Thanks For Brightening Up Some Tough Moments In My Life
Today is George R. R. Martin’s 69th Birthday.
I want to take a second to wish him a Happy Birthday and to semi-publically thank him for getting me through some of the very darkest of dark days in my life.
My first contact with the A Song Of Ice and Fire Series was from a jail cell (during my only arrest and subsequent imprisonment).
The book had a torn cover and I had no idea what it was when I started reading.
There was no reason for it to be in my cell, but there it was.
I picked it up and rarely stopped until I had read it cover to cover several times (you have lots of time to read in jail and it can keep you out of areas where trouble is happening).
I remember reading about a girl and her mental health challenged jester/clown sidekick (Shireen and Patchface). It was a strange and wonderful universe full of characters and an approach to fantasy that I had never encountered before (my background is in International Relations and ASOIAF accords pretty closely to the political philosophy of realism which in many ways is the antithesis of fantasy).
Anyway, once I started reading and soon I was hooked (and have remained hooked).
I have read the entire series four or five times since (as well as the supplementary books). It was not lost on my that many of the characters go through some pretty horrific experiences and survive.
As many of you may or may not know, the toughest thing to do when you are first in jail or prison is to get your mind off of the insanity, brutality, and dehumanization that surrounds you.
It is very important, if your goal is survival, to settle down and ground yourself in something other than the omnipresent depression and fear.
For me, George R.R. Martin’s books were how I got my mind clear, got myself re-centered, and started focusing on getting my life back together.
Regardless of how I encountered ASOIAF, the books and the show have become a big part of my life and of my writing. To be totally honest, very few days go by without me at least thinking about some new theory on Reddit or in the popular press about the series.
Very few people in history have had that kind of imaginative impact on the world (JK Rowling comes to mind as well) and that is worth celebrating!
Yes, people get frustrated with Mr. Martin for not finishing books quickly enough but while I can — at times — be one of those people, he has added much more to my life than he has ever added frustrations (not to mention, I couldn’t write 1000 page books quickly much less while dealing with a television show writing a competitive version at the same time).
Anyway, Happy Birthday to George R.R. Martin! Many Happy Returns! Cheers!
<note: I would have said ‘Valur Margoulis’ but it seems a bit contrary to the spirit of my message>
Josh is a blogger and freelance writer who writes about television, movies, music, politics, ethics, and whatever else is of interest coming across his feed.
