Blog 2) Thompson Library Grand Reading Room

The grand reading room in the Thompson Public Library is one of the most inspiring places on campus.  It basically is like stepping into Hogwarts.  Whenever I need to do some studying, this is the place to go.  The simply vast ceilings and large floor space will take your breath away the first time you step foot into this chapel.  Chapel can also be used to describe the miniscule amount of noise that goes on in there.  You could literally hear a pen drop throughout the entire Room.  Another interesting idea is that the ceilings are arched.  Perhaps it's because all the knowledge is filling the room and forcing the ceiling to bow outwards in an attempt to not explode.

Maybe it's the fact that mostly Graduate level students use this room for studying that I love it there.  The atmosphere surrounding everything is purely academic.  The large shelves along the brim of the room with ancient looking books provides a great background when peering over the top of a book.  Also, the idea that every row of tables is split off by another bookshelf helps the students know that they are there to learn. 

They say that an hour spent studying in the library is equivalent to three hours of attempted study in your dorm room.  That is certainly the case for this place.  Nowhere else that I have studied has provided me with the ability to grasp all the information that I cover like this reading room.  There have been times when I have actually left a lecture to just return here and read the lecture topics myself.  It makes me chuckle when my friends say they didn't understand any of the lesson because of the teacher.  Maybe they should have come to the place of knowledge with me.

First Day Blog) Particular Writers

Ever since I was younger, reading seemed to be shoved to the side.  With all the sports that I played when I was a kid there wasn't much time for me to do anything leisurely like reading a book.  However, it never really stopped me.  Since I can remember, I seem to always be in the middle or just wrapping up a series of thrillers or mysteries.

The first series of books I ever read were the Dave Pelzer trilogy.  His three recollections of his early childhood are breathtaking.  Throughout the trilogy Pelzer goes into detail about his abusive mother.  Abusive is an understatement for this woman.  The books were quite graphic but heartwarming nonetheless.  It is also interesting when someone looks into the history of his "abuse" and notes that there is no evidence of him ever being abused.  Even his younger brother denies he was ever abused.

It was rather funny when I went to my aunt's house over one Christmas weekend.  I noticed that she had a cabinet absolutely jammed full of Stephen King books.  When I talked to her about them, she just said that he is "amazing."  Obviously I wanted get into some of his stories so that's exactly what I did.  Glad am I that I took an interest in his novels.  I've read five of his novels including; The Shining, 'Salem's Lot, Misery, Pet Sematary, and IT.  King is truly a master of horror.  In my personal opinion if you've ever watched any of the movies based on his novels, read the books instead!  IT and Pet Sematary are nightmarish to me.

I'm not the least bit ashamed to admit that I've read all the Harry Potter books.  In fact I've read through all of them twice and a few of them even more than that.  When I start one it seems impossible to put it back down.  All I have to say is I can't wait until Death Hallows Pt. 2 comes out. :)

The final series of books that I've been reading to this point is the Stieg Larsson trilogy.  I'm about to start the second novel, "The Girl Who Played With Fire" within the week.  The suspense seems to be unmatchable, at least to me.  It's a shame that he died abruptly and couldn't finish his fourth book or for that matter the series of ten novels he was planning.