On Reading

I wish there was a way to capture every link I've followed this past hour automatically. Clicking on that "blog this" button is just too hard to remember. Here are some links:

A book called Looped, available from a small press. I think it's set in Chicago. Everyone who's read it seems to have liked it, at least as far as I can tell. I didn't really read the reviews, though, because I want to have the unfiltered reading experience for myself. If I can collect enough amazon cards from Burger King, I might even be able to get it for free. That'd be cool. Though I guess that also makes me pretty cheap.

A literary discussion blog called The Reading Experience, which is fairly academic but interesting nonetheless.

A literary blog called The Valve, which is interesting for those interested in reasoned analysis as to whether "Capital T" Theory is dead and things like that. I am glad to know that this kind of thing seems a natural part of academia now.

The One blog (previously referenced), which has some news about Niger. Sounds terrible.

The Drudge Report, where I found a pretty funny story about Christian video games. The Left Behind juggernaut rolls on.

Earlier today, I also visited the Athletics Nation fan blog. After being written off by many "analysts" at ESPN early in the season, the A's are now in contention for the wild card and only 5 1/2 games behind the ridiculously named Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the American League West. One hopes that the people with the brains at ESPN eventually realize that even if they are paid by Disney, they don't have to act like marketing hacks and promote the Angels. Okay, now I guess I'm starting to sound like an embittered long-time fan or something. But reading the blog got me all fired up, I guess.

P.S.

A cool email reached me yesterday: Tim and Chindy Yoon have a brand-new baby boy, Evan, born July 9.

Oh, so I guess what I've been doing is reading for the past hour or two, which is testimony to the power of the Internet. I could have spent this time much more productively, but I am now more interested in everything I've found. Funny, how time and the mind can fly? I'd better get to work. Let me know if you read this!