My Lips Move

When I read quietly, my lips move. What's that about? It's generally considered a lame tactic, but - well - that's what I do. I think part of it is that I was lucky enough to be read to as a child, and still love, love, love being read to now. If I can't be read to in person by someone who's reading just for me, well I'll take an audio book. The human voice, with all its modulations, can be the most beautiful sound in the world. I do some voice-over work too, so sounding out words is something I'm used to. I hear the words in my head, whether I'm reading for pleasure or work.

That got me to thinking about the pleasure of reading and the evolution of my reading which is now including the graphic novel. What started as a devotion to the Tin Tin books is now evolving. I was blown away by the virtuoso writing of Alan Moore's Watchmen. The illustrations added a layer that showed me how the words and images work together, and cannot be imagined apart. I just finished another Moore graphic novel, From Hell, loaned to me by someone who knows way more than I do of the genre. Again, I was riveted and moved, frightened and energized, with many more ideas for books I want to read, by Moore and, well, more. What a sweet surprise amidst the grimness of From Hell (which theorizes about the identity of Jack the Ripper) to find a cameo by a personal hero of mine.





William Morris!

And now the same guy has lent me The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, parts one and two. Excellent!