Truth or Fiction?

What book are you reading right now?

I tend to go by author so I could immediately tell you it was a David Baldacci, but not what it’s called. David Baldacci = pre-order now! Turns out it’s his latest thriller “The Edge”.

He caught me with his very first book, and one thing I like about him is that he changes the focus character, and sometimes does away with that altogether, as in the Promise Falls trilogy, or Don’t Look Now.

His first book, where an FBI agent goes on a call out, and regains consciousness to discover that his entire team are dead but he’s untouched, was an extraordinary explosion into the world of thriller writing. Always trust Baldacci!

Reading to relax

I’m not a person who reads for education. How I got through my history degree I don’t know as I never read one course book, and yet I was told I had a very clear grasp of each subject.

I used to read the introduction and conclusion of several books, and then research specific points that were in line with the essay question. I was always told my essays and seminars were some of the most thoroughly researched they ever saw. How I don’t know, but I do believe that loving a subject makes you naturally good a it.

I bought the late, great, and eternally missed, Matthew Perry’s autobiography, knowing I’d probably never read it. I sensed his struggles were worse than he was letting on, and he tried so hard to get well, helping others honestly, saying that he may not be able to save himself, but perhaps he could save them, that I wanted that book to be a success for him. I’m glad now as it will contribute to his foundation.

I will read it now. I owe him and the Friends team so much. When I was at my loneliest, I’d lost my dad, three uncles, and a cat inside 12 months, and I was so low, Friends kept me sane. Especially Matthew.

Mobile phones

I think they’re very useful and also one of the worst things ever invented, the true meaning of a double-edged sword. They disrupt concentration, and can take you away from books and into pointless games or sofa surfing. You can research anything on the internet, but you’ll never learn as you will from a book written by a human who asks the right questions. Who gets you thinking.

We’re also more attached to our technology and sofas than people nowadays. Hence the violence on our streets. The shocking state of our nations. We think we’re engaging through screens, yet could probably walk past most of our social media connections without even knowing.

Thinkers change the world.

Books open our minds, and you can pretty much trust a book as they have to be fact checked. When I quoted Barry Manilow in my book, I ended up having to send the publisher a photo of the quote in his book as it had to be exactly as Barry wrote it to the last comma. You cannot trust the internet in that way.

That’s the point isn’t it? What was lovely about watching Friends was that was the group you wanted to have around you. Five true friends who had fun together but also had each other’s backs. And it was real.

The other five are so devastated right now, saying Matthew was their baby brother and praising him to the heavens for his courage, always turning up and putting in a flawless performance even when he’d been chauffeured in from rehab, never once letting them or the show down. They never asked for him to be replaced.

Thrillers and novels aren’t truth

But we know that. So much of truth is a lie nowadays thanks to social media, armchair experts, and an unregulated internet that allows lies to be told daily. Not to mention unreasoned prejudices destroying our societies from the inside out. An outright lie about a politician was not judged as a crime by the police last week!

I saw two articles a few weeks ago, one after the other. Details of the divorce settlement between Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones, followed by them attending a Hollywood event together the night before. Very much married.

You can trust books because either they’re well researched, or you know they’re fiction. Maybe that’s why I like novels and thrillers the most, they’re a rest from reality, and you know they’re not true.

David Baldacci, Lee Child, Gregg Hurwitz, James Patterson, the late and much missed Lucinda Reilly…I could go on and on. All allow me to relax my mind and practice concentration.

On a serious note, Mike Dooley, Michael Neill, Gregg Braden (Fractal Time!), Joe Dispenza, David R. Hamilton, Louise Hay, Elizabeth Gilbert, Susan Jeffers, Deepak Chopra, Esther and Jerry Hicks, Pam Grout, Paulo Coehlo, Nietzsche. All thought changers.

Both the entertainers and the sanity savers have truly been super-good friends in my life.

To reading, learning, connecting, empathising, caring, and loving. To the truth! It is out there.

Have a great weekend wherever you are, and if you’re in a troubled area, know that millions of us do care and it does matter.

Deb (Dancing Star) xx