Uh.. Non Fiction Writers?

I'm not really the non-fiction type of girl- I mean I have read a few non-fiction books, but I can't say I have exactly read an array of non-fiction books or experienced very many styles of non-fiction writers. Most recently I have read An Inconvenient Book by Glenn Beck, which I found extremely amusing. And the Summer Reading assignments, FFN, as well as On Writing.

Fast Food Nation wasn't exactly my favorite it was dry and factual- interesting topic, but boring display. On Writing was fantastic.. King had such a natural way of explaining his trade.. I wouldn't say I was a feverish fan like Mr. Logsdon or anyone.. Glenn Beck's book on the otherhand, was my favorite of all three. It was hysterical- had me laughing from beginning to end. If you have ever tuned into Glenn Beck on FOX, which most of you have not, ha, you know he is a bit crazy... But his ADD turns into a fabulous book.. it's full of good points, random points, and maybe points that are a little far out there..

I wouldn't say Beck is my "Literary Bestfriend" but I found his book quite funny and I really enjoyed his crazy, disorganized writing style- even if it is a bit far fetched..

The best finisher in writting

I don't ever remember actually liking a non-fiction book. I've read a few, mainly for school, but I never liked any of them. I'm not able to remember what those books were more or less the author. But I do enjoy fiction, especially when it comes to Ted Decker. The author of the trilogy white, black and red along with single pieces including Three and co-author or the book 'House' has intrigued me since the first page I turned. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what makes Decker so phenomenal but I think it's his endings more than anything. This is a hard part to write about, because i don't want to spoil any endings, but I'll do my best. My favorite ending of all time, no matter what book or author, is that of the book Three. Decker creates an unimaginable devil in the story only to realize in the end that....I WANT TO TELL! but you gotta read it. Trust me, best ending ever. 'House' had the same effect on me, never saw it coming. Now i know people say that all the time, but this one if for real. And no joke, in both books I didn't know until the last page what was going on and they end for your mind to wander. Incredible.
Decker's way of witting style is great to, he builds suspense so well with his slow scenes, and just like his endings, you never know what is next. Every scene is something new and exciting.

My bestest buddy is...

My bestest buddy is not a non-fiction writer. I mean honestly...who reads a lot of non-fiction? Sure I enjoy the more suspenseful works of Michael Crichton, Stephen King and the fictional writings of Vivian Vande Velde and Alison Croggen, but they're not my favorite.

I have forgotten many of the writers whose non-fiction and fiction texts I have read. Lauren (If this is cheating or copying, I'm sorry ahead of time but I have to agree with her) reminded me of an intriguing writer whom many of us are familiar with. Richard Preston is amazing. Keep-you-on-edge twists, believable characters, gory images, and real-world diseases all wrapped into one book is almost too much to ask for, but Richard Preston manages it with flying colors. Seriously, if you have a strong stomach (which I did not at the time) and enjoy compelling novels, check out the following books:

1. Demon in the Freezer
2. The Hot Zone
3. Cobra Event
4. Panic in Level 4

Without a Doubt....

Yeah, yeah, I know you said only to pick fiction writers if we are desperate, but honestly, I don't know if I have ever read a non-fiction book that I truly liked. Or at least one that I immediately recognized as non-fiction. I say this because the way in which my favorite author, Richard Preston, creatively integrates science with the question "What if..." What started out as a summer reading assignment on "The Hot Zone" quickly bloomed into an obsession. After leaving the wonderful, Ebola-infested, world in THZ, I traveled on to explore "The Cobra Event" and "The Demon in the Freezer."

I really appreciate the way in which Preston makes science interesting, although vaguely (and at some points scarily) disturbing. He has the ability to calmly reveal the entire, horrifying, truth of various medical conditions/viruses, for which I heartily commend him.

For all those who haven't read anything by him, I strongly suggest that you check out his work. Caution though-- its not for the weak of constitution.

Favorite Writer?

To be completely honest, I have no favorite writer. The closest person I would call my "favorite writer" would be Stephen King. I love his Fiction, and who knew that a book "On Writing" would actually be interesting? That's probably one of my favorite things about him actually, the fact that he can take something boring and bring it to a new level. One of my favorite works by him, though, would have to be "The Dark Tower Series." He pulls elements from other books he's written, places, characters and incorporates them wonderfully into a book. And, considering the fact he wrote the first book in the series early in his career and built on it, it gives us a picture into his writing world, and how he's changed. I also love the fact that he can scare me out of my pants when he needs to with realistic depictions of, well, just about anything.

Actually, I lied too now that I think about it. My favorite writer other than Stephen King would be Michael Crichton, who recently passed away this February. He was not only a writer, but a director, creating the show E.R. and directing some of his own movies. He brought us the book, and helped make the movie version of Jurassic Park. The way he adds twists to his books, causing you to truly not know what happens next is an ability I enjoy. Predictability: something I hate in movies, books, anything really (which is way I detest romance novels). Now the fact that he went to college and became a Doctor brings something else to the table: His ability to research. He wrote a book called "Airframe" and he actually researched airplanes instead of just making up random things about it. Good information in a fiction novel is something I find to be a nice little surprise.

These two are probably my only "friends." Mainly I like to focus on books themselves. Some authors write books that are fantastic, but then when I read another it's total garbage. So, I read books as they come, unless the book is over-the-top wunderbar. Then maybe, just maybe I'll see what else that author has to say.

Brett's title doesn't make sense. Therefore, my title has no obligation to making any sense either. but photocopy the wedding tree anyways. yes.

My Favorite author is, by far, Dean Koontz. This crazy cracker here cranks out books like one crazy mo-fo. He has tons of books out: I've been reading his books for like a year, and I've maybe read like half o' dem. And the best part of his books is that they're all actually good. The books all are a nice quick read that is like a journey that's more trippy than any acid trip you could ever take. Though, to be honest, the best book I have ever read is probably Meg by Steve Alten. That book is absolutely ruh-DIC. It was a good book to start with, but the ending was totally psychedelic. Like unbelievable. By the way, it's about a giant shark. Not a little girl. That'd be creepy. Which I'm not... mostly....

My Favorite author is, by far, Dean Koontz. This crazy cracker here cranks out books like one crazy mo-fo. He has tons of books out: I've been reading his books for like a year, and I've maybe read like half o' dem. And the best part of his books is that they're all actually good. The books all are a nice quick read that is like a journey that's more trippy than any acid trip you could ever take. Though, to be honest, the best book I have ever read is probably Meg by Steve Alten. That book is absolutely ruh-DIC. It was a good book to start with, but the ending was totally psychedelic. Like unbelievable. By the way, it's about a giant shark. Not a little girl. That'd be creepy. Which I'm not... mostly....

Ya... you WOULD like this guy, Brett

And the award for my favorite author goes to… Lemony Snicket?! You mean that guy who wrote The Series of Unfortunate Events? Yes, that guy. Aren’t you a little too old to like him? Maybe, but that guy really turns me on… literarily speaking. Almost everybody my age has read one of his books or at least seen the movie! He has a great narrator voice, and he has an uncanny way of describing his characters. I can actually understand what’s going on, and he gets to the point instead of dancing and flopping around. I enjoyed his view that the main characters don’t always win and don’t have to succeed in the end. Count Olaf and his troupe are pretty sinister, and like I like how he names them based on their distinguishing characteristic instead of giving them a common old name. And if he uses a word that most likely an eleven year old wouldn’t know, he spends the next paragraph explaining what it means and using a real-world example. I will NEVER stop loving real-world examples, and I think that’s what our classes need. (Pre-Cal and Physics I mean.) If you’ve never read a book by Lemony Snicket pick one up and enjoy a quick, easy read! But you don’t have to take my word for it…

Non-fiction Writer of Choice

I can’t say that I am someone who enjoys non-fiction writing; at least, I have not grown to significantly enjoy it yet. Consequently, I have not read many pieces of non-fiction writing outside of those assigned in specific courses. One non-fiction book (if it can be considered one) that I loved, however, was “Marley and Me”. This is the only piece by author John Grogan that I have read, but it is probably one of my favorite books. The subject itself is one of the major reasons that I like this book so much, but the way Grogan crafts the story and presents it to the audience makes it that much better.

