Tom Lambrecht, Nederland.  Like many library patrons, I tend to think of myself as a discerning reader. Pretentiousness aside, what that actually means is that I’m a fussy reader. All of us are fussy to some extent in our artistic tastes; in books as well as fine art, movies, music and cuisine (otherwise all we’d need would be Game of Thrones, right)? But those tastes evolve over time and then at a certain point (frequently tied to aging), we tend to latch onto things we like and find comfort, and resist the latest trend. Perhaps it’s only me that’s lacking in adventure, but I find that my reading tastes have congealed around non-fiction and classic novels. As much as I stand in awe of book group members who willingly read whatever the consensus is that they should, it’s a no-fly zone for me.

It was not always this way. In my pre-teens, I pillaged library shelves of science fiction and fantasy, working my way from Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury to H. G. Wells and Jules Verne. For extended periods, I’d be cloistered in my room, only emerging for Oreos and bathroom breaks. Then at some point, BOOM- the genre lost its appeal for me (in hindsight, it may have coincided with discovering the opposite sex). With a few notable digressions, most notably William Gibson, I never looked back.

Neil Gaiman is highly regarded in the current generation of fantasy writers and that said, I’ve never done more than thumb through any of his fiction titles before slipping them back in the stacks. When his latest, a collection of non-fiction short essays: The View from the Cheap Seats appeared at the library, I picked it up and the book magically fell open to a lecture entitled, “Why Our Future Depends on Libraries, Reading and Daydreaming.” It begins with the chilling correlation between child illiteracy and projections for prison cell demand, accurate enough for the prison industry to use it to predict their future growth. The author then passionately and inventively makes his case for the importance of not only basic literacy, but fostering a love of reading in the young.

His personable style has endeared him not only to his fans, but to other writers as well. It’s noteworthy that many essays in the book are actually the introductions he wrote for books by authors both notable and obscure, living and dead. They are invariably written in the first person which tends to get a little stale when you’re reading them one after another. That said, they are clever and funny and the ones that resonated with me weren’t the forewords to books by Stephen King or Douglas Adams, but the ones that introduced reissued titles of Wells, Lovecraft, Bradbury and Kipling as well as others who influenced Gaiman. Your mileage will of course, vary.

Another standout piece was his interview with Lou Reed and the events that led up to it. Gaiman shares my fascination with musicians who are storytellers and Reed is one of the finest. Reed also has a reputation for not suffering fools gladly and Gaiman’s nervousness going into the interview makes for a great tale. His short, but masterful interview demonstrated that he had nothing to fear.

It goes without saying that if you love Gaiman’s work, this collection is a gold mine of new insights into his mind and creative process. Even if you’re not a diehard fan, floating in a sea of clever book blurbs and speeches, there are some keen essays on art, music and the writer’s craft, and a killer Lou Reed interview.

Tom Lambrecht is a Library Assistant at the Nederland Community Library. Join us at the Library Wednesday, November 9th at 7 p.m. for our Local Scientists series. Megan Melamed, PhD will present “How did growing up in Nederland lead to directing an international organization on atmospheric chemistry?”.