Q. Can you tell us about your reading interests in general?
A. In general, I enjoy reading books to escape. I enjoy graphic novels and sci-fi and fantasy. On the other hand, you’ll also find me reading current non-fiction science books, particularly in geology or biology. I think reading is important to escape life for a little while, and for me, it is a different form of entertainment outside of sitting in front of a TV. Interestingly, I’m a sucker for books about maps too. I’m not talking travel books per se, just books about how to create, read, interpret, enjoy, or use maps.
Q. What is the best book you have read within the last year?
A. The best book I have read over the last year is Zucked: Waking up to the Facebook Catastrophe by Roger McNamee. I think this is an eye-opening look at tech giants and how they collect and store user information. All of us that are connected frequently agree to user terms and agreements without really examining what we are agreeing to. McNamee gives an insider look into the realities of our online lives.
Q. What is your ideal reading environment (location, sound, snacks, etc.)?
A. My ideal reading condition is quietly in bed after a long day. If the book is a real page turner, I can be comfy just about anywhere!
Q. What book are you most excited about reading next and what about it is most exciting?
The next book I am most excited to read is New York Times best seller The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming by David Wallace-Wells. This is exciting because the author pairs reputable scientific data with real world possibilities and outcomes that impact human beings across the planet. I anticipate this will be a grim read regarding climatological disasters yet unseen to us. At the same time, I am hopeful this book will be able to provide some level of hope to all that read it that these potential disasters might yet be averted.
Q. What book do you think more people should read and why do you think they should read it?
A. I think more people should read, and then re-read as an adult, 1984 by George Orwell. This classic resonates for me today even more than it did when I first read it back in high school. This literary masterpiece is a reminder of who our society was, is, and potentially, where it may go in the future.
Q. When do you decide to stop reading a book? (In other words, do you read every book to the last page, or is there a moment when you decide to stop?)
A. This can be different for each and every book! Generally, I’ll stop reading a book after trying to get through the first quarter of the book and it has not engaged me (yes, I actually count the total pages and divide by four). The great thing about the library is if I am not enjoying the book I checked out, there are always thousands more to choose from that will likely better hold my interest.
Q. Do you remember when your love for reading began?
A. My love for reading began in high school. The first book that got me addicted was Terry Brooks’ The Sword of Shannara. The book is a fantasy book similar in style and story to JRR Tolkien. I’ve been a reader ever since.
Check out more of Bill's Favorite Books!
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See the past C-SPL Reader of the Month blog posts here.
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