Grogan understands that the anecdotes he included about life with Marley the dog speak for themselves. He was therefore vivid and descriptive, yet straightforward in his stories so that the readers could gain direct access into the situations, and truly feel as if they are a part of everything taking place. Grogan draws you into the emotions involved in the situations whether it is rage at Marley’s damage, amusement at his crazy behavior, or sadness at the family’s loss of Marley. John Grogan presents readers with various situations that evoke these emotions and engage us in the story.

Is a Newspaper Column Nonfiction?

So when I first read the assignment, I tried to think back to the last time I read a nonfiction book for fun. I couldn't. If I'm going to read, it's going to have to be either for school or really interesting, aka fiction.
But then as I thought about it more, I realized there is one type of writing that I like, that isn't necessarily fiction. (I think it's nonfiction but I could be wrong.) John Clay of the Lexington Herald-Leader is a sports columnist. Every morning, I eat a leisurely breakfast while reading everything that's going on in the sports world in the paper. I have grown to love reading articles by Clay. He isn't afraid to write something out of the ordinary. One of my favorite things he writes is an article a few times a week that begins with Random Notes:
In this, Clay doesn't focus on a specific topic, but rather provides commentary, usually humorous, about happenings in the world of sports in the form of bullets. He also often makes lists of facts about big upcoming events, which I also enjoy (I'm a numbers guy.) There's just something about counting down the 15 most exciting things about UK football or the top ten sports moments of the year that makes it fun and enticing to read. It is not uncommon for me to laugh out loud at some funny, yet relevant point Clay makes in his articles. When nothing seems to be going on in the world of sports, I can always turn to Clay for an interesting article, and that makes him my favorite non-fiction author.

John Grisham....a quarter OUT.

Actually I like the guy; he's a good author who comes up with some crazy plot twists. His books are always good reads. However, the man who I most love when it comes to reading is JRR Tolkien, or as I like to call him, JT. He is the genius behind such captivating stories as The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Lord of the Rings II, and The Lord of the Rings III. Seriously, if he can make four ridiculously long books about a bunch of really short people running around and conquering Dark Lords and wearing rings and stuff, then he's got some major talent.

My favorite story by him has got to be The Hobbit, by far. It's such a great story, with an intricate plot woven together by a master storyteller. He just brings the entire story to life with his ridiculous descriptions of the setting and characters. When I read it/listen to it on audio tape I feel like im walking around with Bilbo and his gang of merry dwarves. Bilbo's such a funny little guy; it's incredible that JT could have invented this entire new world full of magic and short people and elves and wizards...he must have had one crazy imagination.

Non-fiction isn't exactly the thing I pick up when I'm bored, so I can't really say which non-fiction is great and what isn't. I just think that any book I can get through is good in my opinion. Also, I think it's sometimes hard to make people like certain genres, so even though some people are excellent in their subject areas, their subject areas can be quite dull. One example is Jared Diamond's book, Guns, Germs, and Steel. I can't exactly say that history is my favorite subject, but Diamond makes the book easier to read. He uses many different sources and explains his position, allowing us to understand what's going on without knowing previous occurrences. He uses many pictures I mean charts, and you know we all love pictures in a boring, I mean educational book. So although I don't think Diamond is as interesting as Stephen King, or Anne Lamott, Diamond is still my favorite because he takes something boring and turns in interesting enough to able to read.

What's nonfiction?

I happen to fit into the large group of students who don’t read non-fiction unless they have to. This doesn’t mean that I haven’t read some really great non-fiction books, I have, but it just isn’t my genre of choice.

For not having read many enjoyable non-fiction books I have two non-fiction authors that stand out in my mind: Peter Benchley and Stephen King. I don’t think that I could choose between them. I really like Peter Benchley because he writes in a way that truly captivates me. My favorite book of his is Shark Life. I read this book back in seventh grade for a science project and it still stands out in my mind. The way he wrote this book made non-fiction feel more like fiction; it wasn’t just the boring statement of fact after fact. I also enjoyed Stephen King as a non-fiction writer. I would never have read On Writing if it wasn’t for summer homework and I’m glad I did. King was so entertaining and he wrote in a way that was like a conversation. He made reading about writing actually interesting. My favorite thing about him is how clear-cut he is. He doesn’t mess around with a bunch of filler, he just tells you like it is and how to do it.

Talk About Cliche

I'm afraid I, like too many other kids in America, am not one to frequent the non-fiction side of libraries. In truth, the only time I'd even think about touching a non-fiction book is...well, because of school. At first I was going to just go to Google, find a list of good NF authors, and pick a random one to write about. Then I realized I'd read On Writing, by Stephen King. That was a NF book; Stephen King could count as my favorite NF writer.

So, Stephen King. It seems like a cliche to pick him, but I can't even fathom choosing anyone else.

This is what I like best about him. He's so freaking straightforward. On Writing was the most entertaining NF book I've ever read, and the thing I liked the most about it was his straightforwardness. He doesn't pretty up his words with a fabulously rich vocabulary, nor does he hide his words with euphemisms worth rolling the eyes at. I could see his fiction style in his NF work, and it was refreshing. He made it so that he seemed to be talking to me instead of at me.

Also... he cursed within the first three pages.

John Grisham about a quarter in

For me, reading is somewhat of a trying task. It's not that i don't like books or reading its just not something i like to do often or frequently. But when i do decide to break the binding of one of those olde hard back books, i am a huge fan of John Grisham. You see my Dad kinda got me hooked on these phonics becuase we would always listen to books when we travled far distances. And Grisham was one that we listened to quite often, so as time went on and began more and more to appreciate his work. Now the reasoning behind this is that i just love crime solving things(and by things i mean TV shows, movies, books, and graphic novels), so whe you consider that Grisham is a murder mystery genius it is no coincidence that i love his books. But, the differing factor between Grisham and the rest of the murder mystery world is that he takes lawyers and outside figures other than cops and detectives and gets them involved in the action, which is hela interesting.

Stephen King

When it comes to non-fiction, my experience is limited. Most of my logged reading time has either been from a dull, simply factual textbook or from a monotonous, sleep-inducing book that I was required to read. However, among the few non-fiction books I've read, On Writing by Stepen King was by far the most interesting. I haven't read his fiction, but if his non-fiction is any indicator of its flow and personality, I'm sure I would like it as well.

Stephen King's style throughout On Writing made the subject matter so much more enjoyable. I liked how the autobiographical first part of the book helped me connect with Stephen and get a feel for how he writes, not to mention the fact that he got me far enough into the book that I couldn't with a good conscience put it down. I thanked him for making his examples humorous and making up back stories that could hold my attention. But what I liked most by far about Stephen King was when he used a blunt, sometimes crude, way to instruct me about writing. He revealed his pet-peeves about writing and spoke so vehemently against them that I try my best to avoid writing in such a way. My motive in this isn't to be a better writer, but to keep myself from writing something Stephen would cringe at (if you noticed, there isn't a single adverb in this entire post). Stephen King has given me something to aspire to when it comes to non-fiction, and I'm sure that his fiction would give me something just as difficult to best.

Favorite Author and Why

Usually I prefer to read fiction books, but the non fiction summer reading assignments have opened my eyes to have an interest in non fiction. Out of the books I read, I though Anne Lamott's writing style was the best. She is the writer of "Bird by Bird" and shares her personal experience and hardships of writing to help benefit and encourage young aspiring writers. Her witty and experienced tone automatically hooks the reader to read more and take her advice. I could always use writing pointers and thought it was considerate of her to share these experiences that have helped her grow as a writer.

The ways she writes is completely realistic and does not have a euphemistic tone that some writers have just to make their story happy. Although, her story/ life obviously has a happy ending because she is a famous published author she shares her hardest times which have show her true character and are really the most important times to grow not only as a writer but also a person.

