Questions:

Ok, here are some answers to your questions:

First, I never loan out a book I expect to get back. Books, like music, are meant to be shared and enjoyed. I'll go buy another copy after a certain period of time without getting a book back. That period of time is dependent on the person I gave the book.


Karen:

You are always welcome to borrow books. I do have a few that I won't loan out because they are signed, or they are hard to find. These I read once, then they get saved for my children/next of kin.

I'm somewhat gentle with my books, but no, I have no rules on spines. If a book gets beat up, that means it's being read. That means the knowledge is passed on, which means the book has accomplished it's purpose, and shouldn't we all be so lucky?

I don't make notes in my books. I keep everything in my head, so there is no need to. You remember that I told you that when I get going I don't see words, I see pictures, right? I don't write on pictures either :). If you are returning a book I give you, I ask that you not write in them.

Jen:

1.) No, I don't think they are all scary. One of the least scary if you want to try, and damn good story at that is Insomnia. The antagonist is in his 70's :). Another would be Hearts in Atlantis, also The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon.

2.) Answered above.

3.) I'm just getting into them again, about halfway through House Harkonnen. I find them very worthy. I also enjoy Kevin J. Anderson co-writing them. His Star Wars novels were good, these are much better. I highly recommend the prequels, especially if you are a Dune fan like I am. Love the series, love the vision.

4.) I'll send you an email on that as well, but I'm going to recommend Stranger in a Strange Land, by Robert Heinlein for you. If you are investigating spirtuality right now, there is much you can grok there. You'll understand the term grok after you read the book :). I will tell you that reading this book at a critical point in my life after my divorce really helped me get some perspective on my life, and very positively shaped the person that I am today. I do look for meaning in many places, and Golden Age Science Fiction stories are rich with social commentary that can be useful.


Ok, bring the questions on, or do you want me to list even more books?