# grafjen > A literary website about books, reading projects, thoughtful reviews, and living a richer reading life. Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts. Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`). ## Pages ### Tags URL: https://www.grafjen.com/tags/ Last updated: 2024-04-30T21:53:05.000Z _No content available._ ### About URL: https://www.grafjen.com/about-2/ Last updated: 2025-02-12T21:25:48.000Z If life has taught me anything, it is that the adventure is in the process, the journey, the doing – not the finished project or destination. And that its those things you didn’t actually plan for that end up being the greatest adventure. ![About page collage](https://i0.wp.com/grafjen.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Untitled-design-1.jpg?resize=940%2C705&ssl=1) ### Hello and welcome. ## Grafjen is all about: The adventure in the process. Living creatively in unexpected ways. Letting diverse interests intertwine. Taking your time. Going at your own pace. Making room for awe, for mystery, for not knowing everything. Never being fully ready but taking action anyway. Starting the journey even without seeing the end in mind. Knowing it’s not really how long you take but what you learn along the way. Embracing mistakes to get better, to learn more, and knowing sometimes the answer or revelation is in the mistakes. Giving space (no matter how small) and time (no matter how little) for exploration and creativity. The unplanned and uncharted adventure. Occasionally just do nothing. Letting go and winging it. Stepping into the unknown. Being a beginner again. Continually learning and trying new things. Allowing for imperfection. Taking time to ponder, to wonder. Remaining curious. The random, the tangents, the meandering and mosey-ing, and the unexpected. Noticing, seeing, observing, stepping out of your comfort zone, daydreaming, telling stories, and being yourself. ### So, Grab a cup of coffee (or tea, or wine), sit down, relax – meander and mosey through the site and follow tangents and see what tickles your fancy. I have a seed of hope that somewhere here you stumble on something to inspire you, touch your heart, make you laugh or smile, or perhaps lift you up if you are down, or that prompts you to just start on something you’ve always been wanting to do. ![Grafjen Logo](https://i0.wp.com/grafjen.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/TransparentLogo.png?resize=152%2C67&ssl=1) > “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” > > Ralph Waldo Emerson ### Cookie Policy URL: https://www.grafjen.com/cookie-policy/ Last updated: 2022-10-03T21:05:23.000Z ## About This Cookie Policy This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are and how we use them, the types of cookies we use i.e, the information we collect using cookies and how that information is used, and how to control the cookie preferences. For further information on how we use, store, and keep your personal data secure, see our Privacy Policy. You can at any time change or withdraw your consent from the Cookie Declaration on our website. Learn more about who we are, how you can contact us, and how we process personal data in our Privacy Policy. Your consent applies to the following domains: https://www.grafjen.com ## What are cookies? Cookies are small text files that are used to store small pieces of information. They are stored on your device when the website is loaded on your browser. These cookies help us make the website function properly, make it more secure, provide better user experience, and understand how the website performs and to analyze what works and where it needs improvement. ## How do we use cookies? As most of the online services, our website uses first-party and third-party cookies for several purposes. First-party cookies are mostly necessary for the website to function the right way, and they do not collect any of your personally identifiable data. The third-party cookies used on our website are mainly for understanding how the website performs, how you interact with our website, keeping our services secure, providing advertisements that are relevant to you, and all in all providing you with a better and improved user experience and help speed up your future interactions with our website. ## What types of cookies do we use? Essential: Some cookies are essential for you to be able to experience the full functionality of our site. They allow us to maintain user sessions and prevent any security threats. They do not collect or store any personal information. For example, these cookies allow you to log-in to your account and add products to your basket, and checkout securely. Statistics: These cookies store information like the number of visitors to the website, the number of unique visitors, which pages of the website have been visited, the source of the visit, etc. These data help us understand and analyze how well the website performs and where it needs improvement. Marketing: Our website displays advertisements. These cookies are used to personalize the advertisements that we show to you so that they are meaningful to you. These cookies also help us keep track of the efficiency of these ad campaigns. The information stored in these cookies may also be used by the third-party ad providers to show you ads on other websites on the browser as well. Functional: These are the cookies that help certain non-essential functionalities on our website. These functionalities include embedding content like videos or sharing content of the website on social media platforms. Preferences: These cookies help us store your settings and browsing preferences like language preferences so that you have a better and efficient experience on future visits to the website. ## How can I control cookie preferences? Should you decide to change your preferences later through your browsing session, you can click on the “Manage consent” tab on your screen. This will display the consent notice again enabling you to change your preferences or withdraw your consent entirely. In addition to this, different browsers provide different methods to block and delete cookies used by websites. You can change the settings of your browser to block/delete the cookies. To find out more about how to manage and delete cookies, visit wikipedia.org, www.allaboutcookies.org. ### Contact URL: https://www.grafjen.com/contact/ Last updated: 2022-07-22T16:55:07.000Z Burning questions, comments, or just want to say ‘hello’? Drop a line below: ### Privacy Policy URL: https://www.grafjen.com/privacy-policy-3/ Last updated: 2022-10-03T21:44:49.000Z **Last updated July 01, 2022** This privacy notice for Grafjen (“**Company**,” “**we**,” “**us**,” or “**our**“), describes how and why we might collect, store, use, and/or share (“**process**“) your information when you use our services (“**Services**“), such as when you: - Visit our website at [https://grafjen.com](https://grafjen.com/?ref=grafjen.com), or any website of ours that links to this privacy notice - Engage with us in other related ways, including any sales, marketing, or events **Questions or concerns?** Reading this privacy notice will help you understand your privacy rights and choices. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our Services. If you still have any questions or concerns, please contact us at info@grafjen.com. **SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS** ***This summary provides key points from our privacy notice, but you can find out more details about any of these topics by clicking the link following each key point or by using our table of contents below to find the section you are looking for. You can also click*** [***here***](#toc) ***to go directly to our table of contents.*** **What personal information do we process?** When you visit, use, or navigate our Services, we may process personal information depending on how you interact with Grafjen and the Services, the choices you make, and the products and features you use. Click [here](#personalinfo) to learn more. **Do we process any sensitive personal information?** We do not process sensitive personal information. **Do we receive any information from third parties?** We do not receive any information from third parties. **How do we process your information?** We process your information to provide, improve, and administer our Services, communicate with you, for security and fraud prevention, and to comply with law. We may also process your information for other purposes with your consent. We process your information only when we have a valid legal reason to do so. Click [here](#infouse) to learn more. **In what situations and with which types of parties do we share personal information?** We may share information in specific situations and with specific categories of third parties. Click [here](#whoshare) to learn more. **How do we keep your information safe?** We have organizational and technical processes and procedures in place to protect your personal information. However, no electronic transmission over the internet or information storage technology can be guaranteed to be 100% secure, so we cannot promise or guarantee that hackers, cybercriminals, or other unauthorized third parties will not be able to defeat our security and improperly collect, access, steal, or modify your information. Click [here](#infosafe) to learn more. **What are your rights?** Depending on where you are located geographically, the applicable privacy law may mean you have certain rights regarding your personal information. Click [here](#privacyrights) to learn more. **How do you exercise your rights?** The easiest way to exercise your rights is by filling out our data subject request form available [here](https://app.termly.io/notify/2578d591-01ec-4489-816f-2e63d95e7361?ref=grafjen.com), or by contacting us. We will consider and act upon any request in accordance with applicable data protection laws. Want to learn more about what Grafjen does with any information we collect? Click [here](#toc) to review the notice in full. **TABLE OF CONTENTS** [1\. WHAT INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT?](#infocollect) [2\. HOW DO WE PROCESS YOUR INFORMATION?](#infouse) [3\. WHAT LEGAL BASES DO WE RELY ON TO PROCESS YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?](#legalbases) [4\. WHEN AND WITH WHOM DO WE SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?](#whoshare) [5\. DO WE USE COOKIES AND OTHER TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES?](#cookies) [6\. HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION?](#inforetain) [7\. HOW DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION SAFE?](#infosafe) [8\. DO WE COLLECT INFORMATION FROM MINORS?](#infominors) [9\. WHAT ARE YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS?](#privacyrights) [10\. CONTROLS FOR DO-NOT-TRACK FEATURES](#DNT) [11\. DO CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS HAVE SPECIFIC PRIVACY RIGHTS?](#caresidents) [12\. DO WE MAKE UPDATES TO THIS NOTICE?](#policyupdates) [13\. HOW CAN YOU CONTACT US ABOUT THIS NOTICE?](#contact) [14\. HOW CAN YOU REVIEW, UPDATE, OR DELETE THE DATA WE COLLECT FROM YOU?](#request) **1\. WHAT INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT?** **Personal information you disclose to us** ***In Short:*** *We collect personal information that you provide to us.* We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you express an interest in obtaining information about us or our products and Services, when you participate in activities on the Services, or otherwise when you contact us. **Personal Information Provided by You.** The personal information that we collect depends on the context of your interactions with us and the Services, the choices you make, and the products and features you use. The personal information we collect may include the following: - names - email addresses **Sensitive Information.** We do not process sensitive information. All personal information that you provide to us must be true, complete, and accurate, and you must notify us of any changes to such personal information. **Information automatically collected** ***In Short:*** *Some information — such as your Internet Protocol (IP) address and/or browser and device characteristics — is collected automatically when you visit our Services.* We automatically collect certain information when you visit, use, or navigate the Services. This information does not reveal your specific identity (like your name or contact information) but may include device and usage information, such as your IP address, browser and device characteristics, operating system, language preferences, referring URLs, device name, country, location, information about how and when you use our Services, and other technical information. This information is primarily needed to maintain the security and operation of our Services, and for our internal analytics and reporting purposes. Like many businesses, we also collect information through cookies and similar technologies. The information we collect includes: - *Log and Usage Data.* Log and usage data is service-related, diagnostic, usage, and performance information our servers automatically collect when you access or use our Services and which we record in log files. Depending on how you interact with us, this log data may include your IP address, device information, browser type, and settings and information about your activity in the Services (such as the date/time stamps associated with your usage, pages and files viewed, searches, and other actions you take such as which features you use), device event information (such as system activity, error reports (sometimes called “crash dumps”), and hardware settings). - *Device Data.* We collect device data such as information about your computer, phone, tablet, or other device you use to access the Services. Depending on the device used, this device data may include information such as your IP address (or proxy server), device and application identification numbers, location, browser type, hardware model, Internet service provider and/or mobile carrier, operating system, and system configuration information. - *Location Data.* We collect location data such as information about your device’s location, which can be either precise or imprecise. How much information we collect depends on the type and settings of the device you use to access the Services. For example, we may use GPS and other technologies to collect geolocation data that tells us your current location (based on your IP address). You can opt out of allowing us to collect this information either by refusing access to the information or by disabling your Location setting on your device. However, if you choose to opt out, you may not be able to use certain aspects of the Services. **2\. HOW DO WE PROCESS YOUR INFORMATION?** ***In Short:*** *We process your information to provide, improve, and administer our Services, communicate with you, for security and fraud prevention, and to comply with law. We may also process your information for other purposes with your consent.* **We process your personal information for a variety of reasons, depending on how you interact with our Services, including:** - **To respond to user inquiries/offer support to users.** We may process your information to respond to your inquiries and solve any potential issues you might have with the requested service. - **To request feedback.** We may process your information when necessary to request feedback and to contact you about your use of our Services. - **To send you marketing and promotional communications.** We may process the personal information you send to us for our marketing purposes, if this is in accordance with your marketing preferences. You can opt out of our marketing emails at any time. For more information, see “[WHAT ARE YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS?](#privacyrights)“ below). - **To deliver targeted advertising to you.** We may process your information to develop and display personalized content and advertising tailored to your interests, location, and more. - **To protect our Services.** We may process your information as part of our efforts to keep our Services safe and secure, including fraud monitoring and prevention. - **To identify usage trends.** We may process information about how you use our Services to better understand how they are being used so we can improve them. - **To determine the effectiveness of our marketing and promotional campaigns.** We may process your information to better understand how to provide marketing and promotional campaigns that are most relevant to you. - **To save or protect an individual’s vital interest.** We may process your information when necessary to save or protect an individual’s vital interest, such as to prevent harm. **3\. WHAT LEGAL BASES DO WE RELY ON TO PROCESS YOUR INFORMATION?** **In Short:* We only process your personal information when we believe it is necessary and we have a valid legal reason (i.e., legal basis) to do so under applicable law, like with your consent, to comply with laws, to provide you with services to enter into or fulfill our contractual obligations, to protect your rights, or to fulfill our legitimate business interests.* **If you are located in the EU or UK, this section applies to you.** The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and UK GDPR require us to explain the valid legal bases we rely on in order to process your personal information. As such, we may rely on the following legal bases to process your personal information: - **Consent.** We may process your information if you have given us permission (i.e., consent) to use your personal information for a specific purpose. You can withdraw your consent at any time. Click [here](#withdrawconsent) to learn more. - **Performance of a Contract.** We may process your personal information when we believe it is necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations to you, including providing our Services or at your request prior to entering into a contract with you. - **Legitimate Interests.** We may process your information when we believe it is reasonably necessary to achieve our legitimate business interests and those interests do not outweigh your interests and fundamental rights and freedoms. For example, we may process your personal information for some of the purposes described in order to: - Send users information about special offers and discounts on our products and services - Develop and display personalized and relevant advertising content for our users - Analyze how our services are used so we can improve them to engage and retain users - Support our marketing activities - Diagnose problems and/or prevent fraudulent activities - Understand how our users use our products and services so we can improve user experience - **Legal Obligations.** We may process your information where we believe it is necessary for compliance with our legal obligations, such as to cooperate with a law enforcement body or regulatory agency, exercise or defend our legal rights, or disclose your information as evidence in litigation in which we are involved. - **Vital Interests.** We may process your information where we believe it is necessary to protect your vital interests or the vital interests of a third party, such as situations involving potential threats to the safety of any person. ***If you are located in Canada, this section applies to you.*** We may process your information if you have given us specific permission (i.e., express consent) to use your personal information for a specific purpose, or in situations where your permission can be inferred (i.e., implied consent). You can withdraw your consent at any time. Click [here](#withdrawconsent) to learn more. In some exceptional cases, we may be legally permitted under applicable law to process your information without your consent, including, for example: - If collection is clearly in the interests of an individual and consent cannot be obtained in a timely way - For investigations and fraud detection and prevention - For business transactions provided certain conditions are met - If it is contained in a witness statement and the collection is necessary to assess, process, or settle an insurance claim - For identifying injured, ill, or deceased persons and communicating with next of kin - If we have reasonable grounds to believe an individual has been, is, or may be victim of financial abuse - If it is reasonable to expect collection and use with consent would compromise the availability or the accuracy of the information and the collection is reasonable for purposes related to investigating a breach of an agreement or a contravention of the laws of Canada or a province - If disclosure is required to comply with a subpoena, warrant, court order, or rules of the court relating to the production of records - If it was produced by an individual in the course of their employment, business, or profession and the collection is consistent with the purposes for which the information was produced - If the collection is solely for journalistic, artistic, or literary purposes - If the information is publicly available and is specified by the regulations **4\. WHEN AND WITH WHOM DO WE SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?** ***In Short:*** *We may share information in specific situations described in this section and/or with the following categories of third parties.* **Vendors, Consultants, and Other Third-Party Service Providers.** We may share your data with third-party vendors, service providers, contractors, or agents (“**third parties**“) who perform services for us or on our behalf and require access to such information to do that work. We have contracts in place with our third parties, which are designed to help safeguard your personal information. This means that they cannot do anything with your personal information unless we have instructed them to do it. They will also not share your personal information with any organization apart from us. They also commit to protect the data they hold on our behalf and to retain it for the period we instruct. The categories of third parties we may share personal information with are as follows: - Affiliate Marketing Programs - Communication & Collaboration Tools - Website Hosting Service Providers - Social Networks - Data Analytics Services We also may need to share your personal information in the following situations: - **Business Transfers.** We may share or transfer your information in connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of our business to another company. - **Business Partners.** We may share your information with our business partners to offer you certain products, services, or promotions. **5\. DO WE USE COOKIES AND OTHER TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES?** ***In Short:*** *We may use cookies and other tracking technologies to collect and store your information.* We may use cookies and similar tracking technologies (like web beacons and pixels) to access or store information. Specific information about how we use such technologies and how you can refuse certain cookies is set out in our Cookie Notice. **6\. HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION?** ***In Short:*** *We keep your information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this privacy notice unless otherwise required by law.* We will only keep your personal information for as long as it is necessary for the purposes set out in this privacy notice, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law (such as tax, accounting, or other legal requirements). No purpose in this notice will require us keeping your personal information for longer than 1 year. When we have no ongoing legitimate business need to process your personal information, we will either delete or anonymize such information, or, if this is not possible (for example, because your personal information has been stored in backup archives), then we will securely store your personal information and isolate it from any further processing until deletion is possible. **7\. HOW DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION SAFE?** ***In Short:*** *We aim to protect your personal information through a system of organizational and technical security measures.* We have implemented appropriate and reasonable technical and organizational security measures designed to protect the security of any personal information we process. However, despite our safeguards and efforts to secure your information, no electronic transmission over the Internet or information storage technology can be guaranteed to be 100% secure, so we cannot promise or guarantee that hackers, cybercriminals, or other unauthorized third parties will not be able to defeat our security and improperly collect, access, steal, or modify your information. Although we will do our best to protect your personal information, transmission of personal information to and from our Services is at your own risk. You should only access the Services within a secure environment. **8\. DO WE COLLECT INFORMATION FROM MINORS?** ***In Short:*** *We do not knowingly collect data from or market to children under 18 years of age.* We do not knowingly solicit data from or market to children under 18 years of age. By using the Services, you represent that you are at least 18 or that you are the parent or guardian of such a minor and consent to such minor dependent’s use of the Services. If we learn that personal information from users less than 18 years of age has been collected, we will deactivate the account and take reasonable measures to promptly delete such data from our records. If you become aware of any data we may have collected from children under age 18, please contact us at info@grafjen.com. **9\. WHAT ARE YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS?** ***In Short:*** *In some regions, such as the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom (UK), and Canada, you have rights that allow you greater access to and control over your personal information. You may review, change, or terminate your account at any time.* In some regions (like the EEA, UK, and Canada), you have certain rights under applicable data protection laws. These may include the right (i) to request access and obtain a copy of your personal information, (ii) to request rectification or erasure; (iii) to restrict the processing of your personal information; and (iv) if applicable, to data portability. In certain circumstances, you may also have the right to object to the processing of your personal information. You can make such a request by contacting us by using the contact details provided in the section “[HOW CAN YOU CONTACT US ABOUT THIS NOTICE?](#contact)“ below. We will consider and act upon any request in accordance with applicable data protection laws. If you are located in the EEA or UK and you believe we are unlawfully processing your personal information, you also have the right to complain to your local data protection supervisory authority. You can find their contact details here: [https://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/bodies/authorities/index\_en.htm](https://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/bodies/authorities/index%5Fen.htm?ref=grafjen.com). If you are located in Switzerland, the contact details for the data protection authorities are available here: [https://www.edoeb.admin.ch/edoeb/en/home.html](https://www.edoeb.admin.ch/edoeb/en/home.html?ref=grafjen.com). **Withdrawing your consent:** If we are relying on your consent to process your personal information, which may be express and/or implied consent depending on the applicable law, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. You can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us by using the contact details provided in the section “[HOW CAN YOU CONTACT US ABOUT THIS NOTICE?](#contact)“ below. However, please note that this will not affect the lawfulness of the processing before its withdrawal nor, when applicable law allows, will it affect the processing of your personal information conducted in reliance on lawful processing grounds other than consent. **Opting out of marketing and promotional communications:**You can unsubscribe from our marketing and promotional communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the emails that we send, or by contacting us using the details provided in the section “[HOW CAN YOU CONTACT US ABOUT THIS NOTICE?](#contact)“ below. You will then be removed from the marketing lists. However, we may still communicate with you — for example, to send you service-related messages that are necessary for the administration and use of your account, to respond to service requests, or for other non-marketing purposes. **Cookies and similar technologies:** Most Web browsers are set to accept cookies by default. If you prefer, you can usually choose to set your browser to remove cookies and to reject cookies. If you choose to remove cookies or reject cookies, this could affect certain features or services of our Services. To opt out of interest-based advertising by advertisers on our Services visit [http://www.aboutads.info/choices/](http://www.aboutads.info/choices/?ref=grafjen.com). If you have questions or comments about your privacy rights, you may email us at info@grafjen.com. **10\. CONTROLS FOR DO-NOT-TRACK FEATURES** Most web browsers and some mobile operating systems and mobile applications include a Do-Not-Track (“DNT”) feature or setting you can activate to signal your privacy preference not to have data about your online browsing activities monitored and collected. At this stage no uniform technology standard for recognizing and implementing DNT signals has been finalized. As such, we do not currently respond to DNT browser signals or any other mechanism that automatically communicates your choice not to be tracked online. If a standard for online tracking is adopted that we must follow in the future, we will inform you about that practice in a revised version of this privacy notice. **11\. DO CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS HAVE SPECIFIC PRIVACY RIGHTS?** ***In Short:*** *Yes, if you are a resident of California, you are granted specific rights regarding access to your personal information.* California Civil Code Section 1798.83, also known as the “Shine The Light” law, permits our users who are California residents to request and obtain from us, once a year and free of charge, information about categories of personal information (if any) we disclosed to third parties for direct marketing purposes and the names and addresses of all third parties with which we shared personal information in the immediately preceding calendar year. If you are a California resident and would like to make such a request, please submit your request in writing to us using the contact information provided below. If you are under 18 years of age, reside in California, and have a registered account with Services, you have the right to request removal of unwanted data that you publicly post on the Services. To request removal of such data, please contact us using the contact information provided below and include the email address associated with your account and a statement that you reside in California. We will make sure the data is not publicly displayed on the Services, but please be aware that the data may not be completely or comprehensively removed from all our systems (e.g., backups, etc.). **CCPA Privacy Notice** The California Code of Regulations defines a “resident” as: (1) every individual who is in the State of California for other than a temporary or transitory purpose and (2) every individual who is domiciled in the State of California who is outside the State of California for a temporary or transitory purpose All other individuals are defined as “non-residents.” If this definition of “resident” applies to you, we must adhere to certain rights and obligations regarding your personal information. **What categories of personal information do we collect?** We have collected the following categories of personal information in the past twelve (12) months: **Category** **Examples** **Collected** A. Identifiers Contact details, such as real name, alias, postal address, telephone or mobile contact number, unique personal identifier, online identifier, Internet Protocol address, email address, and account name B. Personal information categories listed in the California Customer Records statute Name, contact information, education, employment, employment history, and financial information NO C. Protected classification characteristics under California or federal law Gender and date of birth NO D. Commercial information Transaction information, purchase history, financial details, and payment information E. Biometric information Fingerprints and voiceprints NO F. Internet or other similar network activity Browsing history, search history, online behavior, interest data, and interactions with our and other websites, applications, systems, and advertisements G. Geolocation data Device location H. Audio, electronic, visual, thermal, olfactory, or similar information Images and audio, video or call recordings created in connection with our business activities NO I. Professional or employment-related information Business contact details in order to provide you our Services at a business level or job title, work history, and professional qualifications if you apply for a job with us NO J. Education Information Student records and directory information NO K. Inferences drawn from other personal information Inferences drawn from any of the collected personal information listed above to create a profile or summary about, for example, an individual’s preferences and characteristics NO We may also collect other personal information outside of these categories through instances where you interact with us in person, online, or by phone or mail in the context of: - Receiving help through our customer support channels; - Participation in customer surveys or contests; and - Facilitation in the delivery of our Services and to respond to your inquiries. **How do we use and share your personal information?** Grafjen collects and shares your personal information through: - Social media cookies - Beacons/Pixels/Tags - Click redirects: Amazon affiliate link. Social media plugins: Instagram and Youtube. We use social media features, such as a “Like” button, and widgets, such as a “Share” button, in our Services. Such features may process your Internet Protocol (IP) address and track which page you are visiting on our website. We may place a cookie to enable the feature to work correctly. If you are logged in on a certain social media platform and you interact with a widget or button belonging to that social media platform, this information may be recorded to your profile of such social media platform. To avoid this, you should log out from that social media platform before accessing or using the Services. Social media features and widgets may be hosted by a third party or hosted directly on our Services. Your interactions with these features are governed by the privacy notices of the companies that provide them. By clicking on one of these buttons, you agree to the use of this plugin and consequently the transfer of personal information to the corresponding social media service. We have no control over the essence and extent of these transmitted data or their additional processing.More information about our data collection and sharing practices can be found in this privacy notice. You may contact us by visiting , or by referring to the contact details at the bottom of this document. If you are using an authorized agent to exercise your right to opt out we may deny a request if the authorized agent does not submit proof that they have been validly authorized to act on your behalf. **Will your information be shared with anyone else?** We may disclose your personal information with our service providers pursuant to a written contract between us and each service provider. Each service provider is a for-profit entity that processes the information on our behalf. We may use your personal information for our own business purposes, such as for undertaking internal research for technological development and demonstration. This is not considered to be “selling” of your personal information. Grafjen has not sold any personal information to third parties for a business or commercial purpose in the preceding twelve (12) months. Grafjen has disclosed the following categories of personal information to third parties for a business or commercial purpose in the preceding twelve (12) months: - Category A. Identifiers, such as contact details like your real name, alias, postal address, telephone or mobile contact number, unique personal identifier, online identifier, Internet Protocol address, email address, and account name. - Category D. Commercial information, such as transaction information, purchase history, financial details, and payment information. - Category F. Internet or other electronic network activity information, such as browsing history, search history, online behavior, interest data, and interactions with our and other websites, applications, systems, and advertisements. - Category G. Geolocation data, such as device location. The categories of third parties to whom we disclosed personal information for a business or commercial purpose can be found under “[WHEN AND WITH WHOM DO WE SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?](#whoshare)“. **Your rights with respect to your personal data** Right to request deletion of the data — Request to delete You can ask for the deletion of your personal information. If you ask us to delete your personal information, we will respect your request and delete your personal information, subject to certain exceptions provided by law, such as (but not limited to) the exercise by another consumer of his or her right to free speech, our compliance requirements resulting from a legal obligation, or any processing that may be required to protect against illegal activities. Right to be informed — Request to know Depending on the circumstances, you have a right to know: - whether we collect and use your personal information; - the categories of personal information that we collect; - the purposes for which the collected personal information is used; - whether we sell your personal information to third parties; - the categories of personal information that we sold or disclosed for a business purpose; - the categories of third parties to whom the personal information was sold or disclosed for a business purpose; and - the business or commercial purpose for collecting or selling personal information. In accordance with applicable law, we are not obligated to provide or delete consumer information that is de-identified in response to a consumer request or to re-identify individual data to verify a consumer request. 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This privacy policy was created using Termly’s [Privacy Policy Generator](https://termly.io/products/privacy-policy-generator/?ref=grafjen.com). ### Subscribe URL: https://www.grafjen.com/subscribe/ Last updated: 2024-10-07T16:41:27.000Z _No content available._ ### Sign Up URL: https://www.grafjen.com/signup/ Last updated: 2024-06-17T22:33:22.000Z _No content available._ ### Sign In URL: https://www.grafjen.com/signin/ Last updated: 2024-06-17T22:36:44.000Z _No content available._ ### Currently Reading 1 URL: https://www.grafjen.com/currently-reading-divinecomedy/ Last updated: 2024-10-07T16:49:05.000Z ### *The Divine Comedy* by Dante Alighieri ### **08.05.2024** \- Read through to Canto 4 this weekend. Still not liking Beatrice as much as I liked Virgil. She's so distant. (I also took a break from Dante to read [Tales from the Gas Station: Volume One](https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Gas-Station-Jack-Townsend-ebook/dp/B07HLTLJWS?ref=grafjen.com) and it was great. Just what I needed.) **07.27.2024 -** Finished Purgatorio. So, so sad to see Virgil go and definitely not liking Beatrice so much. However, I loved the last few lines of Canto 33. > "I came back from those holiest waters new, > remade, reborn, like a sun-wakened tree > that spreads new foliage to the Spring dew > > in sweetest freshness, healed of Winter's scars; > perfect, pure, and ready for the Stars." > > Canto 33 (142-146), Purgatorio > > No matter what I felt about… [pic.twitter.com/nAQ7FmFNSv](https://t.co/nAQ7FmFNSv?ref=grafjen.com) > > — grafjenreads (@grafjenreads) [August 5, 2024](https://twitter.com/grafjenreads/status/1820589764438822912?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=grafjen.com) **07.15.2024** \- Read up to Canto XXIV. This "OMO" in the face of man is interesting. Also, I think that reading Dante is might be causing me to have bad dreams. **07.12.2024** \- now at Canto XV (might Purgatorio finish this upcoming weekend.) **07.08.2024** \- Began ***Purgatorio*** \- switched to a different translation and format. Why I switched: it has made my reading a bit faster and more enjoyable. Constantly having to look up the footnotes in order to read about political figures of Dante's day caused for much flipping back and forth in the physical book. With the kindle, a simple touch of the linked line number pulls up the relevant foot note. My reading feels more seamless and less interrupted (hence increase in reading speed and joy!) Ciardi's translation is a bit easier than Mandelbaum's as well. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2024/07/IMG_8773.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2024/07/IMG_8791.jpg) My two translations and an example of how a footnote shows up on the kindle version. ### Small Notes - *Purgatorio* - Canto V - Dante refers to The Aeneid again (about the Sybil and prayers) and I realize (again) how nice it is to read these epics back to back. - Canto VII - Learn in the notes that Virgil dies in AD 19\. So he was alive the same time that Christ was alive as well. Interesting. - Canto IX - that first step to the gate reminds me of that scene from that movie, *The Neverending Story*, where Atreyu has to look in the mirror at the gate to see his true self. - Canto XIV - at this point I realize that I am not underlining the poetry as much as I did in Mandelbaum's translation, but I am understanding it much more quickly and easily. - Reading how Human Reason (Virgil) can only go so far (in Purgatorio) and then Divine Love (Beatrice) takes over into the heavenly realms (in the upcoming Paradisio) makes me think of Dr. David H. Hawkins and his levels of consciousness. He talks about how reason can only go to 499 but 500+ is the realm of Divine Love. I'm reading the Everyman's Library copy - it's a beautiful book and I am really enjoying the translation by Allen Mandelbaum. ![Photo of the front cover of Everyman's Library copy of The Divine Comedy](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2024/07/685A6599-67A6-4210-BEC8-7B6A2525E0B3.JPEG) Took this photo right after I picked up my copy at the bookstore. **07.07.2024** \- finished ***Inferno*** **07.05.2024** \- up to Canto 24 **06.13.2024** \- began ***Inferno*** ### Small Notes - *Inferno* - by Canto 10 - Interesting how he mentions all these political figures and I must use notes to look everyone up to even know who they are and what he is talking about. Just goes to show how much the world around me is all about politics but just goes to show that 700 years from now it probably won't even matter in the grand scheme of things. - I think one really must have read the Bible before reading this. - In reading this I realize - the Bible endures, politics and political figures mostly do not. - I have read Homer and Virgil right before this and it makes a difference. Lots of references to classical works as well as mythological figures. - Canto 19 - so fascinating the symbolism of this punishment of the Simonists. - Canto 20 - interesting how Dante chides the Pope almost vociferously in Canto 19 but is weeping for the souls in Canto 20\. - Is it me or are many of the people he encounters in Hell connected to Thebes in the ancient world... seems that way. - Canto 24 - before I start reading I wonder if the impenitent thief from the gospels will be included. (he was not) - Canto 25 - wow these descriptions! - Canto 28 - This Canto was horrifying. Inferno is definitely horror. - Canto 30 - Thebes again! (I add this because I notice a lot about Thebes in the Inferno to the point I started writing it down.) - Canto 32 - Thebes. Again. Theban king Tydeus (ew). - Canto 33 - A most interesting Canto. - Canto 34 - I don't want to give anything away about Dis - so I will not add notes here. ### Currently Reading Fall 2025 URL: https://www.grafjen.com/currently-reading-end2024/ Last updated: 2025-02-03T18:27:50.000Z Yay, Fall! Do not chilly weather, hot beverages, and reading go perfectly together? ![person wearing gray sock standing on stairs](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1508881136857-d1781947f4d6?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fGZhbGwlMjByZWFkaW5nfGVufDB8fHx8MTcyODMyMjUzM3ww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [alex geerts](https://unsplash.com/@alexgeerts?ref=grafjen.com) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) 🧠 This month (Nov) I continue to tackle the 5th and final book in my 'epic, epic poetry' project, **Paradise Lost*. Below are my notes and musings. # *Paradise Lost* Finally made it to the 5th and final book of my '[epic, epic, poetry project](https://www.grafjen.com/the-epic-epic-poetry-project/)'! Time to dive into John Milton's poem of epic proportions. Or as he calls it, "my advent'rous song." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2024/10/ParadiseLost_Cover-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2024/10/ParadiseLost_Open.jpg) I previously procured copies of this book from the used bookstore last year when dreaming up this epic project, but I've learned something after reading Homer, Virgil, and Dante and it is this: constantly flipping to the back of the books for notes gets tedious and disruptive. To solve this problem with *The Divine Comedy* I purchase a kindle edition of the John Ciardi translation. The footnotes were on a pop up menu. Much less disruptive to reading. However, I missed reading an actual book. So, for this last epic poem (*The Divine Comedy*), I found a copy ([the Modern Library edition](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/paradise-lost-john-milton/1116670488?ean=9780375757969&ref=grafjen.com)) that has the notes at the bottom of the page (see above photo). ## Notes: #### **09.06.2024** Got a new copy of *Paradise Lost*. Notes on the same page as the poem. #### **09.24.2024** I waited a few weeks to get started as my Dante-reading-buddy was still fiinishing *Paradiso*. I can wait no longer. I must begin! By page 35: I go into this thinking of how it is paradise lost for Adam and Eve, but it is starting out with the loss of paradise for the angels. Finished book one. #### **09.28.2024** I think my favorite speech was Mammon. However, it is strange because I can relate and see the reasons for all their arguments about what to do next. I feel kind of weird relating to these fallen angels. Is it me or did Milton write it to be this way? #### **10.04.2024** It's been almost a weeks since reading *PL*. One of the things that bother me at this point about this poem is the capitalization of each line. It doesn't matter if it is the middle of a though or sentence, the next line is capitalized. It feels disruptive to the flow (imho). I didn't think that *PL* would fit into my horror novel 'ghostober' month reading but I'm thinking - maybe *Paradise Lost* is the ultimate horror story. Wow, just wow. I'm towards the end of Book 2 and the personification of "Sin" as the daugther of the devil *is* horrifying - especially her speech to her "father". Definitely fits in with 'ghostober' reading. *Paradise Lost* seems to be a very human (fallen human) poem. Things are **relatable** *.* Some examples: Sin relating why she should listen to God's command to lock the gates, the speeches of each demon in hell on what they should do next, and even Satan's reasoning. You can definitely see Milton's Protestant view of things and it's disconnect. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2024/10/Satan_Death_Meet-1.jpg) The whole wordplay explained on this page was fascinating. At this point Satan is trying to get out of Hell. At the gates he meets Sin who holds the keys and Death. This is part where he faces off against Death. It's pretty epic and the whole next section where Sin speaks is just horrifying. #### **10.10.2024** Finished Book 3 tonight. I don't know why but heaven seems kind of boring. I don't like the anthropomorphic aspects of God. The God of Milton just feels "man made". Milton is very protestant and the protestant views of Christianity show Paradise Lost. I read other commentators mention how you kind of are rooting for Satan in this epic poem (at least in the beginning) and I completely get that. Finished Book 3 much faster than I thought I would. #### **10.16.2024** Reading book for and one of the footnotes mention how Newton explains the usage of a word in the poem. (If you have the same edition I do it's on page 143, and the word is "even".) It was exciting to think that I am reading the same epic poem that the scientist Isaac Newton also read. People from all walks of life throughout time love reading and poetry. #### **10.17.2024** Finished Book 4\. There are so may references to Virgil and *The Aeneid.* This is why I love reading these back to back because the are so fresh on my mind. Still thinking about Newton reading Paradise Lost. What company do we keep by reading the same books as one another. #### **10.19.2024** Book 5\. Love this: **"Innumerable as the stars of night,** **Or stars of morning, dewdrops, which the sun** **Impearls on every leaf and every flower."