I love the step by step advice she gives as to not overwhelm most people. One of the best things she tells us is to look at your story plot through a one inch picture frame. Don't get frazzled and really get into the details.

Favorite Author

Over the summer, before I read Fast Food Nation, I was very cynical about its topic. I know about organic foods, and I've heard about how disgusting fast food really is, but it never affected me. Despite how indifferent I was, Eric Schlosser somehow persuaded me to be interested in where my food comes from. He used interesting stories about the history to get me emotionally committed to the book, then he hit the audience with shocking statistics. Due to his in depth investigative journalism, when people talk about how good certain fast food restaurants taste, I question how that food was obtained and what is actually in it. I especially enjoy his style that tends to move from broad ideas, down to specific examples that continue to reinforce the ideas that he is trying to convey. Because he was able to transform a person who didn't believe the issue, into someone who tries to eat more healthfully and less fast food, I regard Schlosser of Fast Food Nation as one of my favorite non fiction authors.

John Grisham...my boy

My boy John Grisham happens to be a fiction writer, my b..... I don't read a lot of non-fiction and he is definitely my favorite fiction writer. My buddy John, or J-Work as i like to call him, is able to put together wonderful stories that allow me to escape to thrill or to books of another genre he writes of, football. As a football fan, I'm intrigued of his book, Bleachers, which displays the different aspects of high school football and how towns come together for high school football. This book, even though it was about sports, was able to keep me on the edge of the seat as the main character came back to this town to reminisce with people of the town and re-meet people he would rather not.
What I really love about my friend John, is that he is so knowledgeable about his topics. For instance, he was a quarterback for his high school football team in Mississippi and understands what really went on and the love everyone had for the team, let alone the quarterback. He also understands crime and law which he frequently wrote about. Before writing, he was a successful lawyer and politician and this enables him to be truthful and full of information to enhance his writing. John will always be a friend of mine, and I love to watch movies that were adapted from some of his great books.

Non-Fiction? I beg your pardon?

Yeah, not a big non-fiction kinda guy, I'm afraid. I...can't stand the stuff. It's simply abhorrent. All of it. Maybe only most of it. Maybe only most of what I've read. Regardless, it's enough that I've developed this huge aversion to non-fiction writing. Fiction writing, though - I'm on that stuff like Italy-san on pasta. Sometimes I'll just pick up a fiction book and look at it, and I'll be like, "Come on, man, we're doing this. WE'RE MAKING THIS HAPPEN."

But I'm supposed to focusing on one specific bloke here, aren't I? Well, seeing as I haven't been able to stomach enough non-fiction to have a favorite non-fic writer, I'll pick a fic writer. I have many literary friends - J.K. Rowling and I used to hang out a lot, but she started to get old after a while, so I dropped that like it was hot. Roald Dahl is kind of like that really old guy in the neighborhood that everyone's talked to several times, and he's cool when you're little, but you can only play so many games of checkers with him before you never want to smell prunes again.

Probably my best literary friend is one of which many of you may not have heard, but you've probably heard of his most famous work. His name is Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, and the story is called The Little Prince. You can't tell me you've never heard of it. And if you have..."What's The Little Prince?" Kill yourself!

It's a fabulous story that, at a first glance, may seem kiddish, but it really has a deep meaning. As for why Antoine is such a good buddy ol' pal...He has a certain style. He writes with such sincerity, you'd have to be named Eric Foreman not to be moved by the emotional scenes in the book. (Okay, I've referenced three TV shows now - who caught all three and can name them?) Antoine writes in a charming style that appeals to anyone, making a bittersweet novelette for the young reader, and an insightful work of art for those with more years under their belts. Antoine's writing, far from being blunt or cumbersome like so many writers out there, is graceful and elegant without being bombastic. For anyone who hasn't read it, give yourself a hearty slap in the face and go check it out from your local library.

My BFF Joel Stein

In the nonfiction world, I can’t get enough of Joel stein, LA Times columnist and frequent Time Magazine contributor. His articles are, admittedly, lighter than your average Time magazine fare, but I really enjoy his laidback, comedic style. I was first introduced to him while reading Time, and I must admit his are some of the few articles I don’t skim in the magazine. Generally he sticks to political or pop culture satire in his articles for Time. I’ve always heard that every truly funny thing has a bit of truth in it, and I think that’s the appeal of Stein’s writing. What he writes is sometimes ridiculous, but it always has a nugget of truth in it that keeps the humor genuine. But I have to admit that I like fiction infinitely better than nonfiction. My favorite fiction authors are Stephen King, Janet Fitch, Sylvia Plath (for the Bell Jar, which is arguably autobiographical), and Charles Frazier. All of them write with this dreamlike quality that I think is rare.

Literarily speaking my best buddy is...

Diana Wynne Jones. She is, as you may have guessed, a fiction writer. She's no ordinary fiction writer though; no, she is a FANTASY-FICTION writer. She has this incredible way of building up the plot. She usually introduces her main characters as perfectly normal people but then suddenly, BAM! The main character will find himself or herself in a major problem, and then fact after fact are shot at the reader until their brains go into overdrive. While your mind is still in a numb-paralyzed condition, truths are revealed, and before you know it the book is over. You don't even realize the book is over until you have been staring at the blank back pages for a few minutes. Then with a startle you wake from your stupor and connect what you read in the book and then everything suddenly makes sense and you realize how wonderful the book truly was! A personal favorite of mine is Homeward Bounders. It is one of numerous mind-boggling books written by Diana Wynne Jones.

Great post Matthew Powell.

Matthew R. Powell on His Favorite Authors

hmmm lemme see... i dont think i can write this whole thing about non-fiction due to the simple fact that i DONT READ IT (notwithstanding certain summer assignments and i suppose magazine and newspaper articles if u want to get technical). but since you {that being Mr. Logsdon} talked about Stephen King(an author of MOSTLY fiction, as u surely know) in your post, I hope that you won't b tooo offended when i circumvent a particular section of your question pertaining to the whole "non-fiction" thing. but fiction i cAn talk aboUt. i love Stephen King (although i do not think i reach the same echelon of fanhood on which you reside). i love his characters, many many story lines, and the way that he builds suspense and can terrify his readers. another name that pops readily(Stephen would hate that) into mind is J.K. Rowling, but that almost seems too easy. OF COURSE i love her- she wrote harry potter; she created characters who were so endearing that when one of them was knocked off by a killing curse, thousands of preadolescent readers would be sobbing for hours, and even the most coldhearted reader would find that he had a lump in his throat and might even have to wipe his eyes as nonchalantly as possible. another writer that comes to mind is the late Chilean Roberto Bolano (with a little squiggle above the n- pronounced Bolanyo). his writing is organic, unconventional. he oscillates between humor and complete darkness. do his works really have plots? kinda. his stories move towards- what? nobody really knows. they have open endings, meaning open to interpretation. it would b a stretch to say that there are climaxes. ur initial reaction as the last words on the page float by is: is that it? did i miss something? that sucked! but then u sit for a miNUte in silence and contemplAte what u Just read and u think: you know what, that was pretty deep; that book was alright after all; in fact it was good, not just good though, you know, it was like really good, it was great, this book is a MASTERPIECE! and SO on and SO forth. its hard to explain unless you've read it yourself. am i making sense here?

Dear Mr. Logsdon...

I almost never read nonfiction, so I was thinking about taking the easy way out and writing about a fiction author. Then - I remembered that there is one nonfiction writer I read every single day: Abigail Van Buren (a.k.a. Dear Abby). Abby may not have the most distinguished style, but I can always count on enjoying her column. Each morning, I read the comics in the Herald Leader, and then I move on to Dear Abby. The people who write to her are so screwed up, her column is like a train wreck that you can’t look away from. I know that is a horrible reason to love an author… but it’s the truth. People send her absolutely crazy stories, and it is weirdly fascinating that some people have lives like that and that they trust a stranger to give them advice for their biggest problems. Also, I can think about how good I have it; my father is not also my brother, my mother and I are not fighting over the same guy, and I’m not the other woman in an affair. And that’s always a plus.

