On Reading and Blogging

I suppose that I have been motivated to blog by my reading of other blogs as well as reading books. I remember reading a book by Louis L'amour. I t was a memoir, sort of a biography about his early days, his adventurous life and his great need to read. When he read he made notes of when and what he read. Writing these notes must have given him a better understanding of the author's intent as well as helping him to remember the book. Later on those notes acted as cheat sheets for refreshing his knowledge. So, I thought that some of what I write will be my thoughts on what I am reading and my responses.
About six months ago I read a book by Michael Ignatieff called "Isaiah Berlin - A Life". I don't think I had ever heard of Berlin but this book was an eye opener. First the book itself was so engaging, so readable, yet Berlin was a very complex man but Ignatieff does not over simplify his subject but rather he undoes him, opens him up as it were. Also, Ignatieff likes him, he knew him well and respected him alive and honours him now he is dead. Second, Isaiah Berlin was a serious man who enjoyed being serious about important matters but Ignatieff allows us to think that Berlin was a man of good humour, a generous man but having a sense of irony. Anyway as a result of reading this book I obtained some of Berlin's writings from the library and I am fascinated by his views, by his ability to clarify such subjects as freedom, and liberty. A lot of his work is in the form of lectures that have been edited by the man who is his literary editor, Henry Hardy.