The links this week are a little heavy on books. I was happy when Kazuo Ishiguro won the Nobel Prize for Literature even though I’ve been crossing my fingers and toes for Haruki Murakami to win for several years now. Last year, Bob Dylan won, and while I have no problem with Bob, it felt like a stretch to me. I included the National Book Awards link because I’m often asked for book recommendations and I’m always hesitant to recommend the stuff I’m reading. I also believe it has to be the right time for certain books to resonate and I don’t want to be the guy who told you to read “Kafka on the Shore” at the wrong time. I’ve struggled to get through certain books and then, when I pick up the same book years later, I can’t put it down. People and books are funny that way. Of course, I have a few “Desert Island” books that will always be at the top of my list. Like J.P. Donleavy’s “Ginger Man” and John Kennedy Toole’s “A Confederacy of Dunces”. I’d have to put something from John Irving in there so I’ll choose “A Prayer for Owen Meany”. Some of John Fowles’ books (“The Magus”) really got me started on reading but now it looks like I only read stuff by men named John. Anyway, the Ishiguro link below talks about three categories of writers: writers for intellectuals, writers for other writers, and writers for readers. That’s a great way of putting it and I’d have to agree with most of the author’s examples. See if you do. Have a great weekend. I’ll be at the beach reading and turning 46.