I hated school.  Everything about it.  It was a thirteen year baby sitting service in which I was mentally stifled and bullied on a daily basis.  At about the age of sixteen I learned to meet violence with more violence and the bullying stopped.  But my hatred for school, its lazy, inept teachers, and its meaningless busy work didn't. Eventually I made it to college on the old Vietnam Era GI Bill and my attitude changed. 
     From the early grades on they made us do book reports.  Since I hated every aspect of school, books became an enemy.  I refused to read them.  I would read the inside cover of the book only.  Being a creative child I was able to formulate a viable book report from that alone.  My fake book reports almost always got a B. 
     I can't recall ever reading one book completely from the time I was able through my time in the army.  After the army I took a job as a Security Guard at Certainteed Fiberglass to supplement my VA allowance while I worked my way through college. I worked the graveyard shift... many boring, empty hours. 
     I took up reading.  I discovered what I had been missing.  Books weren't the enemy.  I became a voracious reader.  I read all of the classics I was supposed to read in high school.  I read everything I could get my hands on.
      Jump ahead to about 2010.  I discovered Social Networking.  The computer and Fascistbook took the place of books.  This was unfortunate.  Not reading and spending all of your time on the net makes one intellectually lazy, subject to brainwashing, and ignorant.  Old people need to keep mentally active. I knew I had to get back into the habit of reading. 
     I started reading this John Jakes Civil War Trilogy.  It should keep me busy for a while.  I'm only a quarter through the first book, North and South.  So far I'm loving it.  Getting booted off of Fascistbook is a blessing. 

Reading is so underrated - I dont know anyone who regrets time spent reading a book - the same cant be said for doom scrolling (I'm very guilty of wasting time there).

My all time fav books are "A fortunate Life" by AB Facey, and The power of one/Tandia duo by Bryce Courtney... If anyone wants a CRAZY read check out a fortunate life... all about a young boy growing up in poverty in Australia and going to fight in Gallipoli.

My fav non-fiction is Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari - all about evolution and development of mankind - anyone who likes learning about Neanderthals etc will love it... 

JM- you ever read the Magician by Raymond E. Feist? Crazy good books - gonna have to re-read them...

A friend of mine recently lent me a lovely book, somewhat obscure.
You folks might enjoy this.

Soldier of the Mist by Gene Wolfe:
The protagonist is a soldier in Xerxes' army who receives a head injury at the battle of Plataea.
He loses his memory and cannot form new long term memories,
in turn, he is gifted with the power to see the gods and mythical beings walking in the mortal world.
The book is his personal diary he writes in every day to keep track of who he is and what has happened to him.

I really enjoyed the book.

I'll take a look.  I do like the Arthurian legend.


@RhonanTennenbrook - I might have to take a look at that one too.  Sounds interesting.