** \~ lines 745-74 #### **10.20.2024** Finished Book 5\. Starting Book 6\. Raphael relates the battle in heaven. Here is what I start thinking: Satan gets knocked down and keeps getting back up. It's is admirable to us in today's world. Until you realize that it is his pride that never let's him stay "defeated" for long. But it is a foolish pride because he will never match God. Pride causes his fall, but it is also what causes him to get back up and try again and again. A Sisyphean effort? #### **10.22.2024** Reading while waiting in line at the store. I realize you can't really something like Paradise Lost in the in-between times. It really demands more sustained focus and attention. So, I had to go back and re-read when I got home later in the day. Why is Satan such a likeable character? It's weird. The whole battle was equally matched with the angels. Great imagery throughout. Amazing how Satan blasts angels with cannonball fire and they respond by literally picking up mountains and throwing them. The whole thing was very descriptive. And wild. #### **10.25.2024** Finished Book 6 and starting Book 7 over the next few days. Book 7 is my least favorite so far. #### **11.6.2024** Reading Book 8\. Book 7 retells the story of how God created the world -it's basically a retelling of Genesis. However, what is more interesting to me is reading in Book 8 Adam's perspective of waking up alive in Eden. We are all born as babies. Adam was made as a fully formed human. Enjoyed this part. # The other books: ### *The Brink* *by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth* Book 2 of the Awakened series. Reading on my Nook when I need a break from Paradise Lost. ### *Awakened* *by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth* Re-reading this book at the end of October so that I could finish the trilogy (as I mostly forgot it). The next two in the trilogy I bought as ebooks on my Nook Glowlight 4 (I love this ereader- page turning buttons!) **Update:** Finished late October - still a fun (and quick) read! ### *Tales from the Gas Station, Vol. 3* *by Jack Townsend* Been reading through this one on and off for about two months. Love this series. Reading with kindle unlimited. I think this is only available on the kindle. This 3rd book is not as good as the first two. **Update:** It is now November - why have I not finished this book yet? That is the question. ### *Never Whistle at Night* *edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst* Got this one on sale (09.04.24) on my Nook. (Yes, I'm a **nookworm**!) I was excited to read horror stories based on Native American legend. So far I'm disappointed. It's not like I thought it would be at all. But, I will keep reading. ### *The Midnight Game* *by Cynthia Murphy* Another book I found on sale ($1.99, 09.05.2024) that I downloaded and read. Totally took over this first weekend in October. It's been a long time since I read a YA novel. **Update:** Finished in October - this book was 'meh'. ### *Hell House* *by Richard Matheson* A 70's scary house novel by Richard Matheson. I'm just in the mood for some 70's horror - horror in the 70's was a unique time. **Update:** Finished in October - this book was okay. Starting to wonder if the epic, epic poetry project is ruining me for other books...? ### Currently Reading URL: https://www.grafjen.com/currently-reading/ Last updated: 2026-09-07T15:55:51.000Z ## *God: An Anatomy* by Francesca Stavrakopoulou 📖 333/608 📖 ****The wild card shake-up** I check the Kindle deals far more often than any reasonable person should. Like every day. When a book goes on sale, all my self-control disappears. This is where I find most of my “wild card” books (other than the used book store). These are books I probably never would have discovered otherwise but buy on a whim because **why not?* This is one of those books. Every reading life needs a little shake-up. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/08/IMG_0969.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/08/9419A37E-E0AE-4B3C-978C-43F26D0A815A.JPEG) I started reading this book the night I downloaded it. I haven’t been able to put it down since. It’s one of the strangest, most fascinating books I’ve read in a long time. I’m kind of obsessed with it right now. Sometimes these wild cards end up being the best reads. *Wandering around a museum or the ruins of an ancient city, it is easy to forget that the religious past was a place of vivid colour.* (p. 172) *It was common knowledge across ancient south-west Asia that when it came to their food, the gods could be ferociously possessive, exceptionally picky and woefully unforgiving of any culinary calamities. The God of the Bible was no different.* (p. 205) --- ## *The City We Became* by N.K. Jemisin 📖 45/466 📖 ****I picked up this book because of the cover.** And the title. And especially because it has hot pink in the book design. Sometimes my choices can be superficial, yes. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/08/A27E736D-22D6-4410-BD53-273B0BBD5084.JPEG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/08/6D447039-8105-4636-80B5-87490C5ED4C5.JPEG) Started with the library copy. Ended up buying the Kindle version. I think I was loving the whole vibe of this novel even before I started reading it. Now let’s hope the inside is as good as the outside. --- ## *Breaking the Spell* by Daniel C. Dennett 📖 175/448 📖 ****The unofficial new reading project...** Following **The Four Horsemen* down the rabbit hole — starting with Dennett. (And, yes, I have both the Kindle and physical book 😂) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/05/F8D976BF-CAFF-475D-9635-C1D7D7F28CF7.JPEG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/05/IMG_0752-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-17-at-1.40.08---PM.png) I love the simple cover of the paperback. Wish my kindle version had the same cover. #### Some quotes from *Breaking the Spell*: *"Miracle-hunters must be scrupulous scientists or else they are wasting their time..."* (p. 26) *"One of the surprising discoveries of modern psychology is how easy it is to be ignorant of your own ignorance."* (p. 31) *"Do you ever ask yourself: What if I’m wrong?"* (p. 51) *"African animals—have been known to get falling-down drunk eating fermenting fruit from marula trees, and there is evidence that elephants will travel great distances to arrive at the marula trees just when their fruits ripen."* (p. 66) *"Sometimes—rarely—religions go bad, veering into something like group insanity or hysteria, and causing great harm. Now that we have created the technologies to cause global catastrophe, our jeopardy is multiplied to the maximum: a toxic religious mania could end human civilization overnight."* (p. 72) *"How clever of wild sheep to have acquired that most versatile adaptation, the shepherd! By forming a symbiotic alliance with Homo sapiens, sheep could outsource their chief survival tasks: food finding and predator avoidance. They even got shelter and emergency medical care thrown in as a bonus."* (pp. 169-170) --- ## Other books I'm reading right now: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/IMG_0780.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/09/Image-7-28-26-at-4.33---PM--1-.PNG) #### ## *A Walk in the Park* by Kevin Fedarko 📖 129/488 - A Kindle book I got on sale and it looked really good. Loving it so far. ## *The Story of Astrophysics in Five Revolutions* by Ersilia Vaudo Translated by Vanessa di Stefano 📖 77/202 - I've always enjoyed physics and astrophysics. Most books I read on this subject are written by men. I was intrigued to pick up this small book written by a woman. So far, I love it. *"The Sun, stars, and galaxies that we see are actually projections of a time gone by. Almost like magic. The fact that light travels at its own speed—therefore not instantaneously—gives us the superpower to look into the past, even without any devices or telescopes. As we drink an aperitif and watch the Sun go down with a friend, the beautiful red sphere about to disappear behind the horizon in that shared present has been gone for more than 8 minutes. Realizing this is deeply stirring. The remote lights that pepper the night sky are glimmering flashes of times past twinkling in the silence. The beautiful star Rigel, shining brightly to the naked eye in the constellation Orion, is an image, a “photograph” that reaches us today but which was “taken” around the time Dante Alighieri was born. A starry sky. Many layers of time overlapping, all within a single darkness."* (p. 14) ### 2026 Read(s) URL: https://www.grafjen.com/2026-reads/ Last updated: 2026-09-03T15:25:34.000Z #### How's your reading so far? Projects, challenges, joys? Here's mine: # August - **The Golem and the Jinni** by Helene Wecker (Aug 11 - Aug 13) - So far nothing compares to *Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell*. Even though *The Golem and the Jinni* was compared to it by Book Page: "the most exciting fantasy debut since *Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell* a decade ago." It was really good. I enjoyed it. But it is still stands in the shadow of its predecessor to me. - ***The Cuckoo's Calling*** by Robert Galbraith (Aug 18 - Aug 21) - I am enjoying the full cast Harry Potter series that I decided to see what else JK Rowling writes. I found she was writing this series under a pen name so decided to try it. Luckily, it was available on kindle unlimited! - **Creation Lake** by Rachel Kushner (Aug 23 - Aug 26) - Been wanting to read a book by this author for a while. Got this one because I loved the hot pink in the cover. This book had a mood that was enveloping similar to my experience in reading *Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.* #### August Reading Note(s) I am still acquiring books faster than I can read them. I am sure this can be said of every avid reader. Between the library, the bookstore, and the kindle deals - I don't think I have enough lifetime left for all the books I want to read! All the books I've read this month were good, but *Creation Lake* by Rachel Kushner was my favorite. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/08/EC780C29-875B-4B07-BDFA-9509A8FC3207.JPEG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/09/IMG_8475.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/09/IMG_1139.PNG) As much as I love reading on my kindle these days, physical books are still a pleasure to read. # July - ***Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell*** by Susanna Clarke (Jan 11 - July 11) - I loved this novel. It took me nearly a week before I could pick up another work of fiction! - ***The Middle of the Night*** by Riley Sager (July 16 - July 22, 2026) - I had this book on hold at the public library and it was finally available. The nice thing about this book was I didn't figure out the ending ahead of time. #### July Reading Note(s) Summer reading is one of my favs but this month I am sneaking in some of my "Ghostober" style books. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/5377110B-6699-4959-90DD-4989116E227D-2.JPEG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/4913B070-BAB8-4D6F-BF39-6DFA91D89565-1.JPEG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/MiddleOfTheNight_Sager.jpeg) # June - **The Master and Margarita** by Mikhail Bulgakov (May 5 - June 26) - This was the summer reading book with my friend. Last year we read *Moby Dic*k and before that Dante's *Divine Comedy*. We had another person join us for the summer reading. However, whereas the previous years took all summer this one took no time at all. I almost finished it in days but had to pause for the others to start. It was a good read. Strange and bizarre. I juggled two translations but the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation had great notes. My only concern was why are all the women naked in this novel? Really. - ***The September House*** by Carissa Orlando (June 24-25) - Although I enjoyed this book, I didn't absolutely love it. Don't get me wrong, it was good. The discussion with the author at the end was good and made me have a better appreciation for what she did differently in this haunted house novel. - ***Widow's Point*** by Richard Chizmar and W. H. Chizmar (June 26-30, 2026) - This was the first book in a long, long time that gave me the creeps while reading it at night. So much so that I had to put it down and wait until the sun was up to finish reading. I am discovering that I really like books that have found footage or include different formats - such as including e-mails, articles, text messages, etc., to tell the story. Also, I am a sucker for books about ghost hunters who walk into situations that are way more than they were bargaining for. - ***Rainbows End*** by Vernor Vinge (February 22 - June 30) - This was a book I started back in February and wanted to finish. My AI "assistant" recommended this read to me. Otherwise, I would never have discovered this on my own. AI for the win this time. I enjoyed it. It was different. [My discovery of Kindle's 'Recap' feature](https://www.grafjen.com/how-to-use-kindle-recap-when-youve-forgotten-the-story/) came in real handy here. #### June Reading Note(s) It was quite a busy month. It was also the month that featured Prime Week, so I did get a huge Kindle book haul this month. I'm talking literally 30 new books. I probably buy more books for my Kindle than I have time to read in this lifetime. I know I am not the only one who has this issue! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-02-at-2.55.14---PM-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/IMG_0684.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/IMG_0864.PNG) # May - ***The Master and Margarita*** by Mikhail Bulgakov (May 5 - June 26) -This was this year’s summer reading book with my reading buddy. (Buddies, actually, since we had another person join us this year.) I started this novel but then had to put it down so that my reading group could catch up. - ***Black River Orchard*** by Chuck Wendig (May 24 - ?) - I was craving a scary October read in May. I had this novel on my Nook. Yes, I have two ereaders. No, I did not finish it. #### May Reading Note(s) This month was very, very busy and I didn't have a lot of time for reading like I would like. The most exciting book I got this month, and I got it as a physical book, a Kindle book, and an audiobook on Audible, was *The Odyssey* by Daniel Mendelsohn. I was at B&N to spend a gift card that was given to me when I saw it had come out in paperback. The Kindle version I got on sale for $1.99 and the Audible I just used a credit. With the newer translation of The Aeneid and now this one, I feel another Epic, Epic Poetry Project may be happening, but in a new and different way. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/IMG_6859.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-02-at-2.52.09---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/IMG_0770.png) # April - ***Don Quixote*** by Miguel de Cervantes, translated by Edith Grossman (Oct 8, 2025 - April 23, 2026) - I finished!!!!!!!! So good. It is my hope to write about this experience soon. - ***Dungeon Crawler Carl*** by Mattt Dinniman (April 2-3, 2026) - This book was SO MUCH FUN and I can't wait to read the rest of the series. Told my brother about it and within a week he was on book 3, I kid you not. It's that good. - ***The Four Horsemen: the conversation that sparked an atheist revolution.*** with Hitchens, Dawkins, Harris, and Dennett (April 10, 2025) - I think at this point I’ve revisited this conversation several times, mostly by audiobook, and watched it on YouTube once. (You can watch part 1 [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DKhc1pcDFM&ref=grafjen.com) and Part 2 [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaeJf-Yia3A&ref=grafjen.com).) It might surprise you to know I don’t consider myself atheist and have been religious for most of the past ten years. However, I always like to question everything and reserve the right to change my mind about anything. - ***How to ADHD*** by Jessica McCabe (March 16 - April 1, 2026) - Highly recommend if this books is on your radar. #### April Reading Note(s) Wow, this month was awesome reading-wise. I finally finished *Don Quixote*, which felt bittersweet after spending so much time with it. I also continued reading a fascinating book on astrophysics and decided to intentionally branch out beyond my usual comfort zone. On a whim, I picked up a completely different kind of book and was surprised by how FUN it was. Also, for my birthday this month, my brother gave me the Loeb Classics edition of Homer’s *Iliad* and *Odyssey*. I was so excited I immediately started crying (happy tears) upon opening them. (He totally did not expect that reaction, lol!) Books always make the best gifts! More than anything, this month reminded me how much reading can expand the world. Life felt bigger, brighter, and more interesting because of the books I chose to read. So, my fellow readers and book lovers: step outside your comfort zone sometimes. You never know what book might change you. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/05/IMG_3763.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/05/1864350B-9CF6-4EAA-B0D0-DE55363577E7.JPEG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/05/7535C347-0C8F-43F1-936F-005DF9B20536.JPEG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-17-at-1.40.08---PM-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/05/IMG_6889.JPG) # March - ***Don Quixote*** by Miguel de Cervantes, translated by Edith Grossman (Oct 8, 2025 - yes, I'm still reading) - ***Project Hail Mary*** by Andy Weir (Mar 15-28) - Been on my kindle bookshelf for years now. Only read because someone wanted me to go see the movie with them. I have a rule that I want to read the book first if possible. So I read this first. - ***Big Little Lies*** by Liane Moriarty (Mar 14) - quick read just for fun. Read in an afternoon. - ***A Box Full of Darkness*** by Simone St. James (Mar 29- Mar 30) - (Nope for this one!) Quick read. Read in two days. #### March Reading Note(s) I love reading books before seeing the movie. However, *Project Hail Mary* was kind of 'meh'. I wonder if the movie will actually be better than the book....? *A Box Full of Darkness?* Nope. Still reading *DQ.* Got to the end of Part 1 this month and it felt like it was finished. I suddenly really missed Don Quixote and Sancho Panza! Apparently, when this book first came out, Part One was published first - so that is why it felt like a natural ending. So glad there is a Part Two. I realize that I don't really add my non-fiction reads (except for last month's book by Carl Sagan). Thinking of changing this. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/03/IMG_0605.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/03/IMG_0602.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/03/IMG_0609-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/04/IMG_0622.jpeg) # February - ***The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark*** by Carl Sagan (Jan 31 - Feb 3) - A re-read. So good! I think everyone should read this book. It's that good. - ***Don Quixote*** by Miguel de Cervantes, translated by Edith Grossman (Oct 8, 2025 - still reading) #### February Reading Note(s) Started a whole bunch of different books and finished few. And that is okay. There is no set way to be a reader. Sometimes you are reading just one book and sometimes you are all over the place. Either way, as long as you are reading books! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/03/IMG_0583.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/03/IMG_0609.png) # January - ***Piranesi*** by Susanna Clarke (Jan. 10) - A gift a friend mailed to me. Yep - read in one day. Totally captivating. It's been a while since I've gotten lost in a novel the same way I did when I was a child, but this is that kind of novel. - ***Fundamentally*** by Nussaibah Younis (Jan. 2 - Jan. 9) - ***Cries from the Lost World*** by Kathleen O'Neal Gear (Jan. 23 - Jan. 25) - This was a book I saw stuck in-between two larger books at the bookstore. It was a small mass market paperback nestled between two large trade paperbacks. I found the title on the spine interesting and I love mass market sizes. So I pulled it off the shelf and read what it was about and got it on a whim. It was fun and I enjoyed it! - ***Don Quixote*** by Miguel de Cervantes, translated by Edith Grossman (Oct 8, 2025 - still reading) #### January Reading Note(s) Definitely read outside of my normal reading zones this month. It was great. Don't forget to go outside of your normal reading zones every once in a while. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-04-at-11.34.14---AM-4.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/01/IMG_5537.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-29-at-3.24.45---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/03/IMG_0609-2.png) ## Posts ### The Long Way Home: On Reading The Odyssey URL: https://www.grafjen.com/the-long-way-home-on-reading-the-odyssey/ Last updated: 2026-07-23T21:13:40.000Z Most of us approach epic poetry very seriously. It is, after all, something mostly read in schools. We think stories from the ancient past are dusty and old. But *The Odyssey* is alive from the beginning. It has monsters, danger, drama, and a man trying to get home while trouble grows in his absence. Sometimes the real monsters are human. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/TheOdyssey_Homer-6.png) *The Odyssey* was the next book in my ["Epic, Epic Poetry Project,"](https://www.grafjen.com/the-epic-epic-poetry-project/) after [*The Iliad*](https://www.grafjen.com/the-iliad-ancient-unexpected-alive/). I read most of it in hospital waiting rooms and a recovery room. My mom was having heart surgery, and I sat for days with her before, during, and afterward reading *The Odyssey.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7466.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7723.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/380A5AE2-D3D6-448C-A814-B7071AEAECA3.JPEG) Reading The Odyssey in waiting rooms and hospital rooms. It sounds strange to say, but this ancient story carried me through that time. It gave me an escape, but it also connected me to something beyond my own worry. I thought of the generations of people who had been captivated by this epic poem before me, and what may have been going on in their lives as they experienced *The Odyssey* for the first time. This adventure of a man trying to get home to the people he loved helped me to be a little less consumed by my own fear for a while. And that allowed me to be more present for my mom. ### **What Surprised Me** Honestly, I started this one a little sad. I had just finished *The Iliad* and wasn’t ready to leave that world behind or say goodbye to those characters. It kind of leaves you hanging even though we all know the ending to that story. But the project must go on, so I picked up *The Odyssey* next. It has a completely different feel. *The Iliad* is about being away from home, at war. *The Odyssey* is about the long, hard (and wildly adventurous) road back. Odysseus is trying to get home, and it is taking him a very, very long time. Nearly ten years. It is also a sort of coming-of-age adventure for Odysseus’s son, Telemachus, as he ventures away from home in search of news of his father and grows along the way. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-12.17.10---PM.png) From Book 2: A Dangerous Journey - Emily Wilson translation I didn't expect to be as surprised by *The Odyssey* [as I had been by *The Iliad*](https://www.grafjen.com/the-iliad-ancient-unexpected-alive/), mainly because I went into *The Odyssey* knowing I would enjoy it*.* What did surprise me was that it was more of an adventure than I thought it would be, with journeys across the sea and even into the underworld, magic, a sorceress, gods, and monsters. The gods remained very involved here too, but not necessarily as intensely as they were in *The Iliad*. It was even more of an adventure than I expected and that surprised me. #### Mild Spoilers: I was surprised by how genuinely horrified I was in Polyphemus's cave, listening, as much as you can “listen” while reading, to the sound of a friend being eaten. It was more disturbing than most horror novels I've read. I was also surprised by how nice it was to see Menelaus again, even if he wasn’t my favorite in The Iliad, it was like seeing an old friend again after many years. And then there was the trip to the underworld, which was creepy and sad at the same time. Little did I know that journeys into the underworld would show up again and again. ### **Clever, Cunning, Condemned** Odysseus shows up in *The Iliad*, but not really as a main character. He’s the one with the ideas, the one the others listen to. Wise. Clever. Resourceful. Later in the story of the Trojan War, the Trojan Horse is his idea. #### But it's in The Odyssey where you really get to see his cleverness and cunning. (mild spoilers) He talks and schemes his way out of situation after situation: the Cyclops, the sorceress who turns his men into pigs, and more. A story like this could really only be survived by someone clever and cunning, with a little help from the gods. Here's what I find fascinating, and what I think is one of the best examples of how connected these five epics really are: the Greeks saw Odysseus as clever. #### But the later epics see Odysseus differently. (mild spoilers) In The Aeneid, the Trojans hate him for that same cleverness. To them, he's wily and deceitful, never clever. "Beware the gifts of Greeks." And later still, in The Divine Comedy he is in Hell, not in Limbo with the other virtuous pagans. One man, different judgments. It really does depend on your perspective. What I describe in the spoiler section above is one of the main reasons I love reading these epic poems back to back. Seeing the same character from different perspectives and across different periods of time is fascinating, and you really feel like you are part of an ongoing conversation. I also found myself thinking about Penelope. Her whole existence seems to revolve around staying faithful to a husband who has been gone for twenty years, while he is not expected to do the same. She waits, weeps, and uses weaving to keep the suitors away. I also wondered how much of her grief was really for Odysseus and how much was for the life his absence had left her trapped in. ### **Two Years Later** It’s been two years since I read this, but certain things have stayed with me: #### Mild Spoilers for The Odyssey The crunch of a friend being eaten by a Cyclops, the trip to the underworld and what it took to get there, and the sea. They spend so much of the poem on it that it almost feels like another character. I remember it calm, wine-dark at night, rough during the storms, and terrifying as Odysseus passed between the monsters. I also remember how clever he had to be just to make it home, and how, once he got there, he had to be just as clever to take his house back. ### **A Small, Practical Note** I finished the last half of *The Iliad* in Emily Wilson’s translation and decided to stay with her for *The Odyssey*. I found my copy, a like-new paperback, at a used bookstore for two dollars. Two dollars! If you’re on a budget and building your own epic poetry library, don’t skip the used bookstores. The deals are genuinely worth it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7633.jpg) Yes, I found this copy for $2 at the used bookstore! **2026 Update:** I recently got another translation of The Odyssey by Daniel Mendelsohn and he discusses in his introduction that a lot is left out of the Emily Wilson translations so I do plan on reading it again. