I avoid fluff ... The stuff that men are always reading on planes: I don’t read that. ... I read for the reading pleasure, not for the gold star. ... Reading is a way to take downtime and make it stimulating. If you’re in the waiting room of a dentist’s office and don’t want to twiddle your thumbs, you turn to Tolstoy.Art Garfunkel (Remember? Okay, some of you aren't that old I know!) talks to Nick Paumgarten in the New Yorker about his tastes in books. (And thanks Grouch for the link!)
The singer has apparently been keeping a list of the thousand and twenty-three books that he has read since June, 1968, which is now posted in the Garfunkel Library. (Although I'm useless at maths I reckon he averages a book a fortnight.)
The 135 titles he considers his favourites are posted here and include everything from heavy weight classics to lighter reads like Stephen King. But he's clearly a serious and methodical reader, concerned to go for the best literature possible, and no follower of literary fashion.
But who'd have thunk the guy such a committed bookaholic?If you feel a tidal wave of nostalgia coming over you, or if you are a young 'un saying Garfunkelwho - enjoy!
Ah, those were kinder more innocent times. Flowers in the hair and lovebeads and floaty cheesecloth clothes ... and those were just the guys.
2 comments:
I'm very impressed. I wonder what Paul Simon read.
Goes to show that not all artists are Britney Spears.
And that reminds me of Mick Jackson who once played in a rock band 'The Screaming Abdabs' which I've never heard off. He was short listed for 1997 Booker and whitbread first novel for his book 'The Underground man'.
One of the VERY2 few books from Booker lists that I ever read (and finished). It's a queer book about trepanning and stuff based on a real eccentric Victorian aristocrat.
ah pong
one i haven't read, ah pong, and now must. thanks.
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