Earlier in the semester I read The Maltese Falcon by
Dashiell Hammett. I picked it because I don’t really read detective novels and
I thought this book would be a good opportunity to branch out and read a genre
of fiction I usually walk right by at bookstores.
I only know Sherlock Holmes from the movies. (I know… I’m
sorry.)
The book is rather well written, I was surprised, I know
nothing about Dashiell Hammet besides the fact that he was a heavy drinker and
a private eye. I have also never seen the movie. That’s another reason why I
picked this novel, so that I could (eventually. sometime soon. let’s shoot for
December) watch the movie afterwards. Ever since the first class, I’ve been
trying to pick literature that has a trans media narrative. I often ask myself,
“Would this make a good movie? A good book? A good game? Will it age like a
fine wine, delicately fermenting in a virgin oak barrel? Or will it age like
milk during a power outage?
I think these are important questions to ask oneself while
in a literature and media class.
It’s also important to read things outside of what you’re
comfortable with. I read almost exclusively fantasy, with some SciFi thrown in.
And if it’s a rainy night, I’ll dust off the old Necronomicon. The Maltese
Falcon reminded me of the importance of reading outside your comfort zone. It
was like a literary vacation. After reading the novel, I got back into my
fantasy swing with renewed vigor as well as making sure to check out other
books by great writers.
I think that’s a good life lesson. Doing things outside your
comfort zone. Skydive. (It’s fun.) Learn to ride a motorcycle. Do something
unexpected and unplanned and wild because all those experiences add up. You can
always come back home and live vicariously through Frodo or Harry Potter or
Raskolnikov.
But there’s a whole world out there, so don’t forget to live
vicariously through you.
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