Writer’s Block from May 31, 2010:

Some books are inspirational. Others are intellectually stimulating or emotionally comforting. Then there are those juicy, mindless reads that are only good for a plane ride or the beach. Which books or authors fall under this last category?

There are a lot of other times that “juicy, mindless reads” can come in handy. I find them a great way to relax after a stressful day at work, or if I’m just trying to kill time. The funniest thing, though, is that some of them do stay in my memory sometimes. I’ve been known to turn back to them again and again even when I know the entire plot of the book.

If I’m looking for something to chew on as a way to escape, there’s a good chance I’m going to aim for one of James Michener’s epic-style novels. There are a few that I don’t like (Space, for example) but many of the ones that start back when the earth was formed — literally! — and go up through the present day are among my favorites. The story is long enough to appreciate without being so long or heavy that I have to think my way through it. Most of those novels are also written in a manner that can be treated as episodic if I don’t want to read everything at once.

I also have a lot of Star Trek books, particularly on my Kindle, which I read for a chance to escape. I can finish many of the shorter ones in a couple of hours. When I don’t, I usually finish in no more than two or three sittings. A few of those novels are thought-provoking but many of my favorites are just good stories worth reading and re-reading.

Then, of course, there are the times when I read romances. My two favorite authors there are Nora Roberts and Catherine Anderson because their books are complicated enough to keep my interest while not being so complicated they’re difficult to read. I also tend to find them more realistic than some of the other romances out there.

Interestingly enough, though, when I go to the beach I don’t read. I swim, or take pictures, or walk on the sand. I also rarely read on airplanes simply because I don’t fly that often and, when I do, tend not to be able to pay attention (I can’t dismiss the airplane environment). I like a quiet and relatively stimulus-free environment when I’m reading to escape.