ATTN JMS: How Do You Read a Book?

[B5JMS Poster]

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From: Malfait at earthlink.net
Date: 28 May 1998 00:23:44 -0600
Lines: 33

Because of your influence, I have read the Bible -- twice.

As an atheist, I did not gain the insight that you
have demonstrated through the fine writing on B5.  Although I
found the Bible to be contradictory and not a text by which
to live my life, your example has taught me to treat religion
with more respect than my previous resentful attitude toward my
fellow Bible-belters...

I also read _Le Morte DArthur_ by Sir Thomas Mallory (inspired by
"A Late Delivery from Avalon").  My reaction was more in line with
that of Mark Twain's in _A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court_
(another book you inspired me to read -- with "A War Prayer").  Again,
I failed to glean the insights that you did.

Specifically, I'm referring to the passage leading to Arthur's death,
in which an adder on the field of battle led to disaster.  In the
book itself, the scene is fairly dry...

Two-part question:

1) How do you approach reading -- do you read novels differently
than manuals?

2) How did you transform the passage in _Le Morte DArthur_ to the
poignant counterpoint in B5?  Did you read the Cliff's Notes?
Was there some other play, book, etc. (i.e., _Excalibur_) that
moved you?

Thank you.

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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Date: 28 May 1998 07:29:30 -0600
Lines: 26

>1) How do you approach reading -- do you read novels differently
>than manuals?
>
>
Not that I'm aware of consciously, no.  I guess I go to a manual looking for
information, and I go to *enjoy* a novel.

I have to be careful doing research, because after a while I find that the
facts get in the way of the *telling*...it's like, "Okay, I just spent $300 on
books about this stuff, and now YOU'RE going to pay for it!"  I have to leave
it alone for a while until the notes go away and the sense of it remains.

>2) How did you transform the passage in _Le Morte DArthur_ to the
>poignant counterpoint in B5?  Did you read the Cliff's Notes?
>Was there some other play, book, etc. (i.e., _Excalibur_) that
>moved you?

I guess the difference is that a writer of fiction or scripts has to put him-
or herself into the scene, to feel what someone else has described in technical
terms.  From that comes emotion, from emotion comes contact.

 jms

(jmsatb5 at aol.com)
B5 Official Fan Club at:
http://www.thestation.com
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