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.
