Reading Motivation

Usually I read a book because I want to. Makes sense, right? There were of course those times when I read books in school because I HAD to (I’m looking at you Bleak House) but I suddenly find myself reading a book to earn some brownie points at work. The book is not my usual fare. The title requires background music: Vince Flynn’s The Third Option. Dun, dun, duhhhh…..

Okay, so this book is, in short, a book for middle age men who are trying to avoid a midlife crisis by vicariously living through an ill-conceived CIA assasin. It is the kind of book that appears in front of men travelling in business class of a 747 or waiting in a doctor’s office. It fits every horrible stereotype you may associate with the government spy thriller. When my boss offered it to me after I explained what an avid reader I was, I was a bit skeptical. I know you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but seriously…there’s a red CIA logo and a pic of the Washington monument in the fiery sunset. C’MON! This beat-up paperback promptly got shoved in my bottom desk drawer.

About a week after ignoring the Vince Flynn thriller (seriously, who is named Vince Flynn??…oh yeah, someone who names their protagonist Mitch RAPP) my boss questioned how I liked the book. After responding that I hadn’t gotten around to it yet because another manager lent me a book (not a total lie- someone let me borrow The Dead Father’s Club which is another post entirely) he looked disappointed, and this is what made me actually read this piece of crap: He wanted a woman’s opinion of this guy’s writing. He said he had never known a woman who had read a Flynn novel and was interested in the female perception/reaction to the work.

This piqued my interest and got me reading. Yes it’s a piece of trash writing, but unfortunately it’s entertaining as hell. It’s sort of like a bad action movie, you are generally embarrassed to go see it, but you end up enjoying it. I don’t think Vince Flynn will make his way onto my regular reading list, but it’s a nice commercial break. Plus, I’m always interested in giving “the female perspective” to anyone who’s willing to listen. The nice part is, is that my boss will admit it’s crap writing, but I am looking forward to giving him my opinion as to how one-sided and underdeveloped every, single female character in the book is. Hey, he asked for the female perspeactive, this is certainly no time to hold back!

Oh, speaking of crap/trash do go see the Transformers movie. It’s great, dumb fun.