Erm. I think I set a resolution to read a book a week this year because I may have only read ten or so books for fun in the past five years of my dissertating life. This is week eleven, I think, of the year and...well, no. I have not read eleven books this year.
For those of you dying to know, I've read:
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald (still don't like it, but can't wait for the movie)
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, Anne Lamott (my lifesaver)
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, David Allan (another lifesaver)
The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, Kelly O'Connor McNees
I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti, Giulia Melucci
The Lady of the Rivers, Philippa Gregory
I couldn't bring myself to read The Tipping Point, so I read a fictional romance about Louisa May Alcott, who I love. It was delightful. I wanted it to be true. The spaghetti book I could have lived without, but it did have recipes, which is nice. Still, the author was obnoxiously pretentious at times, completely overshadowing the genuine tone of her occasional heartbreak.
Needless to say, I am quite behind. Five books behind to be exact. I should get back to that. When I was reading, I was managing a much better work-life balance, I think. I got a lot done, but I was not just working.
Being sick for over a week now, I have started reading again just a little bit because it's all that I've been able to manage, but I'm cheating a little bit. Don't judge; I'm sick. I read the Philippa Gregory book because, well, I love her. Her books normally feed me the history that I love with an imagination, too, and this book didn't disappoint. Don't get me wrong - it was nowhere near as all-consuming as The Other Boleyn Girl, but I didn't expect that. Even as many times as I've reread that book, I still can't put it down. Anyway, after The Lady of the Rivers, I needed a comfort book. My dad bought me a new copy (with a lovely pink and green cover!) of Pride and Prejudice for Christmas. I used to read it every year, sometimes more than once a year, but when I moved to San Diego, I lost my copy, so I haven't read it in almost seven years. My Mr. Darcy fixes have had to come from the BBC movie, which is more than fine (I mean, really, who doesn't want to see Colin Firth post swim), but I needed to read Darcy again and it's been glorious, particularly because I now read the characters' lines with the actors' voices in my head and it makes me laugh.
Maybe I'll read The Tipping Point after this. Maybe not. I'm just glad to be reading again.
Showing posts with label bookworm. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bookworm. Show all posts
March 16, 2013
January 13, 2013
Resolutions...blargh
It's January 13th and I have already broken all of my resolutions for the New Year. For starters, here I am, online, when I'm not supposed to be. I also worked today, when I wasn't supposed to do so. Yoga? Pfft. Don't make me laugh!
DHWI was fantastic, but it was really difficult to get everything done this week while I was in class all day every day. I learned so much that it was definitely worth it; I can't wait to get started on the project in my head. Anyway, classes start tomorrow. TOMORROW. My syllabus is done (what a nightmare - I was indecision personified), the course site is done, my nails are painted red (my favorite), and my outfit is picked out. I know the nails and outfit sound silly, but I'm not a morning person and need to have that stuff done ahead of time, plus, the less stress on the first day, the better off I'll be.
My reading resolution is the only one going well so far. Great Gatsby? Done - that's one. I also finished Anne Lamott's "Bird by Bird"- that's two. Yes, technically that is not a "for fun" kind of book, but, you know what? It's my resolution and I can count whatever I want! I needed writing inspiration and finally got around to reading this, after one of my committee members told me about it over a year ago. I need to pick this week's book and fast! I'm thinking about Malcolm Gladwell's "Tipping Point." That's not my idea of a fun read, but it's been on my list for years, so I should probably just get it out of the way. Coincidentally, I came across this post on (where else?) twitter today - I told you I'm breaking resolutions left and right - and am inspired about sticking to this and fitting in reading time wherever I can.
Next week aka tomorrow I'm back on the resolution train again!
DHWI was fantastic, but it was really difficult to get everything done this week while I was in class all day every day. I learned so much that it was definitely worth it; I can't wait to get started on the project in my head. Anyway, classes start tomorrow. TOMORROW. My syllabus is done (what a nightmare - I was indecision personified), the course site is done, my nails are painted red (my favorite), and my outfit is picked out. I know the nails and outfit sound silly, but I'm not a morning person and need to have that stuff done ahead of time, plus, the less stress on the first day, the better off I'll be.
My reading resolution is the only one going well so far. Great Gatsby? Done - that's one. I also finished Anne Lamott's "Bird by Bird"- that's two. Yes, technically that is not a "for fun" kind of book, but, you know what? It's my resolution and I can count whatever I want! I needed writing inspiration and finally got around to reading this, after one of my committee members told me about it over a year ago. I need to pick this week's book and fast! I'm thinking about Malcolm Gladwell's "Tipping Point." That's not my idea of a fun read, but it's been on my list for years, so I should probably just get it out of the way. Coincidentally, I came across this post on (where else?) twitter today - I told you I'm breaking resolutions left and right - and am inspired about sticking to this and fitting in reading time wherever I can.
Next week aka tomorrow I'm back on the resolution train again!
January 3, 2013
A Reading Year
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?
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?
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