Nightstand Books: I'll Second That - djedwardson.com

Nightstand Books: I’ll Second That

nightstand books part 2

Ready for the second installment of “Nightstand Books”? This was something I first posted about a while back, i.e. what books were on my nightstand. It thought it would be a cool way to just let people know what I’ve been reading or plan to read or have read in the past. I had originally only planned that it would be a one time post, but an author friend, Jenelle Schmidt, saw it and thought it would make a cool meme. It took us a while to come back around and actually do it, but here it is!

I apologize for the less than stellar lighting in this picture. That’s just the way my bedroom is at night. I suppose I could try and take a photo during the day, but then it wouldn’t really be a “night” stand, would it? Oh well, maybe one of these days I’ll get a better camera. Until then, at least I can tell you what titles are there in case you can’t make them out in the photo.

The top book on the pile there is coincidentally Jenelle’s latest release, Second Son. No, I didn’t just put it there because I’m participating in this meme with Jenelle, that’s actually what I happen to be reading at this very moment. It’s the sequel to her first book, King’s Warrior but it actually goes back in time and focuses on the coming of age of Brant, one of the heroes from the first book. I’m really enjoying it. It has a bit of an Arthurian legends sort of feel to it with tournaments and sword fighting, wizards, kings, castles, and knightly training (at least that’ been the emphasis far). I’m excited to see where things end up going, anticipating dark waters ahead for the young protagonist.

never ending story movie posterThe book beneath it is one I’ve read before, The Neverending Story, but it’s one I plan on reading again. It’s such a unique sort of book with it’s red and green text representing the parts that take place in our world and the parts that take place inside the never-ending story. It was a delight the first time around, but that was a long time ago and I’m itching to give it another go. It’s much better than the movie, by the way (surprise, surprise), though the movie wasn’t terrible (at the time) except for it’s ridiculously fluffy animatronic dragon (and a few of the other puppets).

The final book in that first stack is The Collected Works of C.S. Lewis. This is another one I’ve also read and I just got it out because I was looking for a quote from it. It’s a brilliant work (as is everything I’ve ever read by Lewis) featuring three separate volumes in one: The Pilgrim’s Regress, Christian Reflections, and God in the Dock. Pilgrim’s Regress is an allegory inspired by Pilgrim’s Progress and the other two are essays, some of which were taken from talks Lewis gave. For those of you who don’t know, several of Lewis’ printed works were taken from his talks with Mere Christianity I suppose being the most famous one. I read somewhere that the demand for Lewis as a speaker was second only to Winston Churchill for the period surrounding the war, which says quite a bit about his ability as a speaker (as well as the English character and temperament of the time).

So that’s the stack on the left, what about the stack on the right? Well, those aren’t really books, actually. They’re potential books. The three copies of Through the Viscera are just proof copies. The text inside isn’t even the actual text of the novel. They’re just to see how the cover looks. I just got word from my line editor yesterday on where he’s at. Unfortunately it looks like I’ll have to wait a little bit longer than I’d hoped to get back the final edits, but it can’t be helped. Like baking a cake, it will be done when it’s done.

Underneath the proof copies are a bunch of manuscripts. I think there might be from two or three separate works (nothing new in that particular stack). I pretty much always have them on there because I don’t really have a good place to put them after the edits have been done. Maybe I should throw them out, but I have a sentimental attachment to them as they represent a lot of work. So, at least for now, I just leave them on the nightstand.

So that’s another snapshot of the nightstand. I didn’t highlight as many books this time, but they are all worth reading, so check them out when you get the chance.

Until next time, happy reading and don’t forget to turn off the light!

Author DJ Edwardson's seal of approval

 

 

6 thoughts on “Nightstand Books: I’ll Second That”

  1. Linky list seems to be working fine!

    🙂 Glad you’re enjoying Second Son 🙂 I cannot wait to get a copy of Through the Viscera!!!

  2. I did not know that about C.S. Lewis being such a high-demand speaker. Very interesting.

    I agree that the movie Neverending Story is incredibly cheesy, and I admit that I have a very high cheese tolerance when it comes to movies, AND that the special effects weren’t brilliant (at least, compared with the subsequent eras that movies like Jurassic Park and The Fellowship of the Ring ushered in in the next two decades…) but the representation of Falcor is way better than in the absolutely ridiculous 2 sequels. 🙂

    I read the book back in jr. high, and didn’t like it as much as the movie. But I may have just been too young for it.

    I must away, one of my children just let out a blood-curdling howl, so I should probably go check it out.

    1. I actually stayed away from the 2 sequels because I heard they were atrocious. As for whether the movie or book is better, memory is funny thing isn’t it? I remember liking the book more, but, like you, I saw and read them some time ago so it will be interesting to see if the book reads as well the second time around.

      And it’s good to know you attend to your children when they let out blood-curling howls! I hope it was nothing too serious!

  3. Oooo, Second Son! I can’t wait to order it and read it!
    I didn’t know that The Neverending Story was a book. I might have to check that one out. =)
    And I didn’t know C.S. Lewis was in such high demand either.

    1. I think the Neverending stories all cover just that one single book. I know the first movie only covers the first half of the book, but I don’t know about the other ones since I never saw them.

      I hope you get a chance to read the book some day!

  4. Pingback: Six Degrees: From Kazul to Falkor | djedwardson.com

Leave a comment, I love hearing from readers.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.