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/333B6C2C-8506-4F01-80FB-0BA449C5F1A6.JPEG) Going to re-read and re-listen in this new translation ### **If You're Doing Your Own Epic, Epic Poetry Project** If you’ve never read The Odyssey before, here’s what I’d suggest: #### 1\. **Read The Iliad first.** You don’t need it to understand The Odyssey, but knowing the people and the world Odysseus is returning from adds another layer to the story. But if you are doing the Epic, Epic Poetry Project, then you want to read them in order. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/IMG_1518.jpg) #### 2\. **Save the introduction for AFTER you finish your first reading.** It will probably tell you the story before you’ve had a chance to experience it yourself. Go in blind. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/IMG_0955.jpg) #### 3\. **Read for the experience, not the scholarship.** Read with abandon. Absorb yourself in the experience of the story, the language, and the poetry. ![woman reading book sitting beside electronic keyboard](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1573142143200-2a6d95ae7352?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE1fHxyZWFkaW5nfGVufDB8fHx8MTc4NDY1MDU5MXww&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Hümâ H. Yardım](https://unsplash.com/@humayardim?ref=grafjen.com) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) #### 4\. **Choose a translation you think you’ll enjoy.** More on how to pick one [here](https://www.grafjen.com/how-to-choose-a-translation-that-works-for-you-2/). This is specifically for your first reading. You want a translation that works for *you.* There are many great ones to choose from. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/EAD11381-4D7A-4DC3-B596-1D367E56AA65.JPEG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/CF6B0F8D-4966-4ED1-8114-3A03981292F8.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/BF02C580-41FD-4C4E-BBB5-A41566E9C669.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/3FF9E722-56A3-454E-A59F-03EEC7909DC2.JPEG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/E0659FC0-FAA6-4311-8C43-D11FB52EB4DA.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/5F79E8C8-E32C-42A5-9AA6-950044063D59.JPEG) #### 5\. **Read AND Listen.** Sometimes it’s fun to read, for example, Book 1 and then listen to that same section again while driving or walking.The Stanley Lombardo translation, performed by Lombardo with Susan Sarandon reading the introductions to each book, is my favorite audiobook edition. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/09B99A06-4DD5-408D-A97C-B22468B05F1D.JPEG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/F403E7EF-9A8A-4BB0-93F3-104C4BA5A8F7-2.JPEG) **Next up**: *The Aeneid* — where, as it turns out, not everyone is quite as impressed with Odysseus as the Greeks were. ### How to Use Kindle Recap When You’ve Forgotten the Story URL: https://www.grafjen.com/how-to-use-kindle-recap-when-youve-forgotten-the-story/ Last updated: 2026-07-21T18:20:14.000Z I discovered Kindle Recap by accident, and now I love it. **Here's the story:** I was recently at the cafe meeting with my friend Hannah to discuss a book we were reading together, *The Master and Margarita*. We are both huge readers and book people so we always arrive with a stack of books to share. One of the books she arrived with was a well-worn copy of *Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell* that she had picked up at a used bookstore. I was so excited to see that she was reading it because I had been reading it back in January too. Since we had finished *The Master and Margarita* so fast this summer, we decided to add it to our summer reading adventure. And because I had only read about 180 pages of it before stopping, we could still read it together. Surprisingly, it was *Piranesi*, a book Hannah had gifted me last Christmas, that inspired me to pick up *Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell* in the first place. When I went to check it out online, the Kindle version of *Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell* was on a one-day-only sale for $1.99\. What are the chances?! I immediately grabbed the Kindle version and started reading. You know the rest. **The problem** The problem was that I had not picked up this novel since January. I figured I would have to start the novel over again - like I did multiple times with Dostoevsky's *The Brothers Karamazov*. I would read *The Brothers Karamazov* and, 200 pages in, get distracted by another novel and forget about it like a cursed reading loop. (I did finally read *The Brothers Karamazov* in 2024 after starting it over for the third time.) **Discovery** Lo and behold - when I opened my copy of *Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell* on my Kindle, a little message pops up on the screen and says something like "You have read 22% of this novel. Would you like a recap?" (Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo of this awesomeness.) I was like "Yes, Please!" and tapped the button. A glorious and detailed recap pops up on the screen that only recaps what I have read. It was amazing. The story was refreshed in my mind and I was able to pick up where I left off. Thank you, THANK YOU, Kindle for offering this very useful feature. **How to find it and use it:** It may or may not pop up immediately for you. I hadn't opened this novel since January so that is probably (and rightly assumed) I needed a recap. So if the recap doesn't automatically open, follow these steps: 1. Open the book you want a recap for and tap the three dots near the upper right corner. (Note: Airplane Mode is on in my image, but you will need to turn Airplane Mode off to access the recap.) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/08A0C2C0-4778-482E-BA6C-783BE05373E5.JPEG) 1. Tap "Recap". ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/08A0C2C0-4778-482E-BA6C-783BE05373E5-1.JPEG) 1. Enjoy reading the recap and feel confident it will only show the "story so far". ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2026/07/00A75E8C-26ED-43CA-AB18-BDC90EA3F023.JPEG) If you don’t see it, that book may not support it yet, or your Kindle/app may need an update. If you are reading a series, you can also find recaps for series books as well (yet another Kindle feature I stumbled upon by accident.) **Close** If you are anything like me and you start books or series and put them down for whatever reason, this feature is for you. The fact that they created it means I am not alone! It’s so useful for anyone who reads: - long books - big series - ADHD readers - and anyone who starts ten books then acts surprised when memory fails Although I am a physical book lover and have spent a lifetime buried in the pages of books, this is just one of the many reasons that I love reading on my Kindle too. ### How to Break Out of a Reading Rut URL: https://www.grafjen.com/how-to-break-out-of-a-reading-rut/ Last updated: 2025-11-08T18:38:27.000Z Every reader hits that wall. The books you usually love start to feel flat. You pick one up to read and you just don’t feel as into it as you once did. The best way out is simple. **Read something completely different.** Not just another version of what you already like. Not another historical novel or fantasy series that feels familiar. Choose something that surprises you. If you read fiction, try nonfiction. If you live in the classics, try a fast modern thriller. If you love dark stories, pick something funny or hopeful. Even better, pick something you normally scoff at and try that. See what all the hype is about for those who love that genre. Recently, I decided to try something new and started reading a few graphic novels. I’ve always scoffed at them. *Real readers don’t read comics or manga,* I used to think. But it turns out they’re a lot of fun. Completely different from what I’m used to, but still awesome. Here are a few other ways to jolt yourself out of a reading rut: ### Try a new format Audiobooks, e-readers, or beautifully designed editions can make reading feel fresh again. A shift in texture sometimes changes everything. ### Read without pressure Forget goals for a week. Just read for as long or as little as you like. You can even stop mid-chapter so you want to come back. ### Start a tiny reading challenge Make it playful. A week of ghost stories. Books with one-word titles. Three random first chapters to see what pulls you in. ### Change your setting Reading feels different in a new space. Try a different chair, a new coffee shop, or even headphones with a playlist to shift your headspace. Small rituals remind the brain this is pleasure, not obligation. ### Find Fresh Energy See what readers with completely different tastes are picking up online. Wander through a library display or browse a friend’s shelf. Seeing what excites others can spark new directions of your own. **When reading feels dull, stop trying to reignite the same fire.** **Start a new one instead.** ### When Words Take Flight: Notes and Favorite Lines from The Iliad URL: https://www.grafjen.com/when-words-take-flight-notes-and-favorite-lines-from-the-iliad/ Last updated: 2025-09-11T17:21:48.000Z > *Apollo heard his prayer and descended Olympus' crags* > *Pulsing with fury, bow slung over one shoulder,* > *The arrows rattling in their case on his back* > *as the angry god moved like night down the mountain.* > > (from Book 1) What pulled me in wasn’t just the story: it was how the story was told. In Homer's poetry, words often take flight. Conflict devours human hearts. The saffron-robed dawn has rosy fingers. Knees are loosened. Men clutch the dust in death, as life and fury loosen within them and breath abandons bones. And, it is always good to give way to night - where sleep is sweet, soft and all-conquering. 📖 In this post, we dive into Part III of my *Iliad* series, where I share and reflect on some of my favorite lines and language from Homer. Even though these do come from translations, the story and imagery transcend the words on the page and something deeper shines through. Also included: a few raw reading notes (typed for legibility) and social media moments shared along the way. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Every Version Tells a Story: Translations of The Iliad URL: https://www.grafjen.com/every-version-tells-a-story-translations-of-the-iliad/ Last updated: 2026-07-21T18:19:52.000Z Before I even started this project, I had already picked up two translations from my local used bookstore: the Penguin edition translated by Robert Fagles, and the Oxford World’s Classics edition translated by Anthony Verity. I also had an old CD audiobook of *The Iliad*, given to me years ago, narrated by Stanley Lombardo. By the time I was done, my shelf looked more like a shrine. Multiple translations. One war. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/41DF7D06-B41A-4827-873D-BD4138292987.JPEG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/A1EE696C-70B2-4C18-9969-5E6ED3E2FCB6.JPEG) If you’re curious how I choose a translation, I wrote about it here: [How to Choose a Translation That Works for You](https://www.grafjen.com/how-to-choose-a-translation-that-works-for-you-2/). My method isn’t academic. It’s instinctual. I go with the one I want to keep reading. In this case, that was Anthony Verity’s translation for Oxford World’s Classics. Something about it just felt right. I’ve always had a soft spot for Oxford editions anyway. Clean design. Serious tone. Great notes. But beyond the vibe, I ended up loving Verity’s approach. The Greek line numbers were preserved and the epithets (those classic, repeated phrases) hit just the right rhythm. The repetition wasn’t filler. It was form. And it carried the poem like a tide. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/55C71312-7C70-4A2D-A78D-1F68271B251B.JPEG) After finishing each book (for example, Book 1), I would switch over to Stanley Lombardo’s audio version and listen to that same section. Lombardo reads it himself, with a delivery that’s both fierce and alive. He captures the tone of each character and channels emotions like rage and pride with a vivid intensity. Apollo descending “like night” in Book 1? Actual chills. Each book begins with a short introduction, read by Susan Sarandon, layered over atmospheric music that somehow nails the tone. And whenever an epic simile appears, there’s a shimmer of sound. It is subtle, but intentional. It quietly lifts the moment, and if you are doing something else while listening, your brain pays attention. Reading a book in print and then listening to the corresponding section on audio brought the story alive in different ways. It helped me pick up on things I might have missed the first time. Eventually I got the Stanley Lombardo version on Audible (because who has access to a CD player these days when out and about). I didn’t listen to Lombardo all the way through, but the parts I did hear made the story feel even very vivid. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1475-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/IMG_2893-3.jpg) I kept seeing this new translation by Emily Wilson. One day at the bookstore, I saw it yet again. Captivated by the book itself, by its feel, weight, layout, maps and notes, and by the way her translation flowed quickly and clearly, I decided to treat myself and got it. I simply switched translations and started at Book 15, picking up where I had left off in Anthony Verity’s version. I tell you this so you can know it is totally fine to switch up translation and experience the text in different ways. When you read, do it *your* way. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/IMG_6899.jpg) As an experiment, I later tried the Emily Wilson audiobook, narrated by Audra McDonald. She did a beautiful job, but I found that Lombardo’s voice carried a different kind of weight. I think this story lends itself to a male narrator. I now own six different translations and plan to read each one over time. One of them was a gift from a friend that had belonged to her father. She gave it to me after he passed away, and it has become a treasured part of my shelf. I want to return to *The Iliad* again and again, letting each translation offer a new experience. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/37E51A29-6325-460C-A23A-A47B933F8C82.JPEG) #### VERDICT? 📚 ****Translation:** whichever works best for you (and keeps you reading). Trust your taste. 🎧 ****Audiobook version:** Lombardo’s. No question. It’s immersive, unforgettable, and absolutely worth it. Highly recommend. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/2686B385-23B6-4E7E-97F2-4B675A9378E9-3.JPEG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/15C1DE3E-FCD1-4DB5-B515-D99A2D2B0B77-1.JPEG) ### The Iliad: Ancient, Unexpected, Alive URL: https://www.grafjen.com/the-iliad-ancient-unexpected-alive/ Last updated: 2026-07-21T18:19:00.000Z I read *The Iliad* for fun. It didn’t go as planned. It was so much better. *The Iliad* was the first book of the "[Epic, Epic Poetry Project](https://www.grafjen.com/the-epic-epic-poetry-project/)"- a personal challenge to read the greatest epic poems back-to-back. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/D227F2E1-4115-4300-A90F-FD5FF253798C-1-1.jpeg) Going into it, I only knew that it was about the Trojan War. And since I don't typically enjoy war stories, I expected to slog through it just to get to *The Odyssey* (which I knew was an adventure). What actually happened surprised me: **I absolutely loved it.** ### What Surprised Me About The Iliad #### Not What I Expected The imagery, the vividness, the characters, and above all, Homer’s language. Those similes! That rhythm! From the first book - with Achilles fuming with rage, Chryses pleading for his daughter, Apollo descending down the mountain like night to decimate the Greeks, Athena yanking Achilles back by the hair - the story hooked me. And those Greek gods! They meddle, interfere, vanish, and return, constantly stirring the pot. Everything felt visceral and immediate. I expected *The Iliad* to be difficult to read. Violent. Ancient. Maybe even a little boring. Instead, the words created a vivid, living reality that was like being inside a movie (but better, because it lived inside my mind!). The emotion and intellect it stirred were immense. I was wrong about this book. This is a war poem. But it’s not really about war. It’s really about humanity. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1471-1.jpeg) #### The Emotional Impact How fresh, real, and vivid everything felt. The grief, rage, longing, shame, and honor still resonate. I didn’t expect to feel emotional attachment to Hector. Or to be annoyed by Diomedes. Shocked by Achilles. Or to root for the Trojans too. #### The Poetic Language Homer’s language, even in translation, stunned me. The similes were awesome: the connection of visual imagery that I would never have thought about or paired together. ![green grass mountain with fog](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1459294458679-97e81180a256?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE0fHxhbmNpZW50JTIwd2Fyc2hpcHN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzQ5MzUxNDU3fDA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [John Salzarulo](https://unsplash.com/@johnsalzarulo?ref=grafjen.com) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) #### The Gods The gods? Mischievous, petty, powerful, hilarious. For me, in the beginning, Hera and Athena were constant sources of frustration. Yet, they made the story sparkle. Silver-footed Thetis, earth shaker Poseidon with his dark-blue hair, as well as Hephaestus and his craftsmanship, and always, Zeus. They were quite powerful, immersed in the lives of the humans but also detached at times. And always scheming and fighting among themselves as well. In this way, they were very human. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/ChatGPT-Image-Jun-7--2025-at-09_47_29-PM.png) #### Old (and New) Testament Similarities It shouldn't surprise me as they are both from the ancient world, but it did surprise me to find so many echoes between Homer and the Bible. Having read the entire Bible and thus having some familiarity with it, the similarities in certain phrasing of things (animal sacrifices, divine face-to-face moments, and more) in *The Iliad* really struck me. I suppose, in my mind, these were special and unique to the Jewish people and early Christians. However, it is simply unique to the ancient world. It was fascinating. I will share a few with you. (Unless otherwise noted, all references come from The Oxford World's Classic edition, trans. by Anthony Verity) ![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1580501170961-bb0dbf63a6df?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE3fHxvbGQlMjBiaWJsZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NDkzNTE4Mzl8MA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Taylor Flowe](https://unsplash.com/@taypaigey?ref=grafjen.com) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) ##### Of One Mind In Book 4 of the Iliad (lines 360 - 361) it reads: *"...because I know that the spirit which you keep in your breast* *is kindly disposed; and your thoughts are my thoughts."* This reminds me of St. Paul in the New Testament: *"...being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind."* (Philippians 2:2, NKJV) and also here: *"...be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought." (from 1 Corinthians 1:10, NIV)* ##### Separating the chaff ![brown wheatfield](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1496701213998-7fd1bc5528b5?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fGNoYWZmfGVufDB8fHx8MTc0OTM1MTU3Mnww&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Johannes Plenio](https://unsplash.com/@jplenio?ref=grafjen.com) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) In book 5 (lines 499-501) it reads: *"sacred threshing-floor a wind carries the chaff away* *when men are winnowing, at the time when fair-haired Demeter* *separates grain and chaff"* Which of course made me think of this in the New Testament state by John the Baptist: *“His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” (*Matthew 3:12 / Luke 3:17) ##### Face-to-Face In The Iliad, in Book 8 (line 200) Hera goes to speak with Poseidon and is says: *"She spoke to the huge god Poseidon*,* face to face..."* The statement "face to face" again brought to mind the Old Testament mentioning see God face to face: - *“So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, ‘For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.’”* (Genesis 32:30, NIV) - *“The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.”* (Exodus 33:11, NIV) and the term "face-to-face" again shows up in the new testament: - *“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face…”* (1 Corinthians 13:12, NIV) From what I’ve noticed, the term ‘face to face’ is used more often in reference to gods or God than to human interactions. ![a view of the ruins of a roman theatre](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1707588300742-f47ba2b163fd?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fEFuY2llbnQlMjBHcmVlayUyMG9yYWNsZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NDkzNTE3NTd8MA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Saara Sanamo](https://unsplash.com/@saarasan?ref=grafjen.com) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) ##### Wine and Bread Book 8 (lines 506-7) reads: *"...supply yourselves with mind-cheering wine and bread"* This may be a stretch, but the line stood out to me, and immediately reminded me of the Old Testament. Specifically Psalm 104: - *"...wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts."* (Psalm 104:14-15, NIV) In thousands of years, some things never change. Wine still cheers the heart and lifts the mind. Bread, though? In today’s gluten-fearing, carb-avoiding world, it’s practically a scandal. ##### Diverse Gifts In Book 13, lines 730- 735: *"A god gives prowess in war to one man, and to another* *skill in the dance, and to a third the lyre and song,* *and in another’s breast wide-thundering Zeus sets an excellent* *understanding, and many men derive benefit from it;* *he is the salvation of many, and he himself knows this best."* As soon as I read that it made me think of this in the New Testament - *"There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills."* (1 Corinthians 12:4-11, NKJV) ##### Expression of Grief In Book 18 (lines 28-33) in the Emily Wilson translation, Achilles's despair is described: *"At this, a black cloud of despair engulfed Achilles. With both hands he scooped up fistfuls of soot and dust and poured it on his head, and rubbed the dirt across his handsome face. Black ashes settled on his scented tunic. He stretched his whole long body in the dust and lay there. With both hands, he tore his hair."* It reminded me of how grief is expressed in the Bible as well: ashes and dust, sackcloth, torn garments, even the pulling of hair. Ancient sorrow had weight, texture, ritual. ### The End (Spoilers Ahead!) #### DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T READ **THE ILIAD* YET. This also surprised me: the Trojan Horse does not make an appearance in **The Iliad*. We hear about it in The Odyssey. If you were to ask any person what is a Trojan horse, they always know about this story. But, it wasn't in **The Iliad* at all. In fact, we don't even see the end of this war by the end of this book. Also, Achilles doesn’t die in this poem. I felt a little bit relieved at not have to see Achilles killed on the battlefield. I knew it was going to happen, but I didn’t have to ‘watch’ it happen. And I was kind of happy about that. The story ends not with a triumphant final battle and winning side but with Hector’s death and funeral. And, in a way, I feel like that was almost anti-climatic. It wasn’t a big powerful ending for such a big powerful story. That surprised me. And yet, I still loved the ending as well. As soon as I finished *The Iliad* I wanted to go back and read it again immediately. I wanted to experience it again. I was not ready to let go. And that surprised me most of all. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/IMG_6899-1.jpeg) As I said at the beginning, I read *The Iliad* for fun. Let me tell you what happened while I was reading it. I was in a waiting room, completely immersed in my gorgeous new hardback, when an older woman came over and asked what I was reading. I held it up and said, "The Iliad." She gave me a sympathetic look and said, "Oh, honey, do you have to read that for school?" I smiled and said, "No. Just reading it because I wanted to." It was so good, and I was so captivated, that her sad tone caught me off guard. Apparently, *The Iliad* still has a reputation. One I don't think it really deserves. ### Next, In Part Two I’ll share how the different translations shaped my reading and what I learned from comparing them. And, why you should read the way that works best for you. ### Half a Year, Whole Worlds URL: https://www.grafjen.com/half-a-year-whole-worlds/ Last updated: 2025-06-14T20:13:31.000Z As we reach the halfway point of the year, it's time for some reflection. This year, I’ve been reaching for the books that have been waiting on my shelves for years to be read along with a few new ones. Across genres, centuries, and themes, these are the stories I’ve traveled through so far. