Read Instead?

As you know, I'm all about reading.  I love an interesting fiction story and I love reading biographies about my "heroes" (more on that next week).  One aspect of reading I sometimes struggle with is the "Read Instead" concept.   For a long time, I didn't have cable.  I used my computer to catch up on current events and I had a roommate who worked at Blockbuster so we always had movies around to watch should the feeling strike us.   When I moved in with my Huz in 2007, I "upgraded" and we have had cable since.  Now I have shows that I greatly enjoy, and often they fit into the same genres as my favorite books - "documentaries" about mermaids, weekly series about fairy tale characters who live in modern Maine, and quirky movies and shows with sci-fi themes.   What I wanted to talk with you about today is the idea that - aside from the terribly annoying commercials that always seem to be never ending - I think I've decided that maybe television isn't so bad.  

Bear with me.

This change of heart really stems from the availability of commercial free Netflix and other streaming availability.   I hope we continue down this avenue and that our "shows" become more widely distributed without the commercial breaks.  It seems our lives are constantly more and more commercialized and I can't help but wonder if we will finally reach a point where we all say "STOP.  NO MORE!".  I really think we will, and I think it will be soon.  Personally, I've stopped watching certain shows because of annoyingly obvious product placement.  Perhaps I'm not the audience most commercials strive to entertain, anyway, because I buy most of my clothes from consignment stores and find my music on Spotify and Pandora (and often mute the commercials)... but it is easy for me to block out those screaming announcers who want me to purchase whatever it is they think I must have. 

You may be thinking - "But all of those Netflix shows are funded by product placement!".  I know, I know... but it feels better to be marketed to in a way that let's me decide I want to be more like Claire Underwood and her cool, modern, sense of style and well-organized office so I might as well buy an Apple computer!    Oh wait, I don't want to be like Claire... I do still love my Macbook, though.  I digress.

So, back to this "Read Instead" phenomenon.  Let's forget commercials for a minute.  Let's pretend they don't exist, and forget that the reason people make television shows is to make money.  Instead, let's think about why we enjoy television: We like to escape from our stressful lives for a little while.  We like to learn about ideas or concepts completely unknown to us.  

Those are the same reasons I read books.  

I'm not saying we should all stop reading.  I'm not saying that television should replace my beloved favorites - Poe, Gaiman, Barrie, Martin.  What I hope to convey is that maybe we can supplement our reading habits with other opportunities.  We can use television to learn and to take a break for a while.  

So, maybe instead of "Read Instead", we should really "Read" (at all) and "Watch Sometimes". 

#40: Neverwhere, Neil Gaiman

I always try to stay away from those things that are built up to mounds of hype.  It is always a great pleasure to find them later in life when everyone is no longer chattering about those things, so I can enjoy them on my own without exponentially built-up expectations.

That is what happened with the writing of Neil Gaiman. A few years ago, everyone on the train I was taking read American Gods.  I began it and, I suppose because of the hype, could not finish.  I was quite disappointed with the chronology; I was confused.  I kept having to go back and re-read pages because I couldn't believe what I had just read.  Fortunately, I re-began it in my quest to read the top 100 fantasy novels and was thrilled.  Because of my love for this novel, I have begun reading as many of his books as possible.  Here, we'll talk about Neverwhere, number 40 on my list.

Neverwhere reminded me a little of "The Wizard of Oz" (movie).  The main character, Richard, a boring ol' chap, finds himself caught in a world between the worlds after saving the life of a young woman named Door, who he finds bleeding in the street.  In this strange land, called Under London, he finds a floating market and an underground home of an angel.  Along with new acquaintances, he has to pass certain tests with the hope to save Under London and get back home.  The story is fraught with mysteries and puzzles to solve.  Oh, and I just love when authors use names as a way to tell the reader something about the character.  Here, the name Door is an obvious representation of that character's ability to open things.  Little secrets, even when so obvious, make me wonder what else I might miss and keep me quite engaged.

Gaiman's ability to take boring young male characters on adventures is spot-on.  All three of his novels I have read (Anansi Boys is the other, and I'll review that soon!) use the same premise (boring guy meets some crazy person, goes on an adventure, saves the world - you know, the usual) but not to the point of feeling formulaic.  The characters are different guys, with different interests.

This novel first began as a television show in London and was not highly regarded. There is a comic book, and soon a radio version of the work to be released as well.  It is especially interesting, while reading this novel, to imagine the book having not been written first.  As Gaiman wrote the story, he would have had to imagine the characters in a similar sense to the television portrayal.  It'd be interesting to know whether people who enjoy the television show enjoyed the book.

What a clever, modern author Gaiman is.  Incorporating his writing into television shows, radio shows, and comic books (Sandman is amazing, more on that later).  He must have no fear of being irrelevant too soon.  Reading his Tweets daily keeps him, as an author, in my mind, and makes me curious about reading more of his work.  I'm excited for his newest novel, The Ocean at the End of the Lane to be released here in the United States in 14 weeks, 1 day, 9 hours, 13 minutes from right now.

Here's an excerpt from the Neverwhere television show in case you're interested; this part takes place early in the novel so no surprises will be ruined if you decide to pick up this book.