Cup of Literary Joe

Reading, like coffee, is an activity that I love. It is tied in with my daily routine and many of my other normal activities. I enjoy reading at coffee shops and at home. I always try to learn new things, to expand my horizons. My new learning serves as a tool to connect with interesting and fun new people, including many of you.

Coffee shops are great for reading due to a "thinking atmosphere," a caffeine high and the social opportunities of said "third spaces." The caffeine buzz always makes a chapter or article seem like the most interesting thing I've ever read, like esoteric wisdom from a divine source! Also, many of the coffee shops I patronize have a number of good books, magazines and newspapers. For example, The Wise Bean in Bethlehem is notable for its collection of newspapers and magazines, while Coffee House Without Limits in Allentown houses a great collection of books that are provocative and avant-garde, as well as thoughtful.

At home, I like to read in the basement, where I can sit in my pajamas and really focus on some great material. I love to read at night, before bed, because that is the most productive time of the day for me. It's when I am best at writing blog posts and when I best ingest new information.

Right now, I am reading two books at the same time. This sounds odd, but I do this because I got a lot of fantasy novels for Christmas, and a history paperback from my friend's father. The history book, "Young Stalin" is better suited for the coffee shop, while "The Fellowship of the Ring" is best enjoyed at home, late at night.

"Young Stalin" covers the first half of Joseph Stalin's life, from birth through his late-thirties, coinciding with the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. It is a fascinating look at how a violent sociopath learned to dominate in Tsarist Georgia and connect with prominent Russian revolutionaries who were struggling against the tsars' faltering empire. The Fellowship of the Ring, of course, speaks for itself. It's a childlike fantasy for adults that treats the imagination right before bed.

Besides history and fantasy books, I also like mystery novels, sociology books and biographies, among other genres. I usually get my books from either bookstores or the Bethlehem Library. My two favorite bookstores in the area are the Barnes & Noble on Freemansburg Avenue in Bethlehem Township and The Quadrant in Easton. The Barnes & Noble books are usually either Christmas or birthday presents.

In addition to my love of books, magazines and newspapers, I also enjoy a great deal of online reading and learning. I do indulge in Wikipedia, much to the chagrin of my more serious-minded friends. I find it to be a primer on a large variety and number of subjects, a primer that is connected to a number of more reputable sources. This is how I apply technology to my life in a positive way. In the coming year, I will refer to a few more books on my blog, thus completing the circle!