Reading Again
What a sad statement of affairs this is. Once I got to college, I lost my enjoyment of reading for the fun of it. After having spent most of my life devouring books--anything that I could get my hands on pretty much--academics took precedence. I haven't really read anything for fun since then. It's sad considering that I went to college for a degree in English Literature, to gain a better appreciation of literature as a whole, to do what I enjoyed. Then I added a History degree to challenge and reformulate my concepts of life and how we got to where we are today. This, of course, was accomplished by reading book upon book, journal article upon journal article, about various aspects of history. You'd think after all that I'd still be an avid reader, but I haven't been. Now granted, I am an editor and therefore read every day for my job, but that's not the kind of reading I'm thinking of. While nuts and bolts, light bulbs, welding, and kitchen sinks are all riveting subjects, I don't get a warm fuzzy feeling of curling up with my 4000-page catalog, a hot cup of tea, and a purring cat for an evening of pleasant reading.
So, my New Year's resolution was to get back into reading. So far this year, I've been pretty pathetic about it. I've read Devil in the White City, Jon Stewart's America, and the graphic novel Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth, but that's about it. That is until last week when I started The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman. It's the sequel to The Golden Compass, which I read a couple of years ago. I couldn't put it down. That hasn't happened since I read Lloyd Alexander's Prydain series last fall. It felt good to devour a book again. I can't wait to read the last in the series, The Amber Spyglass.
This new-found excitement in reading has sparked me to create a list of books I want to read or should read. Here's where I need help. I have my own books that I haven't read yet, but I also have some seriously large holes in my literature repertoire. I'd appreciate any suggestions that people might have about good books to read. I don't want to limit my reading to one particular genre...I want to get as much exposure to a variety of subjects as possible. So, if anybody has any suggestions...Bring 'em on!
posted by celtickris @ 9:27 AM
7 Comments:
I'm always happy to give book recommendations. Then I feel hurt when the other person doesn't read them. But you read "Jimmy Corrigan," so I trust you. :)
There are lots of great suggestions from lots of people in the "Desert island books" post on my blog. I can give you more, too.
I had the opposite reaction to college and grad school. Because I had to read so many boring books, I needed to read fiction on my own time to sort of clean out my head. I know a lot of people react differently, but if I hadn't read enjoyable things all the time, I probably would have exploded.
I had a strange reaction to college reading. All the reading kind of did me in for sitting through long, fiction books. I read so much crap that I couldn't stand, I just can't justify the time spent if I don't know if I'll like it. I still read for a lot for information, and I enjoy it, but I really don't read for "fun" anymore, unless you count the occasional comic book.
--Shane
That's funny. I basically only read for fun now. Even the nonfiction I read has to be enjoyable, or I drop it.
I have decided that I only want to read for fun now. I'll do my requisite reading for class, but I need to challenge my brain with something other than work. Besides, I don't feel so bad about myself when I sit around reading a book as compared to sitting on my couch flipping through bad TV shows.
Being an English/Literature major, you have probably read it already, but just in case you haven't, I highly recommend "Jane Eyre" by one of the Brontë sisters (I always forget which one).
Also, if you can find a translation, I loved "Sab" by Gertrudis Gómez Avellaneda. It's originally written in Spanish and I read it for a class and I thought it was beautiful. I don't know how much is lost in the translation, but it's worth a try.
Angela
Once again, Mr. Phillips, we agree but come to our conclusions in our own unique way... or in my case, stupid way. :-P
I also only read books that I enjoy. I drop it if I don't. The problem is that I usually know what non-fiction books will be fun for me, whereas I don't know if I I'll like a fiction book without reading it. So I don't bother most of the time, unless it is something I really wanted to read. So ultimately I only read non-fiction, but only if it is enjoyable.
--shane
David Sedaris always works for me. Talk about enjoyable reading.
Shawn
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