Mark Orth > Recent Status Updates

Stephen King is my favorite author of all time. He does wonders at setting the stage in his stories. This one is especially well done considering it’s the third in a trilogy.

I’m finally reading this book after wanting to for years since it was published making Rushdie a household name in the 80s after the Ayatollah of Iran wanted him dead for blasphemy in the book’s depiction of the Islamic prophet Mohammed.

I’m planning to move to Mexico and I want to immerse myself in history.

Such a great story of the life of a wonderful man.

My first Bukowski. Intense.

My first Tony Hillerman! And it’s the first in his longest running series on Joe Leaphorn.

I’m feeling very in touch with this author and her way of writing and expressing herself. The chapter on having an abyss as a habitat is gut wrenching as I too feel like I’m living in an abyss.

This passage page 64: “Oblivion is a kind of blessing, too, though one I would prefer not to have to experience.”

Wow. My near death motorcycle accident on July 17, 2020 put me at the doorstep of oblivion. I recall quite clearly how the lights in my life went out so fast when I hit the freeway at 70 mph. It’s why I have a death urge to this day.

Pinhead in Hellraiser says “ Welcome to oblivion. I felt it.

OMG! Now I’m constantly rereading passages and highlighting them with markers. (Not a Kindle book or I’d be obsessively highlighting them in the app!)

I’ve been delving deeply into the tragedy described in this book. As I read it I find myself Googling various things that I’m reading: how James died, how Vincent died, the book that this author wrote for the latter. A fictional book written right after Vincent committed suicide in 2017. I’m only 20 pages in and I’m already haunted by some facts, like his mom tried also to kill herself after a 2012 breakdown.

Just starting this one. I’m the estranged father of two boys for over six years now. My oldest Tristan is 20. My youngest Cameron is 17. I moved 425 miles south of where they were born and still live with their mother 16 months ago. I’m drawn to this story of loss after hearing about it on an NPR show.

They are still alive, but seemingly lost to me. Maybe this book will help heal my heart and soul.