User:Mendel/books

Jonathan Franzen: The Discomfort Zone
 Adolescence is best enjoyed without self-consciousness, but self-consciousness, unfortunately, is its leading symptom. Even when something important happens to you, even when your heart's getting crushed or exalted, even when you're absorbed in building the foundations of a personality, there come these moments when you're aware that what's happening is not the real story. Unless you actually die, the real story is still ahead of you. This alone, this cruel mixture of consciousness and irrelevance, this built-in hollowness, is enough to account for how pissed off you are. You're miserable and ashamed if you don't believe your adolescent troubles matter, but you're stupid if you do. Jonathan Franzen, The Discomfort Zone, p.101 f.

Jennifer Kaufman and Karen Mack: a Version of the truth
I selected the "birdwatching" quote as a commentary on my last recommendation.

There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.
Patrick's sequel to "The Name of the Wind" is called "The Wise Man's Fear", and it's finally out.

For an interesting webcomic statement on books vs. electronic media see here.