As you have probably already gathered, almost everything that I do is geared towards making myself more alluring to the opposite sex. For example, I work hard to get a promotion, to make more money, to buy better clothes and to afford myself a better status, which should make me more attractive to women. I spend hours in the gym each week, train jiu-jitsu and force myself to eat plain, dry, rubbery, sauceless chicken breasts in an effort to improve my physique which, again, should make me more attractive to women. My reading habits have also started to reflect my ultimate goal.
I would consider myself to be an avid reader. In the last two years of my life I have read almost forty novels. With the exception of nineteenth century classics I will read almost anything. I read because I enjoy to do so. I find it educational more often than not and I can appreciate the writing styles of different authors. Whilst I like the wordsplay of Haruki Murakami's stories, my favourite novel is probably "American Psycho" by Brett Easton Ellis. For those who have read this book you can probably tell that my blog draws on many of its influences.
Since the release of the Twilight movie in 2008, there has been hysteria around the series. Stephanie Meyer's saga had already long been an international best-seller, although the movie certainly brought it to my attention and the rest of the mainstream. Almost overnight Robert Pattinson who plays the vampire, Edward, in the film became the world's most desirable man. Tucky, arguably my closest girl friend and a past romantic interest, read the books on her travels to South East Asia, Australasia and America in Spring 2009 and developed an affection for them. Since seeing New Moon she swears that she is in love with the actor who plays Jacob Black, Taylor Lautner.
Tucky has been very influential in recommending books for me to read over the last couple of years. She is a much more prolific reader than myself. She bought me "American Psycho" for my last birthday and thanks to her I have been introduced to Philip Pullman's "Dark Materials" saga. Upon her recommendation I decided over Christmas to read the Twilight Saga. I saw it as a potential opportunity to connect with impressionable eighteen and nineteen year old girls on nights out. I finished the saga two weeks ago.
The first book "Twilight" recounts the story of Isabella Swan (Bella for short) who is uprooted from her life with her mother in Phoenix to live with her father, Charlie in the quiet town of Forks in Washington State. There, she encounters the Cullen vampire family and falls in love with Edward, a stunningly handsome, charming, mind-reading, one hundred year old vampire. Edward is in fact much younger than his adoptive father, Carlisle, who is over three hundred years old. The rest of the family are made up of Esme, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett, all of whom are equally striking in looks and some of whom have special powers. The Cullens are considered in this world to be vegetarian vampires since they pledge never to drink the blood of humans, instead hunting animals.
All of the stories are told from Bella's first person perspective. The plot is centred mainly around the attraction between Bella and Edward as they try to figure out a way to maintain a vampire-human relationship as well as make it through high school. It takes Bella a while to figure out that Edward is a vampire and during this time there is plenty of confusion. In my opinion the story is quite dull for the most part until the end where Bella is pursued and attacked by a rival coven. She is of course saved in the nick of time and the story ends with Bella being taken to the prom by Edward.
The second book, "New Moon" covers Bella's despair as Edward leaves for fear of putting her in unnecessary danger. In his absence Bella strikes up a close friendship with the younger Jacob Black. Jacob is of native American descent and his ancestors have protected Forks for generations as mythical werewolves. He later fulfils his destiny in the book and mutates into a large brown werewolf. Jacob is introduced very briefly in the first book and is indeed the person who plants the seed in Bella's head that Edward might be a vampire. He inevitably falls in love with Bella and whilst she does not feel the same way as him this creates an interesting love triangle, which includes Edward, for the rest of the series.
This book also sees the introduction of the Volturi who are essentially the ruling vampire family, residing in Italy. Believing that Bella has committed suicide, Edward decides to end his life at the hands of the Volturi only to be saved at the last minute by Bella and his sister Alice. I found this book to be better than the first although without being riveting.
In the third book, "Eclipse" Edward returns to Forks as Bella's boyfriend and the werewolves and vampires are forced to cooperate to battle an army of vampire newborns created by Victoria (a member of the rival coven from the first book) to kill Bella. This book is Tucky's favourite of the four, since (a) the story is more exciting and (b) due to the more complete development of Jacob's character. I must say that I hated the character of Jacob Black in the Twilight saga. He is desperate, clingy and pathetic in his pursuit of Bella. I can see why girls like his character since he is passionate, idealistic and open about his love. However, in my experience guys who actually behave like this are real-life scarecrows to women. I will admit that Tucky's undying devotion to him makes the character that much more odious to me.
The final part of the series, "Breaking Dawn", is by far my favourite. It is the longest book at almost 700 pages and covers Bella's and Edward's marriage, the first time they have sex, her ensuing pregnancy, motherhood and her transformation into a vampire herself (something that she has wanted since the end of "Twilight"). According to the rules of the Volturi, vampires and humans are forbidden to procreate since the offspring have an uncontrollable bloodlust, and the grand finale takes place when the Volturi march on Forks to destroy Renesmee, Bella and Edward's daughter.
Whilst the saga is not my cup of tea, I can see why teenage girls and upwards get the cream over it. I suppose that it does give one an in-depth insight into Bella's girlish notions as well teenage angst in general. It is well written, although for a male reader it does get difficult to stomach the endless references to Edward's "topaz", "butterscotch" eyes, his "sweet breath" and his "breathtaking" physique. I hope that the investment in time dedicated to reading these books will pay dividends at some point in the near future when it gives me something to talk about with young women.