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/2D50E899-81E4-4C67-AC09-7A73A0DAAD44.jpg) Some made me laugh out loud. Some broke my heart. All of them made me see the world a little differently. So without further ado, here they are: ### His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1093.jpg) #### What It's About Parallel worlds, dust, and the search for truth through the eyes of a fierce and curious child. #### What I Thought For a children's series, this explores surprisingly adult themes (soul, truth, power) and takes some dark turns. Very imaginative. I loved the first book most (The Golden Compass); the others didn't land as strongly. I truly loved reading it in this Everyman's Library edition. #### Quote: *"The idea hovered and shimmered delicately, like a soap bubble, and she dared not even look at it directly in case it burst. But she was familiar with the way of ideas, and she let it shimmer, looking away, thinking about something else." \~*The Golden Compass** ### *The Martian* by Andy Weir ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/91670659-67F8-4666-8323-4C15D46A1AE2.JPEG) #### What It's About A stranded astronaut, a desolate planet, and one hilarious survival strategy powered by science, sarcasm, and duct tape. #### What I Thought At times hilarious and always hopeful. A survival story built on cleverness, resilience, and determination. Perfect for the new year: full of problem solving and persistence. Surprisingly inspiring. Perfect for the new year—full of problem-solving, persistence, and unexpected inspiration. #### Quote: *"At some point, everything's gonna go south on you... and you're going to say, 'This is it. This is how I end.' Now you can either accept that or get to work."* ### *Madame Bovary* by Gustave Flaubert ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1268.jpg) #### What It's About A woman longs for beauty, passion, and escape from the dullness of provincial life only to find that dreams and reality rarely meet. #### What I Thought I loved how real this book felt - especially Emma. She's messy, conflicted, and completely human. A tragic portrait of longing and illusion. #### Quote: *"She wanted to die, but she also wanted to live in Paris."* ### *Dune* by Frank Herbert ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1402.jpg) #### What It's About A brooding space prince inherits a sand planet, political chaos, and a prophecy he didn't ask for. Also: worms. Lots of worms. #### What I Thought Good, but not great. I'm not sure 1960's sci-fi is my thing, but I'll keep going for the Penguin Galaxy editions alone. Also: this book made me very thirsty. 😂 #### Quote: *"The mystery of life isn't a problem to solve, but a reality to experience."* ### *The Power and The Glory* by Graham Greene ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/4CC56CCA-D5E8-4C2C-BF89-A83522591887.JPEG) #### What It's About A hunted priest, a broken land, and a slow-burning story of grace under impossible circumstances. Faith, failure, and redemption in the quietest ways. #### What I Thought This book got me. It's the most deeply moving novel I've read in a long, long time. It sat on my shelf for years and I felt 'I wish I'd read it sooner'. Then again, maybe this was the perfect time. #### Quote: *"Hate is just a failure of imagination."* ### *Silence* by Shusako Endo ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/8CA3453C-D259-4EA0-94D1-681EDA16E002.JPEG) #### What It's About A Jesuit priest in 17th century Japan faces the silence of God, the suffering of others, and the weight of faith under persecution. Quiet, brutal, and unforgettable. #### What I Thought I thought this would be the perfect follow up to *The Power and The Glory* but I didn't love it. Perhaps I shouldn't have read it right after that one. The contrast between the priests of both stories is telling. Not an easy read, but it stayed with me. Even after I finished, I kept thinking about it. #### Quote: *"It is easy enough to die for the good and beautiful; the hard thing is to die for the miserable and corrupt."* ### *The Way of Kings* by Brandon Sanderson ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/06/F611A241-DD74-46E1-B10B-3AF417BE5235.JPG) #### What It's About War, storms, ancient oaths, and broken people trying to become something more. Epic fantasy that starts slow, builds, and then sweeps you away. #### What I Thought I read this over the course of six weeks. Slowly at first, and then raced through the last few hundred pages in one sitting. It's massive, detailed, and completely immersive. Kaladin and Jasnah were my favorites. Epic is the right word for this one. #### Quote: *"Life before death. Strength before weakness. Journey before destination."* Which ones have you read? ### What I Learned from My Epic, Epic Poetry Project URL: https://www.grafjen.com/what-i-learned-from-my-epic-epic-poetry-project/ Last updated: 2025-06-12T20:05:42.000Z Last year, I embarked on what I called my [*Epic, Epic Poetry Project*:](https://www.grafjen.com/the-epic-epic-poetry-project/) reading five of the “most honored but least read books in the great tradition of the Western World” (Mortimer Adler, *How to Read a Book*). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/05/IMG_7416.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/05/IMG_2558.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/05/E42293DF-B3FB-40E3-9C6D-0B74B17261D1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/05/IMG_8242.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/05/IMG_7585.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0271.jpeg) I decided to read them. In *order*. Back to back. 1. *The Iliad* by Homer 2. *The Odyssey* by Homer 3. *The Aeneid* by Virgil 4. *The Divine Comedy* by Dante 5. *Paradise Lost* by Milton This post is the first in a series where I’ll share what I learned from this journey: unexpected lessons, personal growth as a reader, favorite discoveries, and what I might do differently if I started again. In later posts, I’ll take a deeper look into each of these works, the translations I chose, and offer resources and recommendations for anyone who wants to embark on their own *epic* epic poetry project. ## **Unexpected Lessons** ### 1\. Epic Projects Take Time I originally did not have a 'timline' per se. (How can you read with abandon if you are under a deadline?) I decided to just read until I was done. I did, however, imagine how long it would take me. I thought I’d finish this in five to eight weeks. And maybe, if I really took my time, it would stretch to five months. Spoiler: it took me eleven months. I thought I’d read one epic per week, and give *The Divine Comedy* three weeks (one for each part). But that was wildly optimistic. Epic poetry slows you down in the best way—it invites you to linger, reread, and reflect. And honestly? I’m so glad it took as long as it did. ### 2\. Epic Poetry Is Full of Adventure These books aren’t just “important works of literature.” They’re incredibly engaging stories: I felt for Chryses and his desperate plea to have his daughter returned, which set off the rage of Achilles; was horrified when Odysseus and his men were trapped in the cave with the Cyclops, Polyphemus; captivated as Aeneas journeyed into the underworld with the priestess; felt a deep sadness when Virgil left Dante in Beatrice’s care after guiding him for so long (*I actually cried*); and was surprised to see Lucifer cast as a kind of anti-hero in *Paradise Lost*. I thought *The Iliad* would be my least favorite. But it ended up being the one I loved most. The characters, the stakes, the beauty of the language all surprised me on every page. Each poem held something unexpectedly moving or thrilling, and they all drew me in more than I ever imagined. ### 3\. The Struggle is Real (but so are the rewards) ### ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/05/1C35352C-D08E-42B0-964D-0122D9DA828E.JPEG) I struggled a little with *The Aeneid* because it had a completely different feel than Homer. In Homer, the gods were immediate, visceral, fully present. In *The Aeneid*, they felt more distant—almost like they were being carried around like dolls. It took me a while to settle into the rhythm of that epic. (It could also have been the translation I chose.) I struggled with Dante more deeply. There were so many historical and literary references I often had to look up, which disrupted the flow of reading. Many times I wondered if things were going over my head or if I was missing something great because of the translation. With Milton, I clashed with his Protestant Christian theology, but I couldn’t deny how poetic and powerful the language was. But I kept going. I didn’t stop. And in the end, it was worth it. ### 4\. Humans Haven’t Changed That Much One of the most surprising things I learned is how little we’ve changed over thousands of years. We still get angry. We still fight wars. We still love, grieve, and ponder our afterlife. We still tell stories to make sense of the world. We still crave adventure and honor those who came before us. Reading these epics made me feel connected not just to the authors, but to the readers and listeners across centuries who were moved by the same emotions, questions, and struggles. ### 5\. Reading Them Back-to-Back Was the Best Decision I once read the Bible cover to cover. (For those of you who have done this, you know what I’m talking about.) It was a unique experience: an overarching, sweeping epic of the whole journey from beginning to end. Reading these epic poems back to back gave me a similar feeling—an epic journey across time and space, with a sense of continuity from one to the next across the centuries. Each work builds on the one before it, and reading them as a sequence created a layered, unfolding experience that was far more powerful than reading them in isolation. After *The Iliad*, I was genuinely sad to say goodbye to the characters. But in *The Odyssey*, we meet a few of them again as Telemachus sets out to find news of his father. Then in *The Aeneid*, we pick up after the fall of Troy and follow the Trojans as they migrate and sow the seeds of what will become the Roman Empire. *The Divine Comedy* takes us even deeper. Virgil himself becomes our guide, and we encounter familiar figures from the Homeric world in the afterlife. Echoes of the underworld and dark forests bring earlier poems back to life. Finally, we arrive at *Paradise Lost*, which offers a vision of the beginning of the world unlike anything before it. Read in this order, these five works form a kind of grand conversation across time. They belong together. Reading them back to back also keeps each story fresh in your mind, and the feel of each poet’s voice placed side by side creates an immediate sense of contrast and connection. ### The Epic, Epic Poetry Project Changed Me as a Reader I grew as a reader during this project, and I did not expect that. Not only did I expand my vocabulary and ideas, deepening my love of language and writing, but I didn’t give up in the 11 months it took me to complete this project (even though I struggled at times). That alone changed something in me. It wasn’t a shift I noticed right away. But when I tried to go back to the kinds of books I normally enjoy—thrillers, horror novels, or even more literary contemporary reads—they started to feel a bit... flat. Sometimes even boring. I often could see the ending coming a mile away. This project changed me, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. At first, I wondered if I had become a book snob. But really, I think it just raised the bar. Now I want depth. I want complexity. I want language that sings. It also gave me confidence. I trust myself more as a reader now. I know I can face difficult texts and keep going, even when I feel lost or unsure. And that makes reading feel even more joyful. I didn’t know that was possible, but it is. ### Favorite Discoveries I’m the kind of person who dislikes war movies and war novels, so I assumed I wouldn’t enjoy *The Iliad* at all. But as I’ve already said, it ended up being my favorite. That alone was a huge surprise. One moment that really stood out: while reading *Paradise Lost*, I came across the phrase “his dark materials.” It immediately clicked that that is where Philip Pullman got the title for his trilogy. (Turns out he included it in the beginning of The Golden Compass.) I love those kinds of literary echoes, when one great work speaks directly to another across time. Just like the Bible, which people love to retell in many different ways and which continues to shape the worlds of art and music, these epic poems do the same. I surprises me how much their influence *still* echoes into our world - even today, in the age of the internet, video, and AI. (They literally just came out with a new show about Odysseus and retelling that story.) I also loved realizing how the poets themselves speak to each other across the centuries—Virgil guiding Dante in *The Divine Comedy*, for example, and Virgil himself expanding on Homer. Today, our culture tends to retell stories, but these poets built on one another, weaving connections and creating something new. I also discovered how readable these poems were. With the right translation, they weren’t intimidating. They were compelling. And even today, these stories are still being retold in new books, films, and television shows. They continue to live and influence culture, even among those who’ve never read them. ### What I’d Do Differently ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/05/6AA9A4C8-9D32-4910-9AD9-EEB2AE5E3525-2.JPEG) When I got to *The Divine Comedy*, a friend joined me. We were talking one day, and I was telling her about my project. She told me she really wanted to read *The Divine Comedy*—that not having read Dante left a “huge hole” in her reading life. So we read it together over the summer. And honestly, it was the best. Having someone to share thoughts, compare impressions, and simply encourage each other through the struggle areas made the experience even more meaningful. I only read one of my five epic poems with a friend. So if I had it to do over again, that is what I would do differently: I would do the entire project with a friend. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-28-at-1.24.24---PM.png) Photo by [John Salzarulo](https://unsplash.com/@johnsalzarulo?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) This is just the beginning. In the posts to come, I’ll be sharing more about each of the five epic poems—what it was like to read them, the translations I chose, what surprised me, and why I think they’re still worth reading today. ### Listening vs. Reading: A Different Kind of Book Love URL: https://www.grafjen.com/listening-vs-reading-a-different-kind-of-book-love/ Last updated: 2026-07-21T18:19:17.000Z 🎧 ****Today's post discusses reading books vs listening to them.** This post isn’t about drawing lines, it’s about exploring how language, attention, and experience shape the way we engage with stories. It's about why I think listening and reading, while both valuable, aren’t quite the same thing. ### Why I Don’t Call Audiobooks “Reading” *(Even Though I Love Them)* Let me start by saying this: I love audiobooks. I really do. I’ve listened to dozens while walking, driving, cleaning, or just unwinding at night. They make stories accessible and portable in a way that traditional reading doesn’t always allow. ![person wear black coat and backpack walking on sidewalk](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1532907088462-4767c0210cdb?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDI1fHxoZWFkcGhvbmVzJTIwaW4lMjBjaXR5fGVufDB8fHx8MTcyOTg3NzM2Mnww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Ross Sneddon](https://unsplash.com/@rosssneddon?ref=grafjen.com) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) But here's my take: I don’t consider listening to a book the same as reading it. And yes, I know that might sound like semantics, but hear me out. ### It’s not the same experience. When someone says they “read” a book and then mentions it was an audiobook, I find myself pausing. To me, listening and reading are two different things. You’re not reading, you’re listening. And that difference matters, because the experience itself engages us in a completely different way. ### Different mental pathways Reading and listening engage your brain differently. Reading involves decoding symbols, processing visual language, and often requires more sustained attention. Listening can be powerful and immersive, but it activates different cognitive processes. Both are valuable and can lead us to deep understanding, but they take different paths to get there. Think of it like walking a trail versus being driven down it. Reading makes you notice every twist and detail. You’re setting your own pace and stopping to take in the view. Listening lets you lean back and absorb the landscape through someone else’s rhythm and perspective. Same trail, different journey. ### The distraction factor Most of us listen to audiobooks while doing something else: walking the dog, folding laundry, running errands. That’s the beauty of them! But with traditional reading, you can’t multitask. It demands your full focus. You’re all in, and that makes it a uniquely absorbing act. ### Your imagination works differently ![boy singing on microphone with pop filter](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1453738773917-9c3eff1db985?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDExfHx0YWxraW5nJTIwaW50byUyMGElMjBtaWNyb3Bob25lfGVufDB8fHx8MTcyOTg3NzUwN3ww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Jason Rosewell](https://unsplash.com/@jasonrosewell?ref=grafjen.com) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) When you read a book, it’s just you and the words on the page. Your imagination is fully responsible for creating the voices, the tone, the world. With audiobooks, someone else’s voice guides your interpretation. Their inflection, pacing, and emotion shape how you experience the story. ### There’s a quietness in reading ![man in orange t-shirt sitting on green grass field during daytime](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1594769638558-2a5c077c30c9?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDh8fHJlYWRpbmclMjBpbiUyMHB1YmxpY3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3Mjk4NzcxMzV8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Ross Sneddon](https://unsplash.com/@rosssneddon?ref=grafjen.com) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) Reading creates a kind of interior stillness. Even in a noisy room, the act of reading can quiet your mind. Audiobooks, while engaging, bring sound and voice into the room. They’re a different kind of immersion - less quiet, more performative. ### Here’s where I land: I'm not saying that one is better than the other, but that they’re not the same. Listening and reading are both powerful ways to experience a story, but they invite us in through different doors. ![woman reading book sitting beside electronic keyboard](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1573142143200-2a6d95ae7352?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDI2fHxyZWFkaW5nfGVufDB8fHx8MTc0Nzk0ODM5M3ww&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Hümâ H. Yardım](https://unsplash.com/@humayardim?ref=grafjen.com) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) Although I listen to audiobooks often (mostly non-fiction), I love the act of reading book more. Yet, audiobooks are an incredible form of access, and for many people, they’re the *only* way to experience books. ![People are seated on a train, looking out.](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1741594846581-7e6309542de8?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fGhlYWRwaG9uZXMlMjBvbiUyMHRyYWlufGVufDB8fHx8MTc0ODAxOTQ0NHww&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Egor Myznik](https://unsplash.com/@vonshnauzer?ref=grafjen.com) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) They can be just as immersive, moving, and transformative as reading. My take is just one perspective, and I’m always open to hearing others. Maybe I’m just particular with my words, but if I listened to a book, I say, “I listened to it”, not “I read it.” To me, that small distinction matters. I think if you listened to a book, just say so. There’s no shame in that. Just know it’s a different journey than reading with your eyes. Both can move you, change you, stay with you. ![person wearing blue denim jeans lying on the bed](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1458079156380-a4f9d9351f13?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDQ0fHxyZWFkaW5nJTIwcGVhY2V8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzQ4MDE5MzI5fDA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Maria Victoria Portelles](https://unsplash.com/@mariavportelles?ref=grafjen.com) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) ### The Underrated Joy of Slow Reading: Why It Might Be the Best Way to Read URL: https://www.grafjen.com/the-underrated-joy-of-slow-reading-why-it-might-be-the-best-way-to-read/ Last updated: 2026-07-21T18:20:30.000Z I started slow reading a few years ago, and it changed the way I experience books. It’s not just about reading *better*, it’s about reading *differently*. Here’s what I’ve learned from the practice, and why I think every reader should give it a try. ### **1\. Slow Reading Builds the Habit of Reading** ![grayscale photo of person reading book](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1452882628481-6a2da9481239?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDMzfHxyZWFkaW5nJTIwYW5kJTIwY29mZmVlfGVufDB8fHx8MTc0ODAxMzIxNHww&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Natalie Grainger](https://unsplash.com/@missnjc?ref=grafjen.com) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) When you commit to slow reading a book, you’re making time for it every day. (See my essay [The Art of Slow Reading](https://www.grafjen.com/the-art-of-slow-reading/).) The continuity matters. You stay connected to the story, the ideas, the voice. This daily reading builds a rhythm, and that rhythm builds the habit. It’s not about racing to the end; it’s about showing up. By the time you finish your slow read, the reading habit is formed. Built by returning to the page, day after day—a habit shaped by rhythm, not rush. ### **2\. It Improves Focus, Vocabulary, and Confidence** ![gold pen on white box](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1598301257942-e6bde1d2149b?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDZ8fGhhYml0JTIwcmVhZGluZ3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NDgwMTMyODF8MA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Lala Azizli](https://unsplash.com/@lazizli?ref=grafjen.com) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) The benefits of reading are well-documented: improved concentration, a broader vocabulary, sharper thinking. But slow reading amplifies those benefits. You’re not skimming for plot points or key ideas; you’re sinking into the language. You notice the author’s craft. You pause to re-read a sentence because it’s beautiful, or strange, or true. And something surprising happens: you grow more confident. I used to be intimidated by big, complex books: *The Brothers Karamazov*, *House of Leaves*, even *Infinite Jest*. But now? I’ve read some of those giants, and I know I can tackle others. I don’t fear the size or the structure. I have a strategy. I slow read. ### **3\. It Alleviates the Pressure of Time** ![selective focus photography of girl](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1516042438821-0abd7a73c4b3?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fHJlYWRpbmclMjBwZWFjZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NDgwMTM4NzB8MA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Johnny McClung](https://unsplash.com/@johnnymcclung?ref=grafjen.com) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) One of the biggest sources of stress in modern life is time, or the sense that we’re always running out of it. When you slow read, you opt out of that mindset. You give yourself permission to linger. There’s no rush, no reading challenge deadline, no comparison to how fast someone else read the same book. Instead, you get depth. You get intimacy. And you enjoy the experience in a way that racing through a book just can’t replicate. ### **4\. It Gets You Out of a Reading Rut** ![man standing inside library finding books](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1519609616053-af4bfa1f9391?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDIxfHxib29rc3RvcmV8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzQ4MDEzNTk2fDA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [takahiro taguchi](https://unsplash.com/@tak%5Ftag?ref=grafjen.com) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) Ever feel like you’re reading just to check off boxes? Or like every book is blurring into the next? Slow reading can break that cycle. It gives your brain space to engage with the material in a deeper way, whether that’s fiction or nonfiction. You start to notice things you’d miss otherwise. And more often than not, you start to care again. ### **5\. It Makes You Brave (and Maybe a Little Bit Cool)** ![opened book on gray concrete surface](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1506512981337-6bc1bf0a7494?