough to appreciate such profound literature. But I doubt that's the case. I've known some not-so-bright individuals who have found books that have made an impact in their lives. If they can make that discovery, so can I. My ex-boyfriend believes that I'm just all the more particular because I'm insightful. I can't afford to be proven wrong.

I've been disappointed with so many fictions that I've become accustomed to reading non-fiction books. I enjoy them, but it's become painfully obvious that I'll never discover that book that'll touch my life until I start delving into endless piles of books (with my luck). I need to actively start reading fiction literature and hope to make some progress. It's important that I take the necessary steps to achieving my goals. And part of that is to be open and honest about my past experiences. I'm ashamed to admit titles that I've read with little to no interest. But I have to be honest about it, in order to be productive.

One of my New Year's Resolution is to find that one book that touches my life. I've been asking everyone and anyone that I feel might provide me with some insights. I've found that certain friends gravitate towards specific styles of writing or storylines. Immediately if it's compared to another book that I've read with disinterest, it allows me to make informed decision about which books to prioritize reading.

Creating this blog is another way I'm hoping to expedite the process and gain further insight. I ask that anyone that comments on this blog try not to be judgmental and scrutinize my inability to appreciate a lot of titles many people seem to enjoy.

Below is the list of books I've read and not liked:

1. Lord of the Flies
2. The Hobbit
3. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
4. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
5. Out
6. 1984
7. The Red Badge of Courage
8. Hundred Years of Solitude
9. Ramayana
10. The Joy Luck Club
11. Kitchen God's Wife
12. China Boy
13. Black Boy
14. The Plague
15. Raisin in the Sun
16. Nectar in a Sieve

Books I Have Enjoyed:

1) What Your Doctor Won't (Or Can't) Tell You
2) The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat
3) The Kiss
4) Personal Finance for Dummies
5) Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion
6) The Lingerie Handbook
7) A Child Called "It"
8) Maupassant's Selected Short Stories (In the Spring)
9) The Craft
10) The Modern Girl's Guide to Life
11) The Witches