I have to admit that after taking four months to read Saint Augustine's Confessions that my goal of reading eighteen books this year was becoming unrealistic.

It was a fantastic book, a very deep introspection of a sinner who became a saint back in the four-hundreds. He gave me a lot to think about, and provided some inspiration to make some changes in my life.

Prior to that, I read Bram Stoker's Dracula. Another outstanding book, and I finished it in about three weeks.

Sure, I can blame homework, many late nights, and the fact that I was watching a bit of television when I could have been reading... but more than anything I think it is a reflection on contemporary versus classic literature.

It's a combination of the writing style employed by the author with the changes in the way society thinks. Maybe our minds just cannot absorb the deeper thoughts and rich descriptions quickly. We're a tee-vee/internet generation who love the dialogue.

Last night, I finished up John Saul's Perfect Nightmare. I finished it in two nights. Yes, it was a thriller, and that alone makes it a page turner, but the novel didn't run as deep as the previous two. That's not to say I'm going to forget what I read, or that I didn't like it, or that it didn't make me think.

Or is it?

One reason I've always been able to keep "thrillers" on my shelf is that I have an uncanny knack for forgetting how they end. Considering the ending is usually the most climactic part, that's a bit disconcerting.

In fact, if I were to look at the thrillers in my collection... from Stephen King and John Saul and a few others, I can glance at the cover, remember if I liked/didn't like the book, maybe recall a scene or two (or more if I've read it a few times), and occasionally decide to read it again.

A John Saul book I read years ago... The Unwanted, which introduced me to the author, has been back in my "to read" stack for a while now, working its way to the top.

Anyway, I have officially started and finished one book this year... and it is still early enough to attain my reading goal. Before falling asleep, I started reading J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan.

What i'm listening to:

Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie
Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie
Good Deeds & Dirty Rags