Categories:
These are broad topics for the different types of articles you will find here.
The Backlist:
For these articles, I start with a classic book that is a good, usually Short Read (see Tags, below).
Graphics for Grownups:
Any type of publication that is published in “graphic novel”, “comics” or “manga” form. These texts tell all kinds of stories. They are on a wide range of topics. A book length work is usually a Short Read, but you can go back over it again and again. I think they are easier to dip in and out of than texts formed solely of words. Books discussed in this section are of interest again, to fully functioning/faking it grown ups in addition to other age groups.
Coffee and a Poem:
Why did they make poetry soooo boring in school when it is actually amazing? Poems use the fewest words to convey the most. The problem is finding ones that aren’t sad and heavy. These are poems, with short explanations, that are Quick Reads and meant to help you to enjoy your breaks.
Bedtime (Short) Stories:
Another type of text they completely take the fun out of in school. These short stories are not necessarily for bedtime. My goal is to direct you to some good sources for Quick Reads as an alternative to novels.
Informed Reading:
These are The Lois Level hacks developed from a lifetime of reading and an absurd education. You can read about everything related to books and reading, from choosing the best bookmark (the magnetic kind) to coping with epic poetry…well, maybe not that, but everything else.
Something Different:
Anything else that I think you might enjoy, especially if it is an unusual genre. With changes in publishing, there are many more “genre bending” books being published. They are great, but easy to miss because they don’t fit into an easily recognized category.
State Reads:
Whether you like to read books set in places you know, or want to learn about different parts of the United States, “State Reads” is like a family drive across the continent without having to put up with your siblings in the back seat.
Family Reads:
These are books that you might like to share with your family, and that means kids and adults. This site is for adults, so I don’t include any kids’ books that adults won’t like. If they are poorly written or patronizing, they don’t make it on The Lois Level. So the children’s books that doo appear, as Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus used to say, are for “kids” of all ages! And that means grandparents too.
Young Adult (YA) as You Feel
This category is for Young Adult books that are enjoyable for Adults.
Tags:
Free Read:
Available to read online for free, legally. Sometimes these are articles about the book or topic under discussion, sometimes these are excerpts or short works by the author, and sometimes they are entire, full length texts that are available for free download.
Quick Read:
Can be read in approximately 30 minutes. I usually add these to articles on other topics and tag them.
Short Read:
Can be read in about 3 hours
Sustained Read:
Can be read in about 5-10 hours, or about the length of a typical adult novel (whatever the genre)
Long Read:
You might be reading this for the rest of your life. For when you need to pass a LOT of time or you really want to dig into something good.
Family Read:
This book will appeal to people from multiple generations, so it’s a good family read, either as a group or as concurrent individual reads. Sometimes I recommend different editions or versions of a story that are suitable for different ages. See how many you can get involved; be creative!
Note: You might get further with older kids and teenagers if you give them their own copy and let them choose when and how they read. Also consider getting a copy for the grandparents and other extended family members…you can read together on your computer or talk about the books when you do meet!
Bent Genres:
There are texts in here that cross genres so they don’t have a single category. Check this tag for the most interesting finds.
Puddle Jumper:
It works to jump around in this book; you don’t need to read it straight through. Chapters may not be connected, or there might be a lot of background information that you can skip and come back to as needed.
Statement on Intellectual Property Use:
To the best of my ability, I use others’ intellectual property fairly and cite sources. I tag all Google Image Searches for images marked for free reuse, or I take photos myself. I follow normally accepted guidelines for quoting material.
My qualifications are listed on the “About Lois” page. I realize that my ideas about the books I read are not necessarily original, but my comments are based on my own impressions from my own reading and experience. Any similarity with other literary criticism is coincidental. I do not follow standard citation practice for this site because it is primarily for entertainment, not scholarship. If there are any significant ideas mentioned that are not my own, I do provide a “further reading” link with the primary source.
My purpose is to serve the common good by connecting more readers with more types of literature, which I intend to be an aid for both consumers and professionals in the field.