I would consider myself to be an avid reader. In the last two years of my life I have read almost forty novels. With the exception of nineteenth century classics I will read almost anything. I read because I enjoy to do so. I find it educational more often than not and I can appreciate the writing styles of different authors. Whilst I like the wordsplay of Haruki Murakami's stories, my favourite novel is probably "American Psycho" by Brett Easton Ellis. For those who have read this book you can probably tell that my blog draws on many of its influences.
Since the release of the Twilight movie in 2008, there has been hysteria around the series. Stephanie Meyer's saga had already long been an international best-seller, although the movie certainly brought it to my attention and the rest of the mainstream. Almost overnight Robert Pattinson who plays the vampire, Edward, in the film became the world's most desirable man. Tucky, arguably my closest girl friend and a past romantic interest, read the books on her travels to South East Asia, Australasia and America in Spring 2009 and developed an affection for them. Since seeing New Moon she swears that she is in love with the actor who plays Jacob Black, Taylor Lautner.
Tucky has been very influential in recommending books for me to read over the last couple of years. She is a much more prolific reader than myself. She bought me "American Psycho" for my last birthday and thanks to her I have been introduced to Philip Pullman's "Dark Materials" saga. Upon her recommendation I decided over Christmas to read the Twilight Saga. I saw it as a potential opportunity to connect with impressionable eighteen and nineteen year old girls on nights out. I finished the saga two weeks ago.
The first book "Twilight" recounts the story of Isabella Swan (Bella for short) who is uprooted from her life with her mother in Phoenix to live with her father, Charlie in the quiet town of Forks in Washington State. There, she encounters the Cullen vampire family and falls in love with Edward, a stunningly handsome, charming, mind-reading, one hundred year old vampire. Edward is in fact much younger than his adoptive father, Carlisle, who is over three hundred years old. The rest of the family are made up of Esme, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett, all of whom are equally striking in looks and some of whom have special powers. The Cullens are considered in this world to be vegetarian vampires since they pledge never to drink the blood of humans, instead hunting animals.
All of the stories are told from Bella's first person perspective. The plot is centred mainly around the attraction between Bella and Edward as they try to figure out a way to maintain a vampire-human relationship as well as make it through high school. It takes Bella a while to figure out that Edward is a vampire and during this time there is plenty of confusion. In my opinion the story is quite dull for the most part until the end where Bella is pursued and attacked by a rival coven. She is of course saved in the nick of time and the story ends with Bella being taken to the prom by Edward.
The second book, "New Moon" covers Bella's despair as Edward leaves for fear of putting her in unnecessary danger. In his absence Bella strikes up a close friendship with the younger Jacob Black. Jacob is of native American descent and his ancestors have protected Forks for generations as mythical werewolves. He later fulfils his destiny in the book and mutates into a large brown werewolf. Jacob is introduced very briefly in the first book and is indeed the person who plants the seed in Bella's head that Edward might be a vampire. He inevitably falls in love with Bella and whilst she does not feel the same way as him this creates an interesting love triangle, which includes Edward, for the rest of the series.
This book also sees the introduction of the Volturi who are essentially the ruling vampire family, residing in Italy. Believing that Bella has committed suicide, Edward decides to end his life at the hands of the Volturi only to be saved at the last minute by Bella and his sister Alice. I found this book to be better than the first although without being riveting.
In the third book, "Eclipse" Edward returns to Forks as Bella's boyfriend and the werewolves and vampires are forced to cooperate to battle an army of vampire newborns created by Victoria (a member of the rival coven from the first book) to kill Bella. This book is Tucky's favourite of the four, since (a) the story is more exciting and (b) due to the more complete development of Jacob's character. I must say that I hated the character of Jacob Black in the Twilight saga. He is desperate, clingy and pathetic in his pursuit of Bella. I can see why girls like his character since he is passionate, idealistic and open about his love. However, in my experience guys who actually behave like this are real-life scarecrows to women. I will admit that Tucky's undying devotion to him makes the character that much more odious to me.
The final part of the series, "Breaking Dawn", is by far my favourite. It is the longest book at almost 700 pages and covers Bella's and Edward's marriage, the first time they have sex, her ensuing pregnancy, motherhood and her transformation into a vampire herself (something that she has wanted since the end of "Twilight"). According to the rules of the Volturi, vampires and humans are forbidden to procreate since the offspring have an uncontrollable bloodlust, and the grand finale takes place when the Volturi march on Forks to destroy Renesmee, Bella and Edward's daughter.
Whilst the saga is not my cup of tea, I can see why teenage girls and upwards get the cream over it. I suppose that it does give one an in-depth insight into Bella's girlish notions as well teenage angst in general. It is well written, although for a male reader it does get difficult to stomach the endless references to Edward's "topaz", "butterscotch" eyes, his "sweet breath" and his "breathtaking" physique. I hope that the investment in time dedicated to reading these books will pay dividends at some point in the near future when it gives me something to talk about with young women.
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