My Favorite Non-fiction Book

Like most writing assignments I would rather just put them off until the last moment then write what comes to mind. I must say when I first read the prompt I thought this would be a pain in the rear but then an idea struck me. Since I haven't read many non-fiction books shouldn't it be easy for me to choose one that I like? The only book that came to mind was Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser.

Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation is the only non-fiction book that I craved to continue reading. I was at my state swimming meet and all of my friends were talking about their races while I was sitting on the bleachers reading until it was my time to race. I love how Eric was able to present his research in a story that wasn't dense and boring. Every page had something new that opened my eyes to how fast food chains work to make profit and manipulate their customers. I felt a connection with Eric while reading. I thought I was right next to him, seeing what he saw and hearing what he heard. The imagery in the book was very intense and I wanted more at the end of each chapter.

The closest thing that I have read that could be described both as "favorite" and non fiction would be David Sedaris. I would not consider him a "literary best friend", but maybe more of an literary aquatance. But I do think he is funny and can't-put-me-down type of author. We have some similairities - namely he's part Greek. And he has some stories about his crazy yiayia that sound something like the Thompson Christmas vacation. We have some personal differences - I believe he is gay (at least he lives with a man in his writing and I'm guessing they do more than just "live" together) and I am not. This doesn't keep me from seeing the humor. I will always remember (or have so until now) when he memorably (redundant) describes how he and his fellow international students would crouch in the halls of their schools, and then he compared it to a refuge camp. I forget the details, but it was very funny.
I also think it may have been Sedaris who declared Holocaust jokes in vogue, though it very well may have not been. I admire the audacity, as insensitive and disgusting and morally numb as it may be, for a writer, let alone a gay man, to say that. Then again it may not have been Sedaris who said that at all.
Sedaris is what I call the perfect Greece read. You pick it up, jump from essay to essay. It's not to heavy, so you can carry it to the beach. It's funny, pretty empty in some respects (theme, etc), but you don't care because it is Greece. And it's easy to nap to.
I guess I could call Sedaris a close friend, don't love every little vignette, but he's got some keepers.

"Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live."

Morrie Schwartz said this. He said a lot of things, really. A lot of meaningful things. But I wouldn't know that unless Mitch Albom, an old sociology student of his, had written about him in "Tuesdays With Morrie". Morrie was dieing, and was completely aware of it, but he embraced the idea. He knew, or at least thought, that if a person was truly aware that death was inevitable, they would have to do something good, something meaningful, during their life.

If I'm going to be honest, I have to admit I don't read a ton of non-fiction. I love books, but I can count the number of times I have sat down and read a non-fiction book on one hand. I feel the way Beth does; I love stories and ideas and the meanings behind a book. I never pause in the middle of my reading and think, wow, what great sentence structure and word choice- what style! But if I were to look back on my reading, considering what we're supposed to be judging, I think Mitch does a good job. He's honest. He doesn't have that kind of in-your-face-I'm-a-writer feel I thought Stephen King did. He seemed like he really just had a story to tell, because so incredible and important happended to him he had to tell everyone. He was simple; he never replaced "use" with "utilize" or felt the need for insincere colloquialisms (fuhgeddaboutit!). It wasn't trying to prove he had class or talent; he was just trying to say something, something he thought everyone needed to hear.

I have been thinking about this assignment a lot.

Really, I have.
And I can’t seem to come up with an answer to your question, Mr. Logsdon.
And I’ve decided that I could make up some BS about how I just love so-and-so, he’s just the best because of this reason. But I can’t do that. It would be average, sewn together with disingenuous comments. So I’ve tried to construct a suitable answer, though it is probably very different than what you are expecting.
I don’t have a favorite non-fiction author. I am sort of terrified you are reading this and are sighing and saying to yourself, “wow, that Hansen (what’s her name…Katherine? Jokes!) has a lot of nerve. Did she not read the assignment? Is she just being lazy? She could’ve at least picked a fiction writer!”
But I really don’t feel like I could. I don’t have favorite authors; I have favorite books. It’s the truth, not laziness on my part. If I really enjoy one book, I might check out another by the same author; but I hardly ever keep up with their newest published works. Maybe I’m not cultured enough, but I suspect something else. I don’t love styles (though I realize many people say they do. I actually think after awhile the same author gets…well, annoying. Everything seems the same.). I love ideas that make me question the way I’ve been thinking. I read because I want to expand my mental horizons. I love books that make me think and change my point of view, and I am thankful for the authors that have brought these ideas to my mind. But I don’t have strong, personal connections, or (if I may quote you, Mr. Logsdon) a sense of “true love”. I suppose it will change with time, but for now I have to say that I cannot lie. I just haven’t connected with anyone.
And I’m okay with that. Maybe one day i'll have a connection with an author. But if I don't, that's okay too.
For now, I guess I’ll talk about two writers I like.
Jeannette Walls wrote The Glass Castle, a memoir about her eclectic, messy, impoverished family. It made me question how I was being raised and how that would in the end effect my growth as a person; how it was such an important part of my growth.
The second is Sharon Creech. Walk Two Moons is my favorite book of all time. Most of my classmates are familiar with this book, and would say it is a book for pre-adolescent girls in sixth grade. I read it for the first time two weeks ago when I was dog sitting. I laughed and I cried and I grew more attached to the characters than in any of the “adult books” I’m expected to read now. As I’m sitting here I have literally started to cry remembering how Creech was able to portray the story of Salamanca. Sharon Creech is definitely the only author I would say I have any sort of “relationship” with. But it wasn’t Creech I connected with; it was the story. A story she wrote, yes. But the story is what I loved; not her style or diction or whatever. Not her syntax or imagery; I loved Sal and her crazy grandparents and “the lunatic” and Phoebe.

I hope I have adequately responded to the post.

Without a doubt,

my favorite writer is Aldous Huxley.
Upon reading Brave New World last year, my world (temporarily, at least) was altered. I became fervently intrigued by Huxley's work, and was opened to an entire "new world"(haha) of thought. Huxley challenges the very fundamental structure of society, and hypothesizes the state of the human race in centuries, or even mellenias, to come. His mind is not bound to the chokeholds of societal structure, and neither is his writing. He portrays post-modern utopian hysteria through a story of personable characters. It's truly remarkable.
Rare is it to find a writer who can truly inspire the masses, incite a break from mainstream original thought, and analyze where the hell the human race is headed. Huxley does so with such an accessibility that makes his writing nothing less than remarkable.

Assignment: Who's your bestest buddy? Literarily speaking that is.

I lied. Really I just changed my mind but “I lied” is a bit more interesting as an opener dontcha think.

This week is a ramp-up to next week’s assignment. Instead of writing like your fav writer, your number one read, your mac-daddy of prose—tell us who you like so much. Oh, and this is the tricky part—why do ya love ‘em so much? Now I’m speaking specifically about non-fiction writers here; but, if you're desperate you can pick a fiction writer-- remember desperate is different than lazy.

My first love (staring off into the distance with puppy-dog glassy eyes and a hint of longing) is Stephen King. I started reading his books oh so many years ago but what I remember most is not his stories (as terrifyingly wonderful as they were) he would often times have a forward or postscript and he would “talk” to us, to me. He affectionately called me “constant reader” and shared some of his personal and professional life with me by telling me of his inspiration, his own struggles—we became “friends.” So much so that when he was struck by a car I was worried I’d never get to “talk” to him again (I know totally creepy of me). Now he also writes a monthly column on pop-culture for Entertainment Weekly (he shares the space with 3 others, sometimes I read Diablo Cody’s piece but it feels like I’m cheating on my friend—yeah I know weird) and I look forward for his updates and thoughts and ideas.

Like most of us, we develop new friendships without totally dissing our older friends. I’ve since become “close” to Roger Ebert as well as Dave Barry. They talk to me fairly regularly now and it’s nice to have their company. So who are your “friends, and why are you drawn to them?”

