Steve Betz is one of the best, most fun bloggers I know.  And he can talk about EVERYTHING.  Books, movies, dogs, science, cocktails, politics…pick a subject, and Steve can talk about it.  And he probably knows more about it than most people.  (Or at least me.)

He started blogging in summer of 2006 on Vox. 

“I thought I would use it to update my family and friends that live elsewhere and wasn’t aware that your online community would have people that you’d previously not met before.  The best part is being able to establish a community out of nothing by doing nothing but sharing yourself — your words, your pictures, your stories — and finding others that `get’ you. I never stop being amazed by that. I think the only negative is when you start to feel like you “should” be blogging when you’re not — in that it becomes some sort of chore, when it should never be that way.”

But because this is a book and movie blog primarily, that’s what we’re going to focus on.  (As opposed to science, which I can’t talk about at all, ever.)

If he could force everyone to read a book, it’d be To Kill a Mockingbird.  (So you’ve lucked out if Steve rises to power—at least he picked a great book.)

“To Kill A Mockingbird — such a simple story of right, wrong and the passions and fears that drive all of us. Scout is blank slate and is learning how to deal with fear, differences and the dichotomy that what people say and what they do are often different. Rather than thinking WWJD, I would have people think WWAFD.”

His other four favorite books are Watership Down by Richard Adams, We Were The Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates, Game of Thrones by George RR Martin and A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K LeGuin and his favorite authors are Joyce Carol Oates, Stephen King, China Mieville, T.C. Boyle and Jim Harrison.

This year, his reading goals are simple but wonderful.

“I’m very excited to read `11/22/63′ by Stephen King, which I’ve heard is excellent. And `Embassytown’ by China Mieville which I’ve waited on because I didn’t want to OD on Mieville last year.”

(Steve, 11/22/63 IS excellent.  I haven’t read any Mieville—not even Kraken.  Kellyfail.)

When he’s reading, he prefers “probably a split between “adult fiction/literature” and fantasy. In the first, I want a vehicle for examining the human condition and in the other I want a means of escaping it.”

He didn’t seem that eager to talk about movies (“oi. Really?”) but I persisted.

“My favorite movie is probably “Raiders of the Lost Ark” or “Jaws”. I don’t really watch films for actors or actresses that much. I think Philip Seymour Hoffmann can be a great actor when he puts his mind to it — actually Brad Pitt is probably the best character actor of his generation. I also would watch anything with Kevin Spacey in it. Actresses? I love Laura Linney. A lot, but I think Michelle Williams is the best actress working right now.”

Thanks for doing this, Steve! :)  And if you don’t already read Steve, you’re missing out.