On Twitter yesterday, someone said they only read 52 books last year. FIFTY-TWO BOOKS. My mind was blown. Someone read fifty-two non-academic books in a year. I may have managed to read ten or fifteen books at most.
I used to be one of those people, though. I used to read two or three books a week, even during my M.A. This PhD, however, has killed my interest in reading anything that is not immediately necessary to my research or teaching. I look at books or articles all day long. I do not want my down time to be time spent looking at books. This hasn't stopped me from buying a ton of books to be read later; bookstores are like crack, after all. When I do read non-academic books now, they tend to be favorites that I've read before, partly because if I'm going to take time away from my work, I want to be assured that the return on my investment (of time) will be worth it.
I miss reading for fun. I miss falling in love with a book. I miss wanting the book not to end. I also just miss taking time for myself that is just for me - not for school, not for work, not for my parents, not even for, bless his fluffy heart, my dog - just me. Mr. "I only read 52 books this year and want to make sure I read more next year" made me realize that I can commit to reading for fun more. I'm going to read 52 books this year. That's just one a week. That's fine. I can do that. I don't need to watch as much bad tv as I watch. Goodbye, TLC! Hello (again), literature!
First up is "The Great Gatsby" for a few reasons. First, it's short and I want to finish it by Sunday. I also haven't read it since middle school and all I remember is that I didn't like it, so maybe it needs a second chance after more than twenty years. In addition, it's said to be inspired by Fitzgerald's time in Delaware (where I'm from) with all the drunken parties, so that's something. If you're going to be in Delaware, it's probably best to be drunk. Mansions only make that better. Finally, I know I'm going to cave and see the movie when it comes out, so I should probably refresh my memory of the story.
Any recommendations?
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell if you want something rich and strange and literary but not painfully so, I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteFor fun detective stuff - read any Dorothy Sayers? Gaudy Night is probably my overall favourite, but they are all out of the oridnary in terms of the quality of the writing.
For total frivolity - Georgette Hayer? Black Sheep or the Grand Sophy or the Corinthian for some of the best historical romantic romps (and meticulously researched and detailed).
For fantasy novels: have you read any Emma Bull? War for the Oaks is good. Or Martha Wells, but I find them TOO absorbing for work-time reading and spend a week or so per book completely obsessed with the world she creates and at least one of the characters.
Science fiction I'm much more 'meh' about at the moment, struggling to find anything that's not 'catdboardy' or gruesome, but CJ CHerryh's science fictional offerings regularly get re-read, if you can cope with a slow build.
For adventure - read any John Buchan? Or for more modern stuff I love Anthony Price.
And of course there are the Patrick O'Brien Aubrey-Maturin novels, which I love but no-one else in my family seems to like, again historical though which may be a bit busman's holiday like for you.
Guess what I've been doing this vacation instead of working?