Monday, January 17, 2011

Musing Monday...I Think, Therefore I...hmmmm...I Forget.

I enjoy a nice bit of musing, not too deep but not too shallow. Which is good because it ties in nicely to this week question from MizB at Should Be Reading

This week’s musing asks…
Do you prefer deep, intellectual, “meaty” books… or light, “fluffy” books? Why? Give us an example of your preferred type of book.

Once upon a time, in the way distant past, I could think pretty well, fairly deeply. I read and studied deep theological and philosophical works and since I had, I believe, a 4.0 grade point in my major, I guess I understood, at ;east to the professor's satisfaction. Plato and Aristotle, Maimonides and Aquinas, Kant and Hegel, yes, I read them all. I would consider them 'meaty'.
But do I read them now, curling up with a nice cozy copy of Kierkegaard?
No.
Could I? Maybe.
I don't know, and it is unlikely I will find out.

...meat.
Because meaty reading is work! Sometime hard work. It can make your brain spin.
And I don't really want to work too hard when I read.
To tell you the truth, I don't want too work to hard at anything.

I know the brain is not a muscle, but to a degree it acts sort of like one. If you exercise it, it gets sharper, easier to focus, stronger. My brain has not been to the gym in quite awhile and I don't want to hurt it by running over and trying to lift the big barbells.

..fluff
But, I don't enjoy fluff either. I refer not to the marshmallow product you can make sandwiches of, and about which I make no judgment, but to the lighter end of the reading spectrum. I hesitate to even define what qualifies as "fluffy", because one person's fluffy is another person's meaty.
I would just say that usually I like to read books that are a bit challenging and make me think..a bit. Not to dwell on the subject, but I think that it is one reason that I like mysteries. They are like little puzzles..but they give you the answer at the end. Usually.

I can't name any particularly meaty books I have read recently, or fluffy ones for that matter. Because I only read books right in the middle. OK, after a little thought, I think The Snow Globe, that I read recently , might be considered fluff, but it was a Christmas book and there is a Christmas fluff exception.
Everyone knows that. :-)
The fluff element is one reason that I have given up on a number of series. The stories don't grow, the characters don't grow, there is no challenge but a lot of fluffy repetition. I am not usually a fan of 'cozy' mysteries but like things a bit darker, more complicated. I like some humor in a book, but humor alone is not enough. I want some witty banter, some depth.

I want to think...just not too much please.


15 comments:

  1. Love that you added pictures of meat and fluff. I prefer meaty books over the ones in the middle but I see what you mean. Here's my Musing Mondays.

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  2. oh I am completely sidetracked by your Marshmallow jar.. is that for real? *Blinks*

    I have joined in with the Musing Monday today...

    Here is my answer and my favourite choice of book…

    Meaty or Fluffy?

    Happy Monday!

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  3. I'm kind of in the middle too. My brain went on vacation years ago, and it never came back.

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  4. Sassy, I assume you are familiar with the "Fluff"? Yes, it is infact real. I have never bought it, but I make no judgment, as I said.

    I do believe it is a required ingredient in Rice Krispie treats, which I have consumed.

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  5. When my daughter told me last night that she was reading Civil Disobedience and enjoying it immensely, oy, my eyes glazed over. No more of that heavy stuff for me. I don't like ultra fluff for reading anyway but marshmallow fluff in a must in hot chocolate. Not that marshmallow creme stuff but the hi test fluff!

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  6. For my rest and relaxation reading I want light, not meaty. I have a marshmellow brain, it doesn't need all that meaty food, when all I want is a snack.

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  7. My brain gave up heavy meat some years ago. I'm not totally into fluff yet, but find myself preferring it more and more. My excuse is: "I'm almost dead; why should I put myself through [meat]?!!"

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  8. Love your meat and fluff photos! LOL

    I'm kind of in a phase of mixing things up a bit.

    Here's my post:

    (click on my name)

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  9. I love that you added pictures of meat and fluff. LOL I think that people should read what they like regardless of "meat" or "fluff".

    Here is my Monday Musing.

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  10. I do like that Marshmallow Fluff!!!!

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  11. I'm like you, right in the middle.

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  12. I definitely don't want to read "heavy" books. Every once in a while I long for something I have to think hard about, but not too often. I, too, enjoy mysteries best and can't read too many cozies in a row. Sometimes though, they hit the spot. I even shy away from classics mostly. Just too much work. :-)

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  13. I can totally relate! I don't care for reading the hefty, meaty books anymore...been there done that but I don't do fluff much either...once in a while I try one or two but they usually bore me. Love the pic of Fluff though! Illustrations are always good!

    I agree that humor is good, very good and not always easy to find esp. in fiction.

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  14. edible fluff is in fact delicious.

    i am not allowed to have it anymore. today starts day 1 of p90x.

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  15. I'm with you .. I want to think, but not too much! Here's the middle road!

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