Roger Ebert's Blog

Dave Barry's Blog

Stephen King's website

In response to James

Not all T. V. "sucks ass" as you say. Yeah, there are a lot of pointless shows on but you don't have to watch them and if you're really adept at channel surfing, you can skip right on by. And plus T. V. brought us such things as Pokemon and House. It's really not that bad.

I think T.V. is a great way to relax. T.V. allows you to get in touch with new ideas, what's going on in the world, as well as shows that make you laugh so much, that you think you might die. But at the same time, I've heard people watch T.V. for 7 hours+ every single day, which I think is just crazy. I've tried to watch marathons, and after watching maybe 2 hours my eyes started to hurt and I had to take a break. I think my favorite show was Heroes, but only the first two seasons, after that it was too much content and it became confusing to watch if you ever missed an episode. Television isn't the problem, but it's the people that don't know when to stop watching. People tend to watch shows that they really don't care about, but watch it for the sake of killing time. So I think certain people should cut back on television, but not necessarily society as a whole.

Television

TV has a bad reputation. Parents are always telling you to watch less of it, and you hear from others how degrading it is. But it really isn't that bad, no worse than eating playing outside for a studying break. Only when people loose sight of the purpose of their watching of TV does it turn into a problem. If someone begins to only play outside, and ceases to study, that is when the problem occurs. Television is alright in moderation, and within limits. I have heard that some of my classmates watch five to six hours a day, and this amount is ridiculous. When a person's life is consumed, it becomes a problem. I do not watch TV often, going weeks without seeing even one show, but I can understand how it is fun, and entertaining as a way to sit back and laugh at your favorite shows. Television is not a problem, and it should not be villianized, so long as people do not overindulge and forget about the rest of their life.

TV sucks

TV sucks these days. From shows about crazy bisexual women (Tila Tequila: a shot at love) to an entire channel about soap operas (SOAPnet), tv has just gone way downhill over the past couple of years. They need to start screening shows before they let people put them on the air. TV is basically a worthless waste of time, unless you're trying to watch some college football or uk basketball or the 6 o'clock news. I hate how they have so many dumb shows on the air, but what I hate even more is that people actually watch them. That's what keeps these worthless shows on the air, kids wasting their time by watching pointless shows. The best channels, in my opinion, are ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN classic, ESPNU, Comedy Central, CBS, and the Weather Channel. Sometimes MTv and VH1, but most of the time not so much. Everything else sucks ass.

television

After watching tonight's broadcast of the Emmy's, I've realized that most of TV is not all that great. There are a few shows that really stand out and are great, but most of them really aren't. Nothing is original anymore, everything has all already been done a hundred times before. But, that still doesn't stop me from watching it. I find myself sitting, watching a whole show about something absolutely ridiculous. Some of my favorite shows are One Tree Hill, Chelsea Lately, House, and Top Chef. One Tree Hill, there's nothing in this show that hasn't been done and said before. It's just like every other teen drama that's been on the air, and yet i still find myself watching it in its seventh season. Chelsea Lately is a late night comedy/talk show on the E! network. Its one of the few things on TV that i find myself laughing at. So much of TV today is just not funny. I find this show very refreshing. There are few shows that i really need to see. The only real time i watch TV is when I'm bored. The best networks for boredom are MTV and VH1. The shows on these stations are just so awful that they are good. Isn't that what most of television is today? So bad that we find ourselves watching it to see someone else's train wreck of a life and being a little thankful for our own.

TV

Television is amazing. (original right?) It's one of those great innovations of human kind, right on up there with cars and computers. And even the people that don't say they watch that much television, I think they would be surprised if they added it up. Everybody watches it. Personally I don't think TV makes people lazy. People make people lazy. If they weren't watching TV one couch, then they would be doing something else on the couch. It's entertainment! It can't be silly.
I don't have a particular show I watch. I don't have the ONE show that I have to see and come to school the next day, 'Did anybody watch _____ last night!?!?!?!?' I sit down and start flipping through the channels. If I don't like what I see in 10 seconds, then I'm on to the next one. But if I come across an episode of George Lopez or Who's Line Is It Anyway, I'm destined to stop and watch.
Yes, television is ridiculous on how many advertisements are on. But its genius, I hate it, but its genius. But many times I don't mind watching commercials (unless it's for SHAMWOW or SNUGGIES, I can't STAND them). I actually buy and look into a lot of stuff I see on TV. So while I wouldn't mind less commercials, I'm not opposed to them either.
I love TV, never would I side against it.

TELEVISION

Television has defined our generation. We are the ADHD generation, the narcissistic generation. The generation whose family included the square (no longer a box) in the living room as much as the dog. It can be funny, and dramatic, and informing, and everything else advertised, but it can also be draining, and over-stimulating, and time consuming. It gives us Tina Fey, but apparently may also cause a whole host of defects from astigmatism to malnutrition. We get our news from it and thyen also our SHAM WOW!. All it asks for are our eyes and ears and it gives plenty to think about. TV, they say, is like alcohol and women. In moderation, it can be a defining and great force. But the potential for abuse is there. Then again 30 Rock, The Office, Arrested Development, Hell's Kitchen, Saturday Night Live, House, Batman: The Animated Series, and American Idol all came from TV, so I can't complain.

My thoughts on T.V.

Personally, think that T.V. is a great invention. Although I'm not obsessed with it, there is a show or something every one can enjoy and just relax watching a program every once in a while. We can get so stressed out over all the activities we partake in that it is probably healthy to just sit down and chill. The average attention span for an adult is about fifteen minutes so how can some people sit mesmerized in front of the T.V. like it is an addicting drug? Couch potatoes and people who do nothing but sit around watching hours after hours of television, i do think, take things too far. T.V. was not meant to make our society obese or lazy and in a way I see the point people make when they make that statement.

My favorite shows have to come from the CW. Shows like Gossip Girl, Beverly Hills 90210, and One Tree Hill are my favorite probably because the main characters are in highschool, and I can relate to these shows. They also have a lot of drama and you won't get bored watching them. DVR is another technology that is very handy in today's society because this just makes watching your favorite show easier. If you don't have time to watch the entire hour program you can simply just fast forward whatever you want, and this is something I like to do so I don't spend my entire afternoon in front of the T.V.

The only way T.V. can be looked at in a negative way is if some one abuses it and just sits watching T.V. for most of the night. If you have nothing better to do, than that's fine, but a T.V. is not a friend or sibling who you could be spending quality time with.

I've got better things to do!

TV can be captivating at moments and then completely cheesy and clichéd at others. I don’t watch TV except for Lost, The Office, and sometimes the news. I don’t have cable and I don’t think it would make a difference if I had it, I just don’t have the time. There are so many things to do other than watching TV. I get antsy and feel uncomfortable when I plop down in front of it and realize I could be doing something else, something with at least a little meaning. Improving my knowledge or skills is much more rewarding than sitting there with my mouth open. I tend to have the urge to eat when watching TV, so it’s doubly bad for me. But sometimes I don’t feel like doing anything else and I watch a movie instead because I cant stand those bastard commercial that start out “DO YOU HAVE A JOB?! DO YOU HAVE $149?! THEN YOU’RE PRE-APPROVED AT CARTOWN KIA!” Do the auto dealers find that those obnoxious commercials are good for their business? Some commercials are only slightly irking, but they are all pretty bad, especially those SATANIC McDonald’s commercials. Since when was getting a happy meal better than winning a soccer game?! And since when did showing up late with a happy meal make everything so much better. I wonder how much they pay the kids’ parents to make them smile as they close their mouth around a “chicken” nugget? They obviously haven’t read Fast Food Nation.

Television isn't all bad!