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDIzfHxyZWFkaW5nJTIwaW4lMjBBc2lhfGVufDB8fHx8MTc0ODAxNDI1Mnww&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Kiwihug](https://unsplash.com/@kiwihug?ref=grafjen.com) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) Here’s a secret: slow readers often read some of the most “intimidating” books out there. Not because we’re trying to impress anyone (although let’s be honest, there *is* a bit of swagger in saying, “Yeah, I read *that*”), but because we’ve learned that the mountain isn’t so scary when you take it one step at a time. Slow reading gives you the courage to go after the big ones. To explore the weird ones. To meet people (in real life or in book clubs or online) who are also drawn to the deep end of the reading pool. And when you do that, you grow, not just as a reader, but as a thinker, a conversationalist, a person. ## ## ### How to Choose a Translation That Works for You URL: https://www.grafjen.com/how-to-choose-a-translation-that-works-for-you-2/ Last updated: 2026-07-21T18:20:53.000Z I spent the better part of the past year and a half reading literature in translation: The Brother’s Karamazov, The Iliad and The Odyssey, The Aeneid, and The Divine Comedy. From Russian to Ancient Greek, Latin, and Italian, I wanted to choose the best translation that would let me abandon myself to the experience of reading these works for the first time. If you are anything like me, then you like to make up your own mind about things. So instead of doing a lot of research or asking other people what they like, I have a simple way I go about choosing the right translation. And now, I'm going to share it with you so you can easily find translations that work for *you.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/02/IMG_1445.jpg) ## How to choose a translation that works for you. ### **Step 1: Gather multiple translations.** The first thing you want to do is gather samples (or copies) in all the translation you think you might be interested in reading. Sound complicated? It's not. You can easily and quickly pull up multiple samples of each translation online. If you do want to hold the books in your hand, then make a quick trip to your local library or (used) bookstore. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/02/Screenshot-2025-02-21-at-2.50.18-PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/02/Screenshot-2025-02-21-at-2.52.09-PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/02/IMG_1470.jpg) ### Step 2: The (easy-peasy) process Once you have all the translations in front of you, it is time to start the elimination process. Read the first paragraph in ***each*** translation (or, if it is epic poetry, a few lines or a section). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/02/IMG_1451-1.jpg) Different translations of Homer's The Iliad. Then go back and read the second paragraph, again in ***each*** translation. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/02/2DF5C137-AA16-4B8D-AF7C-6EDFEE72D98D-1.JPEG) Then read the third paragraph, and so on. Each time reading the same paragraph/section in a different translation. Right away (or after a few paragraphs) you should start to notice the ones you that are not right for you. Set those aside. If you don’t notice right away, that is fine - just keep reading. Soon there will be one (or two) that stand out as enjoyable for you. If you are stuck on two - that is fine - just keep reading. As you keep reading back and forth between translations, you will just know the one that resonate with *you* and that you enjoy reading over all the others - it will be the one you don’t want to put down, the one that just feels rightand fits your reading needs or style. See how easy that was? You have just figured out what translation works for *you* personally. ## Some notes: 1. Everyone is different. Whereas one person wants something easier to understand, another person may like more poetic versions, and yet another person wants it to be close to the original word for word. Whichever reader you are - it's fine! - go with what works for YOU. 2. Keep in mind that different times in your life = different reading needs. *You* are different at various stages. Whether you want to revel in the language or just understand, choose the translation for what season you are in and don't worry about it. 3. Feel free to change things up - even if you are in the middle of it. (I switch translations and formats all the time.) There is nothing wrong with that! Don't feel like you have to stick with a translation or format if it is no longer working for you. Switch it up. Here are a few examples: - When I was reading Dante's *The Divine Comedy*, I switched back and forth between Mandelbaum's gorgeous translation in book form and John Ciardi's easier to grasp one on my kindle. (Also, I got tired of flipping through to the back of the book and interrupting my reading flow to check out an endnote - on the kindle the endnote is a tap away and simply pops up on screen. However, I still loved the poetry of Mandelbaum's translation so I did go back and forth.) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/02/IMG_9081.jpg) The Everyman's Library edition and the Kindle version of **The Divine Comedy.* - I started Homer's *The Iliad* reading the Oxford World Classic's edition with Anthony Verity as the translator. Soon after (about halfway through) I saw the recently published translation by Emily Wilson's in a gorgeous hardback edition at the bookstore. Never able to resist a gorgeous book, I got Wilson's plainer poetic but captivating translation and finished The Iliad in that.) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/02/IMG_1471.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/02/IMG_1475.jpg) Oxford World's Classics are a favorite publisher of mine - but this new hardback edition in a new translation - well, I couldn't resist! 1. You might also consider getting copies in a few different translations for comparison as you read - I find this to be the case more with poetry rather than prose. ⬇️ Below are two different translations of Apollo coming to answer the prayer of Chryses' (a priest of Apollo who was harshly turned away when he asked to ransom his daughter to be returned to him) to reign death on the camp. - Stanley Lombardo's translation: *"Apollo heard his prayer and descended Olympus' crag* *Pulsing with fury, bow slung over one shoulder,The arrows rattling in their case on his back* *As the angry god moved like night down the mountain."* - Emily Wilson's translation is as follows: *"This was his prayer, and Phoebus heeded him.* *Engraged at heart, he swooped down from the peaks* *of Mount Olympus, bearing on his shoulders* *his quiver and his bow, and as he moved* *in rage, his arrows clattered at his back.* *Like night the god descended."* - I love both of translations of this passage, but was especially struck with chills upon hearing *"...the angry god moved like night down the mountain."* while listening to the audiobook version of Stanley Lombardo's translation. Which brings me to my last note... 1. A good way to experience different translations is to listen to the audiobook in one and read it in another. I did that for both *The Iliad* and *The Odyssey* \- listening to the Stanley Lombardo translations (which are excellent by the way) and reading Emily Wilson's. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/02/IMG_1486.jpg) The beautiful thing about translations is that later down the road when you want to re-visit that work again you can read it in a different translation and have a different experience of the same work. Now that you know an easy way to choose a translation that resonates with YOU, go out there and immerse yourself in a whole new world of literature. Happy reading! ### 2024: Highlights from a year of reading URL: https://www.grafjen.com/2024-highlights-from-a-year-of-reading-2/ Last updated: 2026-07-21T18:20:42.000Z **My favorite book of the year:** Homer's *The Iliad* **The** **best reading reading project I did this year**: [The 'Epic, Epic Poetry Project'](https://www.grafjen.com/the-epic-epic-poetry-project/). **The book I read this year that literally changed my life**: *Ultraprocessed People* by Chris van Tulleken **The book I bought the day it came out:** *Darkly* by Marsha Pessl **The most fun and humorous book I read this year**: *Tales From the Gas Station, Vol. 1* by Jack Townsend (note: available on kindle only) **The book I finally read after waiting 20 years**: *The Perks of Being a Wallflower* by Stephen Chbosky **My least favorite book I read this year**: *Summer of the Dragon* by Elizabeth Peters **A children's books that I read**: Percy Jackson, *The Lightning Thief* \- read at same time I was reading Iliad and Odyssey so that was fun. **The book I DNF-ed** **(on purpose) and will never pick up again**: *S.* by J.J. Abrams **The book I DNF (inadvertently) but plan on finishing in 2025**: *Les Miserables* by Victor Hugo **The book I read that made me feel most accomplished this year**: *The Divine Comedy* by Dante **The book that I read with the best inscription:** *The Divine Comedy*, Everyman's Library edition's - translators inscription: "This translation of the *Inferno* is inscribed to... " You can see the full inscription in the photo below. **The book I really wanted to read but never got around to**: *Shibumi* by Trevanian **The most exciting book purchases this year:** Everyman's Library editions of *Rebecca* and *The Divine Comedy*, Dune (two editions - I couldn't decide!) **The best horror novel I read**: *World War Z* by Max Brooks - I read several horror novels this year and they were all meh. But this one was good. **Favorite book gift:** Everyman's Library edition of Phillip Pullman's *His Dark Materials* **Favorite ereader this year:** my Nook Glowlight 4\. Page turning buttons (on both sides) for the win! Also, my kindle died which was annoying. **Best translator:** Emily Wilson - I loved her translations of The Iliad and The Odyssey. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/01/IMG_0468_8x10cropUSE-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/01/0B50371A-9537-4AF2-900A-532733304448.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/01/IMG_0673.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/01/WWZ_website.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/01/Summer_of_the_Dragon_1.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/01/238C2E2D-7B21-44FD-A0C5-B091BF4E95D6.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/01/TDC_use.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/01/TheIliad_USE.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/01/C29FC76E-74FC-4ED5-9E31-FD986C653B48.JPEG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/02/EKHT8990-62dc1cad278db96d.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/02/Deadkindle_color-b09427b2ff7e5ffd.JPEG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/02/IMG_9456_edited-b209eeac9abf5a93.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/02/E1EA26D6-DBE3-4971-9A6A-87F931604A8C-e801b60e5a9f83c5.JPEG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/02/1E519067-857C-47BB-AB78-ECDA5AEB7126-685fd4d93cfb2823.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/02/Pullman_HDM-10a0a017090239a8.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/02/_1030862_edited-7c0984434f3e5841.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/02/6E1D710D-2FA2-448A-AD4F-0EF8C9A28B8D-825427984b15475b.JPEG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2025/02/91FA5857-0A18-498D-A7E2-5E9D2049C874-8951df6b57b96d9e.JPEG) What were your reading highlights this year? Share in the comments below! ### On Reading House of Leaves URL: https://www.grafjen.com/on-reading-house-of-leaves/ Last updated: 2025-02-08T18:32:48.000Z I love how this book begins. With a warning: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2024/09/RioDeJ_66_edited-1.jpg) *"This is not for you."* It's more like a challenge taunting you to begin. Even so, there are some of you who may wonder if it *is* for you. You might be intimidated by the size or the strangeness of it all when you opened it and perused the pages. Don't be. To help you along your reading journey here are my tips for reading *House of Leaves* by Mark Z. Danielewski. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### The Epic, Epic Poetry Project URL: https://www.grafjen.com/the-epic-epic-poetry-project/ Last updated: 2026-07-23T21:25:45.000Z ## How it all started: With a tangent and a 'wild hair' of course! I follow random tangents - like, all the time. Do you? Here's the tangent that started this whole adventure: I was interested in reading a book ([*The Brothers Karamazov*](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-karamazov-brothers-fyodor-dostoevsky/1100165474?ref=grafjen.com)) and was watching a random video about it. The person in that video mentions a guy who had a literature podcast. I check out the podcast and in one of the episodes he mentions *in passing* a book titled - get this - [*How to Read a Book*](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-read-a-book-mortimer-j-adler/1100574414?ref=grafjen.com). *How to Read a Book*? What kind of title is that? My brain immediately pictures a person on a train reading holding a book in front of their face with the title *How to Read a Book*. You can see the humor in that, right? Anyway, this book was originally published in 1940 by a man named Mortimer J. Adler. It intrigued me and also made for a good excuse to go to the bookstore. So off I went... Once at the bookstore, I find the book and start perusing it. And... it's very good. How had I gone my whole reading life and never heard of this book? (It would have really helped me in school!) Then, I happen upon a section titled - "A Note About Epics": ![Photo of page 217 of "How to Read a Book" by Mortimer J. Adler - the "Note on Epics"](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2024/06/epic_section_HTRAB-2-1.JPEG) The section in **How to Read a Book* that started it all. Adler calls the major epic poems the "most honored but least read books in the great tradition of the Western World". This really got to me (and lit a fire under me sparking the 'wild hair'). I know *of* all of these but had not read them all. Adler goes on to say that "many of us are not aware of the loss we suffer by not making the effort \[to read these epics\]". What? Suddenly, I have a major FOMO moment. And I'm not talking about something that is a popular "right now" kind of thing. I'm talking about living my whole life and never having read these works that still influence so many things today - from video games and movies to politics and culture. I’m talking about a people-have-been-reading-and-loving-this-for-thousands-of-years kind of thing. I don't want to miss out on that. He calls these epic poems the "backbone of any serious reading program." I'm a serious reader (mainly because I seriously love reading). How was it I had *not* read all of these epics? It was time to change that. It was a 'wild hair' idea but right then and there I knew I was going toread all five of these epic poems. And, I would read them back to back in the order they were written. It was so *ON.* ## *The* Epic Poems These are the epic poems and the order they would be read for my little 'epic, epic poetry project' (the links are to the translations I'm using): 1. [***The Iliad***](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-iliad-homer/1143278097?ref=grafjen.com) by Homer 2. [***The Odyssey***](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-odyssey-homer/1129773507?ref=grafjen.com) by Homer 3. [***The Aeneid*** ](https://www.amazon.com/Aeneid-Vergil/dp/1984854127?ref=grafjen.com)by Virgil 4. [***The Divine Comedy***](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-divine-comedy-dante-alighieri/1115409382?ref=grafjen.com) ( including *Inferno, Purgatorio,* and *Paradiso*) by Dante 5. [***Paradise Lost*** ](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/paradise-lost-john-milton/1116670488?ref=grafjen.com)byMilton (Should I include Paradise Regained? That is the question.) Some of these I have read before such as *Inferno* from *The Divine Comedy*, or Milton's *Paradise Lost* (in college). Others I have read only parts of such as *The Odyssey*. But how had I - a book lover and someone who actually studied literature in college - gotten away without having read each of these in full? *The Iliad* and *The Odyssey* have been read and loved for thousands of years. There really is no reason not to have experienced them. So many books published today are spinoffs or retellings of Homer: [*Circe*](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/circe-frederic-p-miller/1028697822?ref=grafjen.com), [*The Song of Achilles*](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-song-of-achilles-madeline-miller/1103167914?ean=9780062060624&ref=grafjen.com), [*A Thousand Ships*](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-thousand-ships-natalie-haynes/1137077161?ean=9780063065406&ref=grafjen.com), [*Helen of Troy*](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/helen-of-troy-margaret-george/1100314514?ean=9780143038993&ref=grafjen.com), etc. These Greek stories still hold power over people. *The Divine Comedy* is talked about and it too has books connected to or based on the original epic poem even today (Dan Brown*'*s [*Inferno*](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/inferno-dan-brown/1114144951?ref=grafjen.com), [*The Dante Club*](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dante-club-matthew-pearl/1100393289?ref=grafjen.com) are just two examples). Did you know (I didn't) that *Inferno* was even made into a [video game](https://www.xbox.com/en-us/games/store/Dantes-Inferno/C0X6N5963CTW?ref=grafjen.com)? There is actually a tie-in video game edition of the epic poem (that is inspiring gamers to read Dante). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2024/07/IMG_8430_autumndapple-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2024/07/IMG_8311_dappleblur-1.jpg) The video game tie-in copy of Dante's Inferno. Yes, I've blurred out the name of the inscription writer. For me, it it is time to read these original works that so many people draw creative inspiration from - to read, experience, and join the ranks of interesting people everywhere that have been sharing in the fascination and enjoyment of these for over thousands of years. ## Before I Begin For the first few months I gather texts and translations. Most of them I got at the used bookstore for around $2\. (I tell you this so that if you are concerned about the cost, just know to always check out secondhand bookshops or even the library.) I like to have multiple translations for comparison and to get a feel for which one resonates with me. 💡 If you decide to embark on the epic, epic poetry project one day, you certainly don't have to have multiple translations. Just pick out a translation that either: a) looks good to you, b) you heard good things about, c) that has a cool cover, or d) might be already sitting on your shelf collecting dust. After months of prep time, I was 'champing at the bit' so to speak and couldn't wait to get started. I was *ready*. ## My approach to reading these epic poems 1. **With abandon**. You read that right. With *abandon.* I am going to abandon myself to the experience of the story, the language, and the poetry as the author intended (as best as one can with a translation) and without any preconceived notions. 2. **Having fun**. I am going to *enjoy* the process, immersing myself in these stories and adventures. 3. **With an easy-going-ness**. I was going to take my time. There is no set timeline or schedule except to dip in and read every day (if possible) and move on to the next one when I am done. I will take as much or as little time with each one as I need. No stress reading. Mainly, I am just going to start and keep going until I get to The End. 4. **Very un-scholarly**. I would not be analyzing anything or have any critical approach. (Re-read #1) Any notes made would be my own responses and impressions that arise as I am reading. 5. **Without anyone else's commentary.** And by commentary, I mean no introductions - especially if I haven't read the who poem and am not as familiar with the story - why would anyone want anything to spoil their first experience with spoilers? That also means no reading about it online, no reading other people's opinions or reviews. I don't want anyone else's opinions, thoughts, or ideas to color my initial experience. 📖 There is always time for reflection and analyzation later - which is, of course, much easier to do when you are familiar with the work. ![Photo of text from "The Aeneid" showing my note: "Instagram" for where it says "He spoke, and fed his soul on empty images".](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2024/06/Instagram_note-2-1.jpg) A great example of one of my "un-scholarly" notes in **The Aeneid* I will leave you with the words that end the small section on epic poetry in Mortimer's *How to Read a Book* that solidified my decisions to start this "epic, epic poetry project". Perhaps it will inspire you as well (if you haven't already read them). > We hope that you will take a stab at reading these five great epic poems, and that you will manage to get through all of them. We are certain you will not be disappointed if you do. And you will be able to enjoy further satisfaction - Homer, Virgil, Dante, and Milton - they are the authors that every good poet, to say nothing of other writers, has read. Along with the Bible, they constitute the backbone of any serious reading program. ### The Epic, Epic Poetry Project Series: I've turned this into a series! See below for the links (as they are written): [What I Learned From My Epic, Epic Poetry Project](https://www.grafjen.com/what-i-learned-from-my-epic-epic-poetry-project/) [The Iliad: Ancient, Unexpected, Alive](https://www.grafjen.com/the-iliad-ancient-unexpected-alive/) [Every Version Tells a Story: Translations of The Iliad](https://www.grafjen.com/every-version-tells-a-story-translations-of-the-iliad/) [The Long Way Home: On Reading The Odyssey](https://www.grafjen.com/the-long-way-home-on-reading-the-odyssey/) ### The Art of Slow Reading URL: https://www.grafjen.com/the-art-of-slow-reading/ Last updated: 2025-02-16T05:37:34.000Z Do you have a book that has been sitting on your shelf for years just waiting to be read? Is there that one book that you always said you would read but still haven’t gotten around to it? Or, maybe it’s just a book that intimidates you. Or one that demands a bit more of your attention, time, or concentration. Whichever book that is for you – and you are probably picturing it now as you read this – that is the perfect book to slow read. What is slow reading? It’s reading a book that will take you weeks or even months to finish. It’s not rushing and taking your time and just enjoying the journey. So pick up that book up off your shelf or get yourself a copy and let’s get started… ## Summary - 📔[Choose the right book](#choose-the-right-book) - 📖[Get a physical copy of the book](#read-the-physical-copy-of-the-book) - 📆[Do not set a deadline](#do-not-set-a-deadline) - ☀️ [Read every day](#read-everyday) - 🐢[Take your time](#take-your-time-dont-rush) ## How To Practice The Art of Slow Reading The idea of slow reading may sound intimidating, but it isn’t. Here’s how to practice the art of slow reading… ### Choose the right book What do I mean? You want to pick a book that will take you longer than a few days or even a week. This is a book you are going to invest some time in – weeks, months, or even a year. It should be a book that is more challenging that what you normally read. And by challenging, I mean it intimidates you a little. You know the one that is for you. It is the one that you always said you would read and never did. It’s that book collecting dust on your shelf because it has been there for so many years. Or that book that has over a thousand pages that you think is too long. It’s the book that intimidates you and you think it might be too difficult. The one that makes you wonder if you have it in you to read it. Yes, *that* book. “Too long”, “too complicated”, “too challenging”, “too dense”, or “too heavy” are perfect books for slow reading. > ***"Too long", "too complicated", "too challenging", "too dense", or "too heavy" are perfect books for slow reading.*** If you have a little anxiety over it – good! It’s the perfect book for slow reading. Feel the anxiety and read it anyway. It’s okay because when you take your time and slow read, you can handle any challenge. ### Get a physical copy of the book. There are two main reasons I recommend reading a physical copy of the book for your slow read. First, it is the unique and special quietness that descends when reading a physical book. It is distraction free. It’s just you and the book. There is nothing tracking you – what you are reading, how fast you are reading, or telling you how many more minutes you have in a chapter or how much time left you have in the book. When you close your book or open it, it doesn’t show you advertisements or recommended reading from the store. This distraction-free environment allows for a different sort of quietness that is unique to reading physical books. Secondly, the journey of reading is visceral with a physical book. It’s not just the feel of the pages or the delicious book smell – you can actually see your journey through the book as you turn the pages. Notice as the your bookmark slowly moves through the book. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2024/04/weekendread0825.jpeg) I am not saying you can’t use an e-reader. You can. What I am saying is an e-reader does not give you the full experience of the art of slow reading. 💡 If you do choose to slow read on your ereader, ****turn off** ****the timer settings** showing how much time you have left in a chapter or the book. In the end you leave a bit of you behind in a physical copy: in your margin notes, markings, and what you chose to highlight and underline - even with the coffee and food stains at certain areas and the way the spine is worn. A physical book tells not only the story within it’s pages, but also the story of the reader's journey reading it. Trust me, after weeks or months or even a year slow reading your book, when you finish, you will have a greater sense of accomplishment than if you had read it digitally. You will literally see how far you have come. ### Do not set a deadline. Life is already overwhelmed with so many deadlines to meet. The art of slow reading is about savoring the experience and not feeling rushed. So *let go* of the deadline. By letting go of time constrains and deadlines, you to let go of a lot of the stress, anxiety, and pressure. Instead you get just enjoy the journey and focus more on the reading experience. It’s not a race. It is more of an experience to be savored. So finish the book when you finish it. Don’t set a deadline. This alleviates any sense of rushing and feeling like you have to get it done by a certain time. It might take you weeks, or months, or even a few years to finish. So what! Be okay with finishing it when you finish it. Keep it really simple. No deadlines. Just pick it up and keep reading it until you get to the end. ### Read everyday. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2024/04/1GoAwayI-mReading_dappled_autumn.jpg) Read in your slow read book *every day*. There are two main reason to do this: Daily reading in your book keeps the story or information fresh in your mind *and* it keeps you moving. You do not have to spend a long stretch of time reading in your book (unless you want to). Depending on the book, opt for a chapter a day or at least a few pages. Alternately, you can set an amount of time you will spend reading that day: 10, 15, 20, or 30 minutes. If you are super busy one day and you only have time to read a page or even a paragraph – that is okay too. By reading every day you won’t feel lost or forget what is happening because you were just reading it yesterday. Reading everyday also you keep moving forward and making progress. A book you choose to slow read is usually more challenging, reading it daily keeps you from stalling and/or putting the book down and not picking it back up for years. If you do miss a day or so for whatever reason, then be sure to come back the next day. Do not let more than a day or two pass without reading in your book. Remember – it doesn’t matter how much you read or how fast you read, just that you **do** read – and consistently. **Every. Day.** ### Take your time (don't rush). ![book opened on person's legs](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1517596107285-5ce3dd0f61df?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDI1fHxyZWFkaW5nJTIwaW4lMjBiZWR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzEzMzIxNDk4fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Emily Rudolph](https://unsplash.com/@emrudolphart?ref=grafjen.com) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) Slow, steady, and savoring is what slow reading is all about. So take your time. Don’t be in such a hurry to complete the novel that you forget to enjoy it. By taking your time, you can take notes, jot down things that move or amuse you, look up words in the dictionary, and have your own “conversation” with the author or characters. There will be days when all you have time for is a page and a paragraph. There will be days where you have leisurely hours to read. Either way, don’t feel like you have to race through the book. Take your time. This frees to really get into and almost live in the story, characters, and ideas in the book because it is a part of your life every day for a long stretch of time. There is no deadline, remember? So however and whenever you choose to read each day, don’t be in such a hurry to complete the novel book that you forget to actually savor and enjoy it. ## In Conclusion The year before I read quite a few novels and books. However, it is the three books that I slow read that stand out the most: [*The Brothers Karmazov*](https://www.amazon.com/Karamazov-Brothers-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199536376?ref=grafjen.com) by Dostoyevsky, [*Catch 22*](https://www.amazon.com/Catch-22-50th-Anniversary-Joseph-Heller/dp/1451626657?ref=grafjen.com) by Joseph Heller, and [*House of Leaves*](https://www.amazon.com/House-Leaves-Mark-Z-Danielewski/dp/0375703764?ref=grafjen.com) by Mark Danielewski. Many of the other books I read were fun while they lasted but then quickly forgotten. It is the slow read books that are burned in my mind and heart – that I remember as if I just finished them yesterday. They are the books that I feel a great sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in finally having taken the time to read. So what are you waiting for? Go pick up that book you’ve always wanted to read and start slow reading it today. Don’t stop until you get to the end. And don’t forget to make notes along the way. #### Books mentioned in this post: These are three books I slow read last year mentioned above. They make great slow read books highly recommend them if you are looking for a good slow read: - [***The Brothers Karmazov***](https://www.amazon.com/Karamazov-Brothers-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199536376?ref=grafjen.com) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (this was the translation I enjoyed) - [***Catch-22*** ](https://www.amazon.com/Catch-22-50th-Anniversary-Joseph-Heller/dp/1451621175?ref=grafjen.com)by Joseph Heller (this 50th anniversary edition has lots of extra goodies) - [***House of Leaves***](https://www.amazon.com/House-Leaves-Mark-Z-Danielewski/dp/0375703764?ref=grafjen.com) by Mark Z. Danielewski (it’s a completely unique experience unlike any other book) #### FURTHER READING Struggling to find that book you want to slow read? Check out[ Embarking on a Reading Adventure](https://www.grafjen.com/coming-soon/) for some ideas that can guide you to a good slow-read book. Are you still setting goals of *how* many books to read in a year? That can get in the way of slow reading. To read more about that as well as how to set better goals, check out [Cultivating a Deeper Reading Life Through Better Reading Goals](https://www.grafjen.com/cultivating-a-deeper-reading-life-through-better-reading-goals/). ### Embark on a Reading Adventure: Project Ideas URL: https://www.grafjen.com/coming-soon/ Last updated: 2026-07-21T18:21:28.000Z When a reading ‘goal’ becomes a reading ‘project’, what it really becomes is a reading *adventure*. One of the ways that Merriam-Webster dictionary defines an [adventure](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adventure?ref=grafjen.com) is “an exciting or remarkable experience.” Embark on any of these reading projects and you are sure to have an exciting and remarkable experience. When choosing a reading project, consider these things: - how you want to challenge yourself - what you are interested in - ways you want to grow - your 'secret' dreams Below are some examples of reading adventures you can embark on. Remember, a reading project can (and should) be long term. It is the difference between a week’s vacation at the beach vs. the adventure of moving to a new country. Your reading project can take months or even years. That is part of the fun. So take your time. ### Reading Adventures (aka projects) #### Pick a country Each country is unique in its own way and culture. For this reading adventure you pick a country. It could be a country you have never visited but always wanted to or one you would never even consider visiting but are curious about. For this project – whether you choose to read fiction or non-fiction – all your reading is set in this country, or is written by people from this country. You can read fiction, poetry, philosophy, or read about the history and language, the natural flora and fauna native to the land, the mythology, and so on for this particular country. #### Pick a time period This reading adventure is like time traveling. Everything you read is either written during this specific time period or setting of the book is during that time period. Your reading can include fiction but also non-fiction: art, science, philosophy, poetry, and history and so on written about or written during that time period. For example, if you were going to choose the medieval age, you might pick up Geoffrey Chaucer’s *The Canterbury Tales* as well as a more contemporary novel like Umberto Eco’s *The Name of the Rose* that is set in medieval Italy. In the last project idea you were limited by geography. For this one you are only limited to a certain time period, but can travel anywhere in the world. #### Read Only Books Sitting on Your Shelves (or in your e-reader) Most avid readers will have a personal library – either of physical books or ebooks. Whether your personal library has twenty books or thousands, there usually are unread books that keep being put off to ‘later’. Yet, later never seems to arrive. You know the saying, “*so many books, so little time!*” – it’s so true! For this project pick a certain amount of time – a few months to a year – and read *only books that you already own*. You are finally going to read those books that have been sitting on your shelves for years! Yes, it’s ok to purchase more books during this time as you wish but don’t read those new additions until this project time period is completed. Otherwise, you just keep putting off the ones waiting on your shelves. Perhaps, however, you are minimalist and don’t own any books. (You borrow all your reading.) If that is the case, then you will take this time to tackle those books you always wanted to read but haven’t done so yet. So for this project, now is the time to go ahead and make a dent in your TBR. Pick up those books you always wanted to read but kept putting off. Just go for it! #### Read Prize or Award Winners For this reading adventure, you can choose a certain prize – such as the Pulitzer prize or Nobel prize for literature – and then reading all the books from this category. Perhaps you choose to read books written only by [Nobel prize winners](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Winners-of-the-Nobel-Prize-for-Literature-1856938?ref=grafjen.com). Or, systematically read [books that won the Pulitzer prize](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pulitzer-Prize?ref=grafjen.com) either starting with the first prize given in 1917 and moving forward in time. Perhaps you want to start with the most current prize winner and go back in time. Decide what works for you. There are other prizes and awards as well. The Hugo Award for science fiction, the Booker Prize, the National Book Awards, and so on are other ones. Reading award and prize winning books is a great way to find some of the best and most rewarding reading experiences out there. #### Pick a region or place This is similar to the country project above but more specific. For example, within the U.S. you could pick a region – like the South – that produced amazing authors that are so unique. Or you could pick a state, such as Hawaii, and read all novels set there or produce from authors from this small island state. The same could be done in any country, not just the US. This is very similar to choosing material for a country as mentioned above, but more specifically an area. It’s one thing to choose the USA for your country project, it’s quite another to limit it to only the South. See what I mean? #### Read only referrals from friends, family, and strangers. This could be a fun reading adventure. Readers are everywhere and we all love to read different things. For this reading adventure, you will read only those books others share with you. By sharing, I mean people you actually come into contact with in your life – not just people you happen to follow online that are being incentivized to share a book with you by a publisher. These are recommendations by people you interact with in some way personally. For example, maybe it is a book a family member read and told you about, the person sitting next to you at the doctor’s office waiting room that mentioned a book they loved. It could be the person standing next to you in line that you got to talking about books. Books people gifted you. Perhaps you have a list of TBR that were all recommendations you said you might read but never have. For this project, those are the books you will read. If done right, this could be a wildly varied and awesome adventure. You may discover new genres and book loves you would never have found on your own. #### Read the Biographies of Every President I read about someone doing this years ago and decided to include it here. It was such an interesting idea. [Here is a list of all the presidents](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Presidents-of-the-United-States-1846696?ref=grafjen.com) to get you started. Start with George Washington and go all the way to the current president. Imagine the perspective you would have on politics if you were to read the biographies of each President of the United States of America. This does not have to be United States specific. Perhaps you live in a country that historically had kings and queens or some other form of government. You would read biographies of each of those leaders. Whatever country you are from, read biographies on your leaders throughout history. #### Read a Novel from Every Country in the World This is a reading adventure [someone else did](https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/12/this-woman-read-one-book-from-every-country-in-the-world-here-are-her-favorites/282634/?ref=grafjen.com) that I thought was awesome. #### Choose to Always Read the Book Before the Movie/TV show. I have a general rule that I never unwittingly watch the movie before reading the book. For example, the movie *Dune* came out in 2021 and I still haven’t seen it yet because I haven’t read the book. Also, if I do watch something and later find out that it is based on a book, then I find the book and read it. It seems that pretty much everything on television and or in the movies these days is based on a book or short story. The majority of what you watch was a book first. Seriously, try to find something that is not based on a book. In fact, it is probably more difficult to find a movie or TV show that is *not* based on a book. For this reading project, you will read the books that TV shows you currently are watching or movies you saw and loved are based on. Also, before you see any new movies or TV shows based on novels, you will read the book first. As most readers know, the book is (nearly) always better. This project gives you a chance to reflect on this. What exactly is it that makes the book better? For those very few times the movie or show is better, ask yourself: Why? What is different this time. #### Dive into an Author's Canon Pick and author you love and read all the books, short stories, essays, and/or poetry they have written. For example, you could choose to read all books by Dickens, Dostoyevsky, Austen, Tolstoy, Twain, Wharton, or Henry James, for example. Or, you could choose a more contemporary author if that is your thing: like [Sue Grafton’s alphabet series](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/contributor/sue-grafton/%5F/N-2kmy?ref=grafjen.com). It might be more satisfying challenging to choose a less contemporary author. You can read them in the order they were written to get a feel for how the author’s writing matured and changed over time. Go ahead and spend a year with your favorite author. You could even read a biography about them while you are at it. #### Read all of Shakespeare's Plays This is similar to the one above but Shakespeare is truly in his own category. You could read the plays in the chronological order they were written, read them by type (comedy, historical, tragedy, and so on), or just read them as you please. You could even supplement this project once you have finished with critical books like [Harold Bloom’s Shakespeare](https://www.amazon.com/Shakespeare-Invention-Human-Harold-Bloom/dp/157322751X?ref=grafjen.com), add in some of the his other writing in poetry, and even read a biography of the bard himself. #### Read About Your Own Culture A lot of people are into genealogy these days and sending in DNA samples to find out their genetic history. Whether you just know through family history or you found out from your DNA, start reading more about the regions and cultures that are a part of your personal and physical history. Dive into the mythology, beliefs, religions, history, and culture that you come from or that show up in the majority of your DNA. My grandparents on my mother's side are Greek immigrants and my dad's side of the family are Norwegian Viking history. I love reading and diving into those cultures. #### An Epic, Epic Poetry Reading Project This is one a reading project [that I am embarked upon this year](https://www.grafjen.com/the-epic-epic-poetry-project/). I recently read this commentary in [How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler J. Adler](https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Classic-Intelligent/dp/0671212095?ref=grafjen.com): *“… the most honored but probably least read books in the great tradition of the Western World are the major epic poems, particularly the Iliad and Odyssey of Homer, Virgil’s Aeneid, Dante’s Divine Comedy, and Milton’s Paradise Lost… Most of us are not aware of the loss we suffer by not making that effort* \[to read them\]*. We hope you will take a stab at reading these five great epic poems, and that you will manage to get through all of them… Homer, Virgil, Dante, and Milton – they are the authors that every good poet, to say nothing of other writers has read.”* I had read a few of these but not all of them and some not in their entirety. Thus my decision to embark on an Epic, Epic Poetry reading project. This reading adventure includes *The Iliad* and *The Odyssey* by Homer, *The Aeneid* by Virgil, *The Divine Comedy* by Dante, and *Paradise Lost* by Milton. A reading adventure through the five greatest epic poems every written - sounds Epic to me! #### Great Books of the Western World It's been the canon of learned and educated people everywhere for a reason. Remember the movie, *The Equalizer?* Denzel Washington’s character is reading his way though the 100 best books. A classic and great reading project. Many people have embarked on this throughout history. To read the great books is to join a conversation that has been going on for hundreds if not thousands of years. In today’s world that is increasingly becoming a novelty. However, many successful people do this and it will definitely elevate and deepen your reading life and your world. #### Read Books or Topics Everyone is Talking About But Few Have Read. Everyone talks about evolution and Darwin, but few people have actually read Darwin (*The Origin of Species*) directly. Many people like to throw around words “Nazi” and “fascists” who have never directly experienced these ideologies or read about them or the history they caused. Lots of us base commentary and opinions on what we have heard from others rather than from direct sources and understanding. Another example is how today many people like making memes about [*1984*](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1984-george-orwell/1100009100?ref=grafjen.com) and [*Brave New World*](https://www.amazon.com/Brave-New-World-Aldous-Huxley/dp/0060850523?ref=grafjen.com), but many have not read those novels. Another example would be the naming of X’s AI “Grok” – that word was coined by Robert Heinlein in the novel [Stranger in a Strange Land](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stranger-in-a-strange-land-robert-a-heinlein/1100171693?ref=grafjen.com). (As soon I heard the AI would be named “Grok”, I grokked it because I had read it a few months before - spoiler: it was not my favorite but worth a read.) So next time you mention or talk about an idea or topic or novel, but haven’t read the source text or book – go and read it. Make that your project – to get educated on the ideas and things that are in popular culture you may not have direct knowledge or experience in reading. #### Learn Something New Pick something you know nothing about and create a reading adventure around it. (Tip: think about what you would be in another life and then learn about it) Perhaps you are interested in chess. Learn to play by reading [*Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess*](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bobby-fischer-teaches-chess-bobby-fischer/1102553434?ref=grafjen.com) or any other chess books. Then read a book about the game: [*The Immortal Game*](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-immortal-game-david-shenk/1012908674?ref=grafjen.com)[ by David Shenk](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-immortal-game-david-shenk/1012908674?ref=grafjen.com). Maybe astronomy is something you want to know more about. Start with [*Welcome to the Universe: A Brief Guide*](https://www.amazon.com/Brief-Welcome-Universe-Pocket-Sized-Tour/dp/069121994X/?ref=grafjen.com). If the book you are reading is referencing another book, then read that book and so on from there. Maybe you are into architecture and design, read [*A Room in Context* by Katherine Benzel](https://www.amazon.com/Room-Context-Design-Beyond-Boundaries/dp/007005956X?ref=grafjen.com), [*The Nature of Order: An Essay on the Art of Building and the Nature of the Universe, Book 1 – The Phenomenon of Life*](https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Order-Phenomenon-Environmental-Structure/dp/0972652914?ref=grafjen.com) and [*A Pattern Language*](https://www.amazon.com/Pattern-Language-Buildings-Construction-Environmental/dp/0195019199?ref=grafjen.com) by Christopher Alexander. Maybe you always secretly wanted to be and FBI agent or something like that. Read a book like [*What Every BODY is Saying*](https://www.amazon.com/What-Every-BODY-Saying-Speed-Reading-ebook/dp/B0010SKSTO?ref=grafjen.com) about reading body language by an FBI agent or [Unmasking the Face](https://www.amazon.com/Unmasking-Face-Recognizing-Emotions-Expressions/dp/1883536367?ref=grafjen.com) by Dr. Paul Eckman who taught agents about micro expression and who the TV show "Lie to Me" was based on. Whatever it is you are interested in learning, reading about it for 30 minutes for a year will take you much father than you imagine. #### Your Next Reading Adventure Make this year the year you embark on your own reading project and adventure. And remember, adventures are fun but what truly makes them adventures is that they are challengingand cause you to step out of your comfort zone. Speaking of comfort zones…if your only reading goal each year to read a certain number of books, then check [*Cultivating a Deeper Reading Life Through Better Reading Goals*](https://grafjen.com/cultivate-a-deeper-reading-life-through-better-reading-goals/?ref=grafjen.com) for more ways to challenge your reading this year. ### Cultivating a Deeper Reading Life Through Better Reading Goals URL: https://www.grafjen.com/cultivating-a-deeper-reading-life-through-better-reading-goals/ Last updated: 2026-07-21T18:21:16.000Z Each year many of us like to set a reading goal of how many books to read in a year. Goodreads made this popular with their [yearly reading challenge](https://www.goodreads.com/challenges/show/11634-2024-reading-challenge?ref=grafjen.com). But is this really the best way to set a reading goal? No! It’s time to cultivate a deeper reading life through better reading goals. I confess. I was one of the many people who would dive into the Goodreads challenge. Each year, I set set bigger and bigger reading goals. My reading challenges grew from 20 to 50 to 100+ books in a year. And, as an avid reader and lover books, it wasn’t too difficult. Eventually I quit and here’s why: I noticed my reading becoming more and more shallow. I was choosing to read only easy and fun books. That way, I could easily read them very fast thus meet my yearly book quota. Why do we set a goals or challenges anyway? Is it not to improve ourselves or lives in some way? I began to wonder how simply reading a certain number of books per year improve me or my life. #### Vague and Shallow Goals I realized that setting a goal of *how many* books to read per year is actually vague and shallow. It was vague because there was no specific way it was making me a better reader or improving or deepening my life. It was shallow because mostly it seemed best for “bragging” rights – “I read \_\_\_\_ amount of books last year!” Not only is it a vague and shallow goal, but a reading goal like this can easily cause you to get stuck in a reading rut. You will likely pass up those longer, more difficult or challenging books that you really want to read but just don’t have time for – spending weeks reading [War and Peace](https://www.amazon.com/War-Peace-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199232768?ref=grafjen.com) or [House of Leaves](https://www.amazon.com/House-Leaves-Mark-Z-Danielewski/dp/0375703764?ref=grafjen.com) will definitely get in the way of a 100 books a year reading challenge. I kept passing up a book I always wanted to read – [*The Brothers Karamazov*](https://www.amazon.com/Karamazov-Brothers-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199536376?ref=grafjen.com) by Dostoyevsky. If I was to meet my reading challenge then I couldn’t spend that much time reading one book. If you are a new reader or [an elementary reader](https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Classic-Intelligent/dp/0671212095?ref=grafjen.com), reading a certain number of books in a year can be a fun challenge. However, if you are already an avid reader and want to cultivate a deeper reading life, then there are better ways to set reading challenges and goals. ## That Cultivate a Deeper Reading Life What is a better way to approach reading goals and challenges that will improve your life and you as a person? Below are a few ways set goals that improve or deepen your reading life: ### Read Every Day Truly, the best goal when it comes to cultivating a deeper reading life is to spend time reading every day. How much or how long you spend reading every day is up to you. I find that 30 minutes a day is ideal. Obviously, some days you will have more time than others. Some days you will have an hour or more and other days only time for a page or a paragraph. Do what works for you. If you are having a busy day – just do what you can. The main thing is to spend time reading every day. It’s very difficult to cultivate a deeper reading life if you do not have a consistent habit of daily reading. Spending each day reading offers a sense of continuity in your reading which helps towards having a deeper reading life. It also works consistently to improve and train your ability for deep concentration and focus over time. And when I say read, I mean sitting and reading a book in quiet concentration – not listening to audiobooks. That’s *listening,* not reading – besides, most of the time we are engaged in some other activity when listening to an audiobook. Each are unique experiences that engage the brain in different ways. There is nothing wrong with audiobooks – I love them too! – but a daily reading habit consisting of quietly, singularly engaged in reading a book is what I am talking about. It requires a deeper attention and level of concentration. For those of you that still want a numeric goal or challenge – how about the number of days you read each year. Get a calendar and mark each day you read. Can you get to 365? ### Challenge Yourself and Read Difficult Books It’s fun to read books purely for entertainment purposes only and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I love getting lost in a good book. Reading can and should be fun. However, if that is *all* the reading you do, then you are missing out. Reading offers so much more than escapism and entertainment. If your only goal is to read “x” number of books a year, then it is likely you are choosing only (or mostly) fun, escapist, pure entertainment books that are easy reads to meet that goal. Here’s your new reading challenge: instead of setting that reading “challenge” of *how* many books you will read, make your reading challenge to read a book that will actually *challenge* you. I’m not saying you have to stop reading fun escapist books. What I *am* saying is to read one or more books this year that will stretch your reading abilities. Who knows, you may even find the challenging ones to be fun and entertaining on a whole new level. What makes a book difficult or challenging? Well, it is different for every person. Pick up that book that intimidates you, that you think is too long, too difficult, and possibly way out of your league and go for it. Take it slow and steady and don’t give up. (Now that you have given up your 50-100-books-a-year quota, you will have time to delve into those more challenge reads that you always said wanted to do.) Stretch those reading muscles and your brain. Go for the books that challenge you. What difficult books you have always dreamed of reading will you pick up and challenge yourself with this year? Don’t hesitate – go for it! ### Get Out of Your Comfort Zone Shake up your reading life. **Get out of your comfort zone.