While you’re reading a really good book, do you sometimes feel like you’re living in two worlds?

Oh, yeah. I love it when an author affects me like that! What title has you so concerned, @janbb?

All the Colors are Dark by Chris Whittaker.

Yes. A good example was reading Dune for the first time as a teenager. Felt like I knew more about Arakis than earth.

I just finished Radiant: the Life and Line of Keith Haring yesterday. It was written by Brad Gooch and was truly superb. I broke down in tears when he died.

Yes! I remember reading Stephen King’s The Stand way back in the 80’s and I felt like I was there and knew the characters and what they looked like.
Many books have left me feeling that way.

In Patriot Games, there’s a scene where terrorists pull up alongside the protagonist’s wife’s car in a cargo van, open the sliding door, and start shooting. Shortly after I read the book, I was driving home, and as I approached the last traffic light and intersection, I noticed a van parked on the side of the road. As I turned left, my eyes stayed on the van and my thoughts drifted to the book world, and then I ran straight into a curb.

No. That must be nice though.

I do what you’re talking about sometimes, but more than that, I find that when I stop reading, I feel like I don’t know my own life. As if I’ve forgotten briefly where I am and what’s happening. It happens to me with movies, too, but only those I see in a theater. You know how when you’ve seen a matinee and you open the doors to go out and the sun is so bright and suddenly you realize it’s the real world out there and it’s only afternoon.

@smudges Yes!

Yes, also in role-playing games, where some players call it “immersion”.

I remember once listening to a radio adaptation of “The Lord of the Rings” while working a summer job bunching endless daffodils. The fantasy was so much richer and exciting than the reality that it is almost all I remember of that job.

Yes! I used to read in bed and as I began to fall asleep details would get mixed up with real life. Usually the book would flop on my belly and pull me from the semi-sleep state.

Uh, no. I am pretty grounded in reality.

All the time.

@Forever_Free You should try the one I cited above. it’s gripping.

It’s All the Colors of the Dark. I saw it reviewed on a site and I think I will suggest it for the book group for 2025.

@jca2 It’s 600 pages long so a book group has to want to read long books but it is excellent.

I suggested it to the group via text, and then someone pointed out that it’s 600 pages, and I responded “oh, never mind, that’s too long. haha.” They would be groaning, and I would too, at a book that long. We’ve done it, but with groans and some not finishing.

Your group might enjoy The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. It’s a novel about a midwife in early America with a mystery in it. Shorter too.

Dang! The Frozen River is $15.00 on Kindle! I don’t usually spend more than $6.00. It has a separate study guide so it must be pretty la-di-da. Sounds good though.

Oh yes, especially when I read a series of books back to back. When I first read the Golden Compass Trilogy I was looking around for my daemon. :)

@smudges Can you use a library to get e-books? It’s really good.

My card’s expired but I just applied online for an ecard.

@tinyfaery Ohhh I loved The Golden Compass series!

@janbb I appreciate the recommendation. It is now in my stack.

I have been reading King’s Dark Tower Series and need a diversion every few books. When I start dreaming and thinking like the book is when I know it has grabbed me.

The Frozen River has 36 ebooks at the various libraries, but it says there’s a waiting list of 135.

First of all…Wow!

Secondly, I’m probably missing something important, but why would there be a limited number? Ebooks are online…aren’t they unlimited?? The only ebooks I have experience with is those on kindle.

@smudges I’m not sure if you’re on (or are using) Libby or Hoopla but those are two you can sign up with through your library system, which give you access to movies, books, magazines, etc.

I’m going to be signing on with Libby once my card is renewed.

But my post above was saying that if an ebook is online, why wouldn’t there be unlimited copies?

@smudges For libraries, it has to do with the fees they have to pay the publisher for the use of e-books. Get on the list. With 36 copies it may go relatively fast.

Ohhh…ok. Thanks!

I just looked up the Whitaker, Publishers Weekly starred review, looks like it should be in my pile…

@canidmajor Yes.

Oh most definitely.

I imagine avid readers going about their every day lives with a world of characters swirling about them.

@raum That reminds me of the movie “The Man Who Invented Christmas” about Dickens writing A Christmas Carol with all the characters around him! It’s a surprisingly good movie.

^^ ...and that reminds me of Finding Neverland, the film about playwright J. M. Barrie and his relationship with a family who inspired him to create Peter Pan. So good!

I love movies about the creators and their source of inspiration. :)

Oh yes. And when I put the book down to reengage in the “real world” I almost get dizzy.

Thanks to the book Sacajawea I traveled with Lewis and Clark across the whole freaking country! Survived major storms. And in the Rockies we killed and gutted a horse and crawled inside to survive a massive blizzard. It was a trip, man!