“Don’t be a couch potato.”
That’s what my babysitter used to tell me every afternoon in elementary school. My parents weren’t strict about how much time we were allowed to watch television every day, but I was always encouraged to be doing something with a little more brain activity. I usually watched one show after school every day, and for a really long time it was “Arthur”.
I loved watching Arthur. I love turning on PBS and accidentally catching a few minutes of it. Sometimes the theme song will still get stuck in my head (“…and I say ‘Hey! What a wonderful kind of day!’”). It wasn’t a guilty pleasure- the show was a nice time of my day, before my parents got home and when I could relax and enjoy the adventures and debate with my siblings over what type of animal Francine was.
But some of the stuff that’s on today…I mean, come on. VHI is infamous for being tacky, but still a lot of people spend a considerable amount of time watching these shows. I find them painful to watch. I just want to grab Paris and tell her that you do not pick a friend through a reality TV show and where in the world do you find these Rebekkahs and Ashleighs that are willing to increase their glam factors so they can spend one night watching you pole dance in a bunny suit.
Do people really not have better things to do?
Some shows are wonderful. From Jimmy Neutron to Thirty Rock, there are some shows that are plain fun to watch. And I don’t mean to sounds like a 70-year-old man, but honestly PBS news shows are so much better than the rude biased talk shows that have become so typical of the 24-hour news stations. In moderation, television can be a good part of our lives. We just have to have the self control and decency not to waste all of our time on tacky broadcastings based on materialism and consumerism and celebrity-worshipping.

TV is just another product on the market

As much as I’d like to stick my nose in the air and say that I have better things to do than sit glued to a screen, I like TV. Admittedly, I don’t have much time to watch TV on weekdays, but I frequently indulge on lazy Sunday afternoons. But I enjoy being able to sit, captivated, for an hour, not having to think about my looming homework. I don’t really get attached to shows at all: I would never tune in on a schedule. I’ll watch pretty much anything but sports and those trashy VH1 shows. As for whether it’s a hidden evil, I think TV is like most things in the world: designed to make money at pretty much any cost. TV certainly isn’t the soundest investment in your health and wellbeing, but there’s nothing wrong with it in moderation. However, I tend to multitask when I do watch TV, and so sometimes the quality of my weekend homework suffers. That is probably the only (noticeable) negative effect TV has on me. Then again, who knows what I might be without it.

The Idiot Box

I just can't see the absolutely intolerable part of TV that causes people to give it up for life. TV is a great way to just relax, take a load off, and give your mind and body a rest after a long day of work. It kills time when you need to, and it can actually teach you about things if you can tolerate watching some dreaded educational television. I learned the basic principles of relativity from watching a show on "the idiot box." Why do so many people think so poorly of it?

People say TV forces advertising down our throat, but if you don't want to watch commercials, you can do something else. TV is a great way for businesses to get their message to potential consumers - no matter how annoying - and these ads are what makes TV possible. I have no problem sitting through ten minutes of commercials while watching an episode of Family Guy or House. In fact, Adult Swim bumps at the beginning and end of commercial segments can be more entertaining that some actual shows.

The bottom line is, TV brings us everything from the news to comedies. It's valuable both as a source of information and entertainment, and as long as it's age appropriate it certainly won't bite.

TV the best thing since sliced bread?

Televison, TV, the tube... this great invention takes on many different names but it doesn't change the fact that it is awesome. I mean tv is probably one of my favorite forms of entertainment ofr the sole fact that i can always plan on it being there. It's like on those nights where you have huge plans that get cancelled its no big deal in my eyes because i know that there is always going to be something on tv whether its a sporting event, classic comedic film, or the many brilliant series that are on networks these days. Plus, you got the people like myself who live in the middle of nowhere and you live far away from anyone, a lot of the time you are stranded at the house with nothing else to do and noone to talk to, tv supplies a form of entertainment that can keep you busy for multiple hours while you wait for the text telling you what ur doing that night.

Now for those people who say tv is a waste of time,picture this... YOu are sitting at home alone all your homework is done, you don't feel like doing anythhing else but sitting in bed what are you gonna? Easy our gonna find one of the shows out there that tickles your fancy and with the wide variety of shows out there today, there is most definitely more than one. ANd i find it hard to say that tv is a waste of time if you yourself do it.

Now as far as my favorite shows go i got a good many:
First of all you got Monk, the OCD detective who solves cases based on his ability to find the minute details that add up to the big pictures.

Then you got the show following that called Psych, which is a show consisting of a fake psychic who solves crime and while doing show just doing down right crazy and obnoxious things (which makes for great tv).

Then, there is Burn Notice, another one of the brilliant USA original series about a burned spy living in the real world and still having to deal with all the enemies he made as a spy.

Next, House... which is plain and simple one of the best tv series out there, how can you beat a doctor not afraid to say anything even if it is extremely offensive or just needs to go unsaid.

Royal Pains, is a pretty good show about two brothers who traveled to the Hamptons after one of the brtohers gets dumped and losing his job for letting a million dollar hospital trustee die.

And then there are the shows that you watch becuase of how incredibly bad they are (like acting and subject wise). These include MTV reality shows like the real world. Made, and any of those dating shows on MTV. Then you got the VH1 reality shows like I Love New York 1-3, I Love Money 1-2, Rock of Love with Brett Michaels 1- tour Bus, and the world famous Flavor of Love all million seasons of it.

My favorite show of all though is easily sportscenter, the show consisting of daily scrapbooks of all the homers, stolen bases, and ridiculous shots form all across the world. Without sportcenter how else am i gonna find out about the Carrying the wife on your back races in Poland? You tell me because I really do not know.

Now I am saying that TV should be your whole life, or condoning the people who rot away by just watching TV and not going outside on those gorgeous bluegrass summer days. the way i figure it every person should get the right balance of TV and the real world, because if you don't your gonna end up looking like Ben Stiller on the end credits of Dodgeball... really obese, with a chicken wing in your left hand and a remote in the other.

TV....In

I personally enjoy television. The only channels I really watch consist of ESPN, ESPN 2, VH1, E!, and MTV. However, ESPN and ESPN2 take up about 95% of my tv all the time. I don't get to watch that much tv as I am constantly at baseball practice or working out or doing stuff. But i always have it on when im on the computer or going to sleep or working on homework. TV allows me to watch the Michigan Football Team and keep up with "the victors". Television lets me watch sports and thats why i primarily use it for. I absolutely love Sportscenter. It gives me all the info i need if, tragically, i wasn't able to see one of my teams' games. I hate the show Charlie and Lola. Its a show and playhouse disney and I hate it.....alot. My younger sisters enjoying watching this filth and i really can't Charlie, well I can't stand Lola either. They do the dumbest stuff not too mention their voices make me want to smash cats....and i love cats. Not that were down with that....I think tv is a great way of entertainment at the end and allows us to get the news we care about or allow us to escape our lives. TV also gives me a lot of useless information like which paper towel is better. I really could care more about Charlie and Lola...actually thats a lie. But still I don't care if the swiffer is on sale at WalMart or if Ol'Roy is the best dog food for my cat. Bottomline....I got tv way in.

TV: A Great Waste of Time

I can totally admit to watching television way too much. I always have the tv on. When I am cleaning my room, talking on the phone, eating, before I go to bed, while I do homework, when I am on the computer, and especially when I have nothing to do. I guess I don't actually *watch* tv, but I use it for background noise. A waste of energy? Sure. A waste of electricity and money? Probably.

I watch VH1 - a lot of it- I'm aware that it's complete trash, but I happen to enjoy watching people make fools of themselves in front of America. Hell's Kitchen and The Biggest Loser are the two not-so-trashy reality tv shows I watch- both of them since the first seasons. They are over dramatic, but they are about real stuff. Which I like. LOST is that one show that I can't miss- although their is no plot.. the writer's just throw in random things like time travel and polar bears to make you to think you aren't watching reruns of Gilligan's Island. The New Adventures of Old Christine, Roseanne and Two and A Half Men make me cackle- my mom and I DVR the hysterical ones and watch them repeatedly.

Anyway- TV is just propaganda. And I think it rots our brains. It's for advertisement and money making- but I don't think it's evil. Quite frankly, I love it. It gives us all something to talk about now, doesn't it? It's part of our culture- like Facebook, texting, and iPods.. it's something that isn't going away.. And why should it?

