I finished Winter’s Heart the other day, and my ambivalence towards the Wheel of Time continues. I quite disliked the first third of the book, and quite liked the rest. It’s just amazing to me that in a series with thousands of named characters, the only one I find likeable is Min. I also thought Perrin was nice enough, but war trauma and an unhealthy, abusive relationship have changed him in to someone I don’t much care for. At least Nynaeve has mellowed down some.

And yet, and yet, I like the series. At it’s core it’s a really good story, and if Jordan had had some actual focus it could’ve been amazing. I say this should have been six books, max. It’s perplexing to me that he has like three main characters (well, more than that, but let’s focus on the supposedly important ta’veren) and usually one of them will be absent for most or whole of a book. Jordan is way too enamored with his world, writing and work.

But as to the topic at hand, I recently watched Nöthin’ but a Good Time: The Uncensored Story of '80s Hair Metal, and it made me want to re-read The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band by Mötley Crüe. I remember it being a surprisingly good book, given it’s the story of a group of dysfunctional musicians committing various crimes and general insanity. What I think makes it especially interesting is the fact that every member gets to tell their side, letting the book speak in many voices. In fact, the book opens with a quote by Wilkie Collins from The Woman in White, about how the story is told by many speakers. I did not expect a Wilkie Collins quote in The Dirt, but here we are. They also constantly shit on each other with little regard for anyone’s feelings, which I feel adds a sense of honesty.