There is no frigate like a book,” or no horse, time machine, airplane, space ship, train, or motorcycle. Throughout my life, books have been my main means of travel, and what places I’ve been! Some of them have been immensely uncomfortable, while others remain like good museums, places to visit often and to always find something new. I find myself distinctly uncomfortable without something to read, sometimes downright grouchy. Books have been my companions, to be opened, lived in, visited, and treasured.

This site, Readers’ Compass, is about the sheer enjoyment of books, and discussions of the books that have been my friends, along with reviews of potential new pals. Many espouse the idea that art must make you uncomfortable to be true art. Others say that literature with great social meaning is the only worthy pursuit. I propose that the best literature in the world is that which the reader enjoys, those works that get read. Certainly, enjoyable works can make you think, but they don’t necessarily have to leave you feeling depressed or small. Stories may delight you with happy endings instead of sad ones and still be art.

My kind of reading is not always about what I’d call comfortable art, though there are a few books here that some people will not like. That’s perfectly okay. You don’t have to like anything I suggest, nor do you have to finish it. Readers’ Compass is a travelogue, a description of my journey. You needn’t necessarily visit all the places I’ve been in books, though more than a few may provoke your interest. The really exciting thing though, is that these journeys are to be had cheaply, for a few dollars at the bookstore and even just a trip to the library. You don’t need to pack, and you don’t need to stay. Yet through this site, you can find out some of the places you’d like to go, and some of the ways to travel.

I added the subtitle to this site with some trepidation. Adventures with a literary critic sounds very much like I’m going to be performing deft art on literature, decoding symbols, constructing, historicizing or deconstructing. If this type of work is your passion, you might want to stop reading here. I did receive a full education in literary criticism, learned the types and used them, but as I did so, I found my enjoyment of literature quickly diminishing. I’m not here to criticize in this traditional sense. I found I had to discard it after college, though it crops up every now and again. Instead, this site is about a personal relationship with books, what I love, what I’ve discovered, and where I’ve lived.

This new step in writing about books, is one in which I hope many readers will join me. Write a comment, suggest something I haven’t read, or merely soak in the expeditions to some marvelous places. Welcome to you all, and to all I say “Bon Voyage!” as we set out on the journey.

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