The Broadcast into our lives. For Better, or for worse.

However one may feel about the ever-increasing impact of television on the human condition, whether you're one of those hindsight-guided transcendentalists who long for a world before the constricting grip of technology on society, or a cultured techno-cat who applauds the strides television has made in global communication, or even a post-modern theorist who sees the proliferation of the "televised mindset" as a one-way ticket to deterioration of human civilization, we can all agree that the invention and spread of the television has impacted human society more radically than any other invention, since agriculture and fire. 

It has bred a novel type of entertainment, lead to an entire plethora of similar technologies, cemented Corporatism, given birth to mass advertising, assisted in the Westernization of Eastern Worlds, and impacted culture throughout the decades. From the first I Love Lucy to House, television shows have always reflected the culture of the generation they represent. 

We are placed in front of a television from our earliest days, and will also likely enjoy the comfort of our favorite characters on our death bed...

Whether this is a good or bad thing, I would need 50 blog posts of this size to explain. I will however, urge you all to consider the time you spend in front of your TV. Was this time wasted? It depends. A general American teenager spends two to three hours in front of a television daily; that's 10,920 hours for a 15 year old. 1/12 of his life. 

I could never argue that television is inherently detrimental. That would be unreasonable considering the societal progress it has spurred. I do assert, however, that when one commits such a large portion of one's life to an entity composed of a complex series of wires and plastics, one should maintain an awareness. It is when one does so mindlessly, that a sort of technological slavery ensues.

No.

Personally, I watch very little TV. The only time that I do is at night. Even then, I only barely watch. I really don't think that TV has that much influence on me. Because I just don’t really watch it that much. It’s not like the TV is going to be the thing that causes me to lead a life full of LETHARGY. That'll be entirely my fault when that happens. Can’t really blame that on anyone/anything else. I have my day filled with too many other lazy activities to have the time to watch TV all day. Besides, I can't watch very much TV at night either. After all, I have to wake up early tomorrow to do all the homework that I didn't do today. I was way too busy sleeping. My family as a whole doesn’t really watch that much TV. My mom is super strict about how much we watch per day. One day last year, I found out that for the past couple of years, my mom had made it a rule that we were not allowed to watch TV on the weekdays. Where I didn’t watch TV, I never knew that until my brother told me about it.

Matthew R. Powell on Television

I love t.v. my favorite shows are LOST, sportscenter, Arrested Development, Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, 30 Rock and the Office. i watch sportscenter or whatever's on ESPN pretty much every day right after i get home from school, but other than that time and times when im really bored, I dont Watch all That Much t.v. for Seven months Of the Year. but in the fall, my fav comedies come on, so thursday nights are busy and my DVR's working overtime. then LOST comes on in the winter and wastes my time by flooding my head with all kinds of ?uestions and preposterous theories. but still, i do love t.v. and all the laughter, tears, blood(?) that coms with it. when TV was invented, the people said "HUZZAH, now we dont have to go to the ye olde theatre for all our ye olde entertainment needs!" the tv was a theater in a box. but as time went on, the television lost its innocence and became infected by the substance that makes the world go round- no, not love you stupid hippies!- money. the manifest function of tv still remains in some capacity, but now-a-days advertisers wants to exploit it like the europeans exploited africa. take the Super Ads- i mean the Super Bowl- for example. this doesnt matter all that much to me because i have DVR, but let it b known that i am truly sorry for all of you out there who dont have this wonderful device.

Television's Decline?

Starting with the easier questions first, my favorite shows are House and a hilarious Britcom called The IT Crowd. (For links to the episodes, check here: <http://www.surfthechannel.com/show/277.html>.) With Glee looking promising as well, I suppose I'll throw that one in there too. Past those, though, I don't watch TV all that regularly, and besides when House begins airing tomorrow, I don't watch any shows on real-time television - they're either online or via season DVD releases.

I think television is what you make out of it. If you buy into the advertising ploys, then you're the victim of large-scale business conglomerates; if you make TV a habit, you're the victim of your own lack of restraint. It has a flipside, too: If you use it as a learning utility, it's extremely useful, and it can be great for just relaxing, if you don't take it too far.

It's true that nowadays TV isn't the head honcho when it comes to where kids invest their time. From the time they're able to sit upright at the keyboard until geriatric arthritis makes clicking the mouse too painful, people are turning more and more away from television and more and more towards computers. On the one hand, it's a step up in mental engagement. On the other hand...it's not really a very big step at all.

TV Post

TV can be a good or bad thing. For example, my brothers have a tendency to watch TV for hours upon hours without doing their homework (-). My sister watches Food Network to get new recipes and What Not To Wear for fashion tips (+). I watch TV only when bored out-of-my-mind or to catch movies I've never seen in snippets.

I used to watch Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune every chance I could because I loved to learn and battle against my dad. Cash Cab was another I couldn't get enough of. But with soccer practice ending at 7, I wouldn't get home in time to watch the Wheel, and with homework I couldn't watch Jeopardy, so I lost interest. I then got hooked on the sci-fi series Legend of the Seeker (I'm technically banned from it-too much violence and scary images for my parents' liking- but still manage to sneak in a few episodes here and there when given the chance). With younger siblings around, watching more mature shows, like House, NCIS, Legend of the Seeker, and The Secret Life of an American Teenager is out of the question. The shows they enjoy watching together, like SpongeBob and Sonny with a Chance, bore me to tears. Too many commercials add to the frustration.


Most of the time I just don't have any control over the TV. However, when UK plays (football, BASKETBALL, etc) my mom and I have total control. No one but me or her has the remote in hand during the two to three hours until the game's end. From the beginning of the football season to the end of basketball, we watch every game possible, no matter what someone was viewing earlier.

The Good Kind of Rotting

TV is probably the least harmful of entertainments nowadays. You see all these other things the kids are addicted to--video games, the internet, shopping--TV isn't really a problem anymore. I remember a time when parents were desperate to keep their kids from sitting in front of a TV, watching mind numbing nonsense that kept them from their studeis.

But today, among the teenagers, at least, it's not much of a big thing anymore. When do you see a kid sitting there, watching TV for the fifth hour that day, unable to take their eyes off the moving pixels? In fact, I don't remember the last time I watched TV for over an hour.

The only times I've even thought about watching TV was when my favorite show, House, came on. 40-60 minutes, one day per week. The most I'll watch this year, thanks to the addition of Glee, will be 80-120 minutes every week.

Yeah, I'd say TV has become a great source of entertainment, and without the negativity from parents or researches with nothing else to poll.

Television: A Double Edged Sword

Yes, I said it, a double edged sword. Now a double edged sword is, for one thing a weapon, but is also something that can benefit you and hurt you. Many things in life can be seen as such. T.V. is no exception to this rule. Watching too much T.V. can 'cause you to lose focus on school, or any activity you participate in. "Oh I'll watch one more episode, and do my homework later," can turn into, "Well, I'll just stay up till 2 AM and finish this project."

It can take up valuable time from other activities but, it can also sharpen the mind. My favorite channels are The Science Channel, The History Channel, The Military Channel, and The Discovery Channel. All of these things are educational, but also provide good solid entertainment. Two of my favorite shows, Survivorman, and Man vs. Wild, are prime examples of this. Not only do they provide information on how to survive in the wild, but they also offer, to me at least, a source of entertainment.

Television

With everything that I have going on in my life right now, I barely have time to think, let alone sit down and watch a television show. However, every Friday night I take time to show my geek side and watch "Eureka" on the Syfy (formerly SciFi) channel. I love that show so much. There is just something hilarious about geniuses doing stupid stuff. There aren't really any shows that I "hate", but there are many that I believe are pretty stupid, and completely pointless.

I believe that some people get way too much into tv shows, however, and forget that the shows are not the same as real life. They allow the shows to take over their lives, and spend way to much time on the couch absorbed in the glow of an alternate reality.

But that is just my two cents on this thing called television. And, as Coach Simpson always says, "Everything is okay in moderation."