** Read something different. Challenging yourself – as mentioned above – is more about reading difficult or challenging books. Getting out of your comfort zone is about reading *different* books. Perhaps you mainly read a certain genre of fiction (thrillers, fantasy, science fiction, mystery, or romance to name a few). Then, choose to read a book that is in a totally different genre. Maybe ***all*** the books you read are fiction. Then it’s time for some non-fiction. For example, you love and read mostly science fiction books. To get out of your comfort zone, you might choose to read a non-fiction book like[ *A Crack in Creation*](https://www.amazon.com/Crack-Creation-Editing-Unthinkable-Evolution/dp/0544716949?ref=grafjen.com) (a book about the revolutionary new technology of gene editing, CRISPR). Perhaps all you read is non-fiction, self-improvement or productivity books, then it’s time try a fiction novel such as [David Copperfield](https://www.amazon.com/Copperfield-Penguin-Classics-Charles-Dickens/dp/0140439447?ref=grafjen.com). Some of you may only read contemporary literature. Perhaps its time to dive in to a long epic poem like [The Iliad](https://www.amazon.com/Iliad-Oxford-Worlds-Classics-Paperback/dp/0199536791?ref=grafjen.com) or [The Odyssey ](https://www.amazon.com/Odyssey-Homer/dp/0393356256?ref=grafjen.com)by Homer or [The Histories](https://www.amazon.com/Histories-Herodotus/dp/0140449086?ref=grafjen.com) by Herodotus. Whatever your reading comfort zone is, get out of it. See your reading patterns and disrupt them, expand them. Whatever it is you read a lot of, choose one or more books to read this year that are very different. Cultivate a your deeper reading life by stepping out of your comfort zone. The best part? The more you get out of your comfort zone the bigger that zone will become. It’s quite the (reading) adventure. Not only will you grow as a reader and a person, you will seriously flex those reading and concentration muscles. ### Embark on a Reading Project Speaking of adventures, another way to deepen your reading life is to embark on a reading *project*. Rather than just picking how many books to read in a year as your goal, why not pick a reading project? By embarking on a reading a project, your reading ‘goal’ suddenly it becomes a reading *adventure*. When choosing a reading project, consider these things: how you want to challenge yourself, what you are interested in, ways you want to grow, or secret dreams you carry in your heart. There are many ways to approach a reading project. For example, [there was a woman who decided to read a fiction novel from every country](https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/12/this-woman-read-one-book-from-every-country-in-the-world-here-are-her-favorites/282634/?ref=grafjen.com). That is a great example of a reading project! ### Keep a Reading Journal This technically not a *reading* goal, however it does help to cultivate a deeper reading life. Keeping a reading journal is a good practice. Your reading journal doesn’t have to be for anyone but you (unless you want to share). It can be intensely personal and totally imperfect. You don’t have to take notes on books like you did for school (unless you want to). This is for *you.* Not only is it documenting your reading journey, but your growth as a person as your deepen your reading life. Jot musings, notes on what you think as you progress in your reading, how you feel about what you are reading, connections you see and are making, quotes and turns of phrase you love, ideas it inspires in you, record words that you look up, and make note of books or research it references that you might want to read in the future. Don’t feel like your reading journal has to contain only “deep and important” thoughts about what you are reading, but you might have some of those as well. You can even note the dates and pages read as you write about the book in your journal showing your progression as you read. You can also keep an actual calendar in your reading journal to plot the above goal of number of days read in a year as well what you read and when. If you ever decide to re-read a book again in the future you will be able to return and see where you were the first time your read it. The more we experience life, the more depth of understanding you have and it shows when you pick up those books from your youth and re-read them. They take on a whole new meaning. Your reading journal will reflect that. The reading journal can also feed into other areas of your life as well in surprising ways. So keep a reading journal – it will definitely help you to cultivate a deeper reading life. ## Pleasure vs. Joy in Reading Getting lost in a good book purely for escapism or entertaining is such a pleasure. But cultivating a deeper reading life through reading every day, challenging yourself with more difficult books, reading outside of your comfort zone, and reflecting on your reading in a reading journal will bring you **joy**. Joy is deeper and more lasting than fleeting pleasure. You may not remember most of those 50-100 books you read in a year, but you will remember that book that challenged you, that made you step out of your comfort zone, and took you weeks or months to finish. The books that stay with you, become a part of you, even shape who you become. There is also so much joy in simply having finally tackled that book or work you have been saying you would for years. These are all lasting joy you won’t soon forget. I don’t remember the details of many of the fun books I read last year. They were fun while the lasted. However, the joy of finally reading *The Brothers Karamazov* by Dostoyevsky (which took me months of finish) is one that will stay with me for a lifetime. So stop setting the vague and shallow goal of simply how many books you want to read in a year. Instead, cultivate a deeper reading life by challenging yourself to read those books you always wanted to read but thought were too difficult, by stepping outside of your comfort zone, by developing a daily reading habit, and also by keeping a reading journal. Reading goals like this don’t just cultivate a deeper reading life, but cultivate more meaningful and better life overall and help you grow in your own soul. ### I, Robot: The Book I Can't Stop Thinking About URL: https://www.grafjen.com/i-robot-the-book-i-cant-stop-thinking-about/ Last updated: 2024-04-18T02:29:49.000Z With AI technology in the news almost constantly these days, this book - published nearly 73 years ago - has left me with questions, concerns, and many things to think about when it comes to robots and AI. It is one of those books perhaps we should all be reading, re-reading, and talking about right now. > …You don't remember a world without robots. There was a time when humanity face the universe alone and without a friend. Now he has creatures to help him; stronger creatures than himself, more faithful, more useful, and absolutely devoted to him. Mankind is no longer alone. - I, Robot I am very excited about the future of robots and AI. But I must admit, I am also a bit nervous as well. Isaac Asimov was deeply thinking and imagining possibilities more than seventy years ago. In[ *I, Robot*](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/i-robot-isaac-asimov/1100302412?ref=grafjen.com) he presents the three laws of robotics, writes stories that show problems that might arise, and the shows ethics involved in robots and AI. > “‘Oh, are robots so different from men, mentally?' > > 'World's different.' She allowed herself a frosty smile. 'Robots are essentially decent."' - I, Robot This is one of those books where I actually saw the movie first. This has happened only a handful of times in the past and has ruined my reading of a novel (I’m looking at you[ Girl with the Dragon Tattoo](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo-stieg-larsson/1100040490?ref=grafjen.com)). And yet, several things aligned that caused me to finally get and read this book: ## The three things that prompted me to pick up this book: #### 1 – We Live in Science Fiction Times. It seems like we are living in ‘science fiction’ times. Even last year we were hearing about [Elon Musk building humanoid robots](https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-63100636?ref=grafjen.com) and many others around the world are doing so as well so I don’t think a future with robots is far off. This is probably why I found myself wandering into the science fiction area of the bookstore to browse when I saw this book. Generally, science fiction is not a genre I read a lot of – I’ve read only a few things: [Ender’s Game](https://www.amazon.com/Enders-Ender-Quintet-Orson-Scott/dp/0765378485?ref=grafjen.com), [Ready Player One](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ready-player-one-ernest-cline/1100055635?ref=grafjen.com), and [Jurassic Park](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jurassic-park-michael-crichton/1100400615?ref=grafjen.com) (hey, it was in the science fiction section of the bookstore so I’m counting it as SF). All of those novels were great, though (and I recommend them highly), so my experience of the science fiction genre is stellar and am willing to read more. #### 2- I loved the cover of the book when I saw it in the bookstore. I know, right? Seriously. I love cover art on books and will admit I do occasionally judge a book by its cover (at least enough to pick it up). Well, the cover art of this book caught my attention. I’m glad it did because I picked it up, loved it, bought it, read it, and wasn’t disappointed. #### 3 – I loved the movie and have seen it multiple times. This was the final reason for deciding to buy and read this book. As I mentioned above I saw the movie first. What I didn’t mention was that I loved the movie and have seen it multiple times. One of my favorite scenes in this movie is when Will Smith is interviewing the Robot: **Will Smith**: *“You are a clever imitation of life… Can a robot write a symphony? Can a robot turn a canvas into a beautiful masterpiece?”* **Sonny** (the robot) pauses and replies: *“Can you?”* (**Me**: Seriously, it’s a valid question Will. I vote this is one of the best come backs of all time!) Just keep in mind, the book is nothing like the movie. Which is probably why I still was able to enjoy the book so much as well. I didn’t know what was going to happen. > To you, a robot is a robot. Gears and metal; electricity and positrons. - Mind and iron! Human-made! If necessary, human-destroyed! But you haven't worked with them so you don't know them. They're a cleaner breed than we are. This book is a series of short stories. Certain characters will show up in the the stories throughout the book: Dr. Lanning (the creator), Dr. Calvin (the robopsychologist), \_\_\_ and Donovan. Each short story features a situation concerning a robot. Each situation is one in which the robot usually as “gone wrong” and they must figure out what is going on and how to fix it. ## Why I can't stop thinking about this book ever since I finished it: In this novel, the creator of robots, Dr. Lanning, really spent time thinking about the consequences of AI intelligence. Which is why he came up with the 3 Laws of Robots. ### [**THE THREE LAWS OF ROBOTICS:**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three%5FLaws%5Fof%5FRobotics?ref=grafjen.com) - **First Law** – A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. - **Second Law** – A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. - **Third Law** – A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law. Why is this important? Well, Dr. Calvin puts it best in the novel when she says this: > *“All normal life, Peter, consciously or otherwise, resents domination. If the domination is by an inferior, or by a supposed inferior, the resentment becomes stronger. Physically, and, to an extent, mentally, a robot – any robot – is superior to human beings. What makes him slavish, then? Only the* First Law! *Why, without it, the first order you tried to give a robot would result in your death.”* Now with that in mind, there is an instance in the novel where the robot refuses to believe that humans made him after two engineers tell him that they put him together a week ago. The robot responds by saying, *“*For* *you* *to make* *me seems improbable.*”* The robot decides to take some time and logically think this through. Later he comes back and says this: > *“Look at you”, he said finally. “I say this in no spirit of contempt, but look at you! The material you are made of is soft and flabby, lacking endurance and strength, depending for energy upon the inefficient oxidation of organic material – like that.” He pointed a disapproving finger at what remained of Donovan’s sandwich. “Periodically you pass into a coma and the least variation in temperature, air pressure, humidity, or radiation intensity impairs your efficiency. You are* makeshift.*“* > *“I, on the other hand, am a finished product. I absorb electrical energy directly and utilize it with an almost one hundred percent efficiency. I am composed of strong metal, am continuously conscious, and can stand extremes of environment easily. These are facts which, with the self-evident proposition that no being can create another being superior to itself, smashes your silly hypothesis to nothing.”* I kind of chuckled after reading that part because you can actually see where the robot was coming from. I suppose, if I were the robot, I would think that as well. This presents something interesting. We are mortal and – according to this robot – inefficient. With that in mind along with Dr. Calvin’s statement, why wouldn’t robots revolt against humans who only want to use them? Asimov was considering these things deeply over seventy years ago – are we doing the same today? Or, have we forgotten these considerations in our race to create new technology? Do we need to consider something like the three laws when creating robots today? If AI were to reach a sort of consciousness, would the three laws be unethical? Like creating slaves? This is why I can’t stop thinking about this book and why it is still on my mind long after turning over the last page. We live in exciting times. > “Actions such as his could come only from a robot, or from a very honorable and decent human being. But you see, you just can't differentiate between a robot and the very best of humans." ## Final Thoughts This book is worth your time – especially in our day and age. It is a great read and well written. It is worth reading these stories and the questions they explore about robots and technology. It makes for great discussion. Highly recommend. I continue to be more excited than fearful when it comes to robots and AI. Hopefully, I will get to live long enough to experience a world where human-like robots are common and just another member of the family. A very smart, very strong, very helpful, and very cool member of the family. > “People say 'it's as plain as the nose on your face.' But how much of the nose on your face can you see, unless someone holds up a mirror to you? Interested in reading *I, Robot*? I’ve made it super easy – click any of the buttons below to grab your own copy. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2024/04/YDOU2281.JPEG) #### I, Robot by Asimov by Isaac Asimov [Get Your Own Copy](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/i-robot-isaac-asimov/1100302412?ref=grafjen.com) ### Re-reading a Classic: The Sun Also Rises by Earnest Hemingway URL: https://www.grafjen.com/re-reading-a-classic-the-sun-also-rises-by-earnest-hemingway/ Last updated: 2025-06-06T18:02:53.000Z Re-read those classics that were wasted on your youthful teenage self! Now that I have more life experience under my belt, I am re-reading The Sun Also Rises by Earnest Hemingway. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Horror in Hot Pink: The Ring by Koji Suzuki URL: https://www.grafjen.com/horror-in-hot-pink-the-ring-by-koji-suzuki/ Last updated: 2025-06-06T18:03:51.000Z It has been a long time since I have gotten spend time perusing books at a bookstore (yay!). It was at Barnes and Noble where I discovered this book: Ring by Koji Suzuki. It stood out to me because it was the only book with a hot pink cover in the horror section of the store (Seriously, it’s awesome that B&N has a whole section devoted to this genre). ## I almost didn't get it. I love a good scary novel and I love hot pink and can’t resist the juxtaposition of those two things together so, of course, I am going to….. Wait…. There is a problem. I’ve seen the movie already! When this movie came out I had no idea it was based on a novel. Had I known I would definitely have read the book first. I am about to put the book back on the shelf (despite the awesome hot pink cover) when I read the blurbs on the back: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2024/04/6A24797C-6F70-4633-88E8-ECF84E052C1A.jpg) > “*Ring*… Holds some shocking surprised for those familiar with the films.” - *The Globe and Mail* as quoted on back cover of book. Hmmmm… “surprises” even though I already saw the film? I decide to get it. ## I'm glad I did. Spoiler (not really): ***I enjoyed it!*** However, seeing the movie beforehand did ruin the experience just a little bit because even though there were some ‘shocking surprises’, I still had the gist of the story. This is the reason I didn’t necessarily \*love\* the novel. (Also, it includes some other things elements that are not my favorite to read but discussing that would spoil it so I won’t). However, I do plan on reading the rest of the trilogy and that says something. Is this a book to pick up and read even *after* you have seen the movie? I think ‘yes’! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2024/04/A6AF8E5F-4F1A-4B21-A590-83B0E60C5475-1.jpg) #### The Ring by Koji Suzuki Who doesn't love a spooky, scary book with a hot pink cover? [Get Your Own Copy](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ring-koji-suzuki/1005658600?ref=grafjen.com) ### In Review: A Gentleman in Moscow URL: https://www.grafjen.com/a-gentleman-in-moscow-in-review/ Last updated: 2024-06-28T22:42:43.000Z After reading this novel, I tried to pick up other popular books and read them. But in comparison to this one, the writing, pacing, and stories of these other books just seemed so bad. Long before actually reading this novel, the title of it intrigued me and I adored the cover. I decided I would read it one day simply for these reasons. (Yes, many times I choose books simply because of their titles and covers!) Years go by, and I finally decide to read this book in November of 2022. Here's why it took me a while to finally pick it up and read it: I am not interested in novels set during the WWII era (and there seem to be a plethora of them these days). However, it was starting to feel like all the books I was reading up to this point were like the same novel so I picked this one up hoping for something a little different. That is exactly what I got. Towards the beginning of the novel I was already hooked. The main character, the Count, ends up having to purge some belongings and he muses about the importance we place on our stuff: > *…we come to hold our dearest possessions more closely than we hold our friends. We carry them from place to place, often at considerable expense and inconvenience; we dust and polish their surfaces and reprimand children for playing too roughly in their vicinity – all while, allowing memories to invest them with greater and greater importance.* (pg. 14) "Yes!" I thought, "what truth!" He then goes on to discuss small living quarters and how small spaces connect with a sense of adventure: > *“It attested to a precision of purpose and the promise of adventure. For such would have been the quarters of Captain Nemo when he journeyed twenty thousand leagues beneath the sea. And wouldn’t any young boy with the slightest gumption gladly trade a hundred nights in a palace for one aboard the Nautilus?* (pg. 15) It brought to mind all my real life adventures traveling and living or staying in small spaces with few possessions. Adventure indeed! The novel reflected this and it delighted me. There was such truth here and from this point on I was hooked. About a third of the way in the novel I started to worry that this book was going to be one of those wonderful novels with a deeply sad ending. Sometimes real life is tough enough without your fictional reading material dragging you through emotional depths as well. It was at this point that I seriously considered not finishing the novel. This is how much I loved the characters of the novel that I couldn't bear for it to end badly. The main character was so wonderful, though, and the book so well written, I decided to keep going despite what may happen. I was about halfway through this novel when voting day rolled around. You know what happens on this day – long lines! What is best way to spend over two hours standing in line? Reading a book, of course! *A Gentleman in Moscow* was the book I read while waiting in a seemingly endless line to fulfil my civic duty. At one point I looked up and noticed that, out of all these people, I was the only one reading an actual physical book. It used to be normal to see people reading physical books while waiting in line but these days most people are scrolling on their phones. Perhaps someone was reading a novel on their phone…(Not the same though, IMHO) Fortunately for me, reading *A Gentleman in Moscow* while waiting in line made the time fly by. I won’t give you any spoilers, but I will tell you that I did love the ending of this novel. Whether it was happy or sad, I will not reveal. I will say it was one of those novels that you wished had not ended. It is beautifully written with a main character you will adore and other characters that will delight you. Although fiction, it it truthful in so many ways that resonate. 👍 With most books these days feeling like a diet of potato chips and candy, this book is like a satisfying homemade meal. Seriously, if you haven’t read this book yet, then do yourself a favor and get on it already! You can check it out from your local library or purchase a copy of your very own. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/71/cb/71cb8618-301b-4d17-8361-8bf65bf4a240/content/images/2024/04/AGentlemanInMoscow_bookphoto_black.jpg) #### A Gentleman In Moscow by Amor Towles [Get Your Own Copy](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-gentleman-in-moscow-amor-towles/1123499449?ref=grafjen.com) ## Update: They recently made a TV mini-series based on this book but I cannot bring myself to watch it! 🤣 I just want to remember the characters and places as my imagination rendered them, not as the TV industry creates them. Once I see the tv or movie of a book, those actors and actresses and settings become my image for the characters and places. Then somehow, it loses a little bit of the magic.