TV

I think that TV is a great way to relax as long as you watch in moderation. TV allows us to escape from the everyday and focus on something other than what’s next on our to-do list. I, like pretty much every other American, have several favorite TV shows. My favorites are NCIS, Desperate Housewives, and Gossip Girl. My favorite of my favorites is NCIS; it’s a great show with action and comedy and intriguing characters. These shows provide me with a few hours a week of pure entertainment, three hours when I don’t have to be focused on doing anything else.
I do think that the overall amount of TV watched by Americans today is excessive, but does that make all the TV we are watching bad? I don’t think so. I think TV shows themselves are harmless; it’s the amount of TV shows Americans watch that’s bad. Yes, in general, Americans watch way too much TV, but like I said, I think it’s okay as long as you are watching in moderation.

Is T.V. good or bad?

Personally, I enjoy watching T.V. a little too much. For me, T.V. is something relaxing that takes my mind off everything else that’s going on, or anything that is stressing me out. After a long day or week of school, I’d rather go home and find comic relief in some of my favorite shows instead of going back to my school work or going on a run. My favorite shows, including Monk, Castle, and NCIS all reflect my interests in that they present puzzles, include humor, and display characters that have quirky personalities.

Because T.V. can be a form of comic relief and a chance for someone to take 20 or 30 minutes each day to turn off the fast button on life, I think it can be viewed as something positive. I think it can even be used as a forum for learning because of news programs, discovery shows, and shows that reflect on current events. However, when everyone starts watching the television for 2 or 3 hours every day, it becomes something negative. It can cause health problems like obesity or body image problems, and often exposes viewers to violence and other emotionally taxing topics. Also, T.V. commercials and shows are commonly used as a forum to advertise products as well as ideas and values. Advertisements aren’t found only in commercials, but they are also made indirectly in shows when a character displays certain ideals and values through their actions and dialogue. I think it’s important for viewers to develop an awareness of sales pitches and the harm that television can cause.

TV

I think that television is fine, as long as you watch within reason. TV is like foods at the top of the food pyramid like fat and sweets; it is ok in small quantities, but awful for you if you go overboard. Over spring break, I went to San Francisco to visit my uncle Mark and his family – they have one son, Matt. It made me really sad to see their family. The only time they spent together was in front of the TV, silent, glued to the screen. Uncle Mark bragged that since he got DVR, he recorded over 40 shows, and could watch them in less time because he could skip commercials! It was absolutely crazy how much TV they watched, and I guess that their situation is not so different from many other families. I’m not trying to prove that TV is horrible, just that it is bad for you if you watch too much. I love to watch TV, I just try to limit how much I watch. Some of my favorite TV shows are The Office, House, and Gilmore Girls. I don’t religiously follow any shows right now, I just watch if I have the time, and sometimes catch up on Hulu. I don’t feel guilty for watching TV because I think it is ok to indulge a little and do something that is purely enjoyable.

Television is a drug

They say that television rots one’s brain. I believe that is true. If a person were to sit in front of a T.V. for more than a week, eating his or her food on the couch and constantly watching T.V. and not leaving the couch at all, not only will they lose brain cells but also, they’ll lose muscles and other bodily functions. Thus, watching television too much does not only rot your brain but it also rots your body. It may be the person’s fault for watching too much television but television is like an addictive. It’s the person’s fault for picking it up but the drug is equally at fault for even existing. That’s the relationship between the “couch potato” and the television.

That’s not to say that I don’t like television. In fact, I love it. I’m just another television

addict, but due to the strict rules in my household, I’m not allowed to “take my drugs” so to speak, meaning

I’m not allowed to turn into a vegetable by watching hours upon hours of television. And because of my limited time for watching television, I do not have many favorite shows. Probably the only one I had time for watching all the way through was Heroes but it took the whole summer to watch because I could only watch one episode per day. And during the school year, I’m not allowed to watch T. V. at all. *sigh* I guess I’ll have to wait until next summer.

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Television

Television is primarilly used to advertize to Americans. There are commercials on even during the main programs. People will open their Mac computers, or meet in McDonnalds or smoke a certain brand of ciggaretts because those companies pay them to do this. Often times, companies will tell the producer of a program to make a television episode revolving around their product. Watching television is a good way to wind down at the end of the day and relax before you go to sleep, but too many people spend hours and hours watching television. People feel connected to their TV and turn to it when they are board instead of doing something productive. It almost encourages people to be lazy.

My favorite television shows are Dexter and Family Guy but i cannot stand most reality shows. I just don't see why so many people like seeing others yelling and getting dramatic over trivial things. I was watching one show and these women were cursing at each other and pulling hair because one woman used another person's makeup. I just sat on the couch thinking are these people so immature they cannot share a little makeup without yelling and crying like little four year olds?

I think Television is a great source of entertainment but that too many people watch it. I see no problem in having friends over and watching television as long as you are able to stop and do other things. Advertizing on television is important because it is a way for companies to get their product's name out there. Watching television for hours every day doesn't make someone a bad person, i just think they should be able to put the remote down and do more productive things in their spare time.

Is TV bad?

I think for the most part, TV isn't horrible. When I went to History Club last week, Mr. Snow, the teacher sponsor, gave an hour long lecture about how the invention of the TV was the beginning of the degradation of American society; He said it evolved for advertisement, deteriorated improvement of women's rights and intellectual growth, and was a general waste of time. But really, it's not that bad. A lot of people do spend way too much time sitting in front of their televisions, especially kids, and that should be discouraged. We shouldn't waste our time if there's something more meaningful and exciting to do. The people who are spending a fourth of their life watching television should find something else; We only have about eighty years to live, and I refuse to believe that people can't find anything better to do. But if you want to watch a little of your favorite show because it makes you laugh out loud, you should. I love Arrested Development and 30 Rock, two genuinely funny shows, and I think it's ok, even good, that I watch them maybe two hours a week. Doing something that really makes you happy should be embraced. Within reason, I think TV is good.

How bad is TV?

I love TV. My favorite shows include House, LOST, and Arrested Development. When I watch television, I don't think about the effect it's having on me and my brain. What I do think about is the plotline, suspense, and my analysis of the characters and their actions. Is that such a bad thing?
Ok so yes Americans in general watch too much TV, but does that make all TV bad? I say no. I think the excess of it today is bad, but TV itself in small quantities isn't horrible. Take chocolate for example, a little bit of it is good for your heart, but too much makes you fat and can even hurt your heart.
I find that some TV challenges me to pay attention, helps me to learn and to really analyze the characters and the plot, such as House. I love House, and I'm not quite sure why. There's something intriguing about diagnosing patients; like it's a game to win. I also like the psychology in the show and its fast paced and witty humor. And it's not all just watching for relaxation. I learn too. If not for House, I never would have heard of Gulf-War syndrome or known that brown urine is a sign of kidney failure.
So while my actual learning from TV is limited, I find it to be a good way to wind down or take a quick break. In small quantities it can be a fun way to relax, but in excess (as it is for most people today) it is a waste of time. Though entertaining, hours upon hours of television can hurt us, and uses up time that could be better spent elsewhere.

Assignment: It will rot the brain

The Emmys broadcast Sunday night and that means the beginning of the new television season. That’s right we’ve got our old favorites: House, Heroes, Gossip Girls, The Office, Survivor, CSI, NCIS, The Mentalist, et.al., along with some new hopefuls: Glee, The Good Wife, Eastwick, Community, and Flashforward. So what are your thoughts on TV? What show do you love? What show do you hate? Is TV a wonderful form of entertainment, social commentary, crafted silliness creating a diversion at the end of the day? Or is TV fundamentally something more insidious: the delivery system for advertising product to a mass audience? Can it be both? Take a look at some of this: http://www.csun.edu/science/health/docs/tv&health.html

http://www.turnoffyourtv.com/ check out the links at the bottom

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/departments/elementary/?article=toomuchtv

I love me my TV—does that make me a bad person?

What are your thoughts?