Yes, I really do read several books at one time.
Dorothy L. Sayers - Gaudy Night
Cory Doctorow - Little Brother
Walter Wink - The Powers That Be
Tennessee Williams - Memoirs
Here's how it works:
The fiction gets read in large chunks only. There's no point in even opening the Sayers or Doctorow if I can't devote at least an hour to it. Evenings when there's nothing on TV and weekends are usually reserved for fiction. But when I read fiction, I tend to read very quickly, so it is therefore imperative to have your Too Be Read (TBR) pile visible and ranked according to what I'm ready for next.
Nonfiction is generally read before bed--while in bed--usually for at least 30 minutes, though if I'm having a hard time pulling myself away, it can take over the fiction spot momentarily (as happened with Jesus for President and why I'm still reading Gaudy Night even though I love it).
Four books is about average. Sometimes there is one more nonfic book hanging around somewhere that gets read slowly (like molasses slow) over the course of about a year (during which time I will read around 60 other books).
I always write down the titles of the books I'm currently reading, then check them off when I've finished. This is not because I'm just that anal, it's so I don't forget what I've read. Not everything is so spectacular it stays in the memory banks forever. I also write down my TBR list and "books that sound interesting," all in my moleskine reporter's notebook. I never remember to pull the notebook out when I'm book hunting. I think sometimes I just like to write down the titles of books.
Now the TBR pile? That is one unruly, ungainly mess. And I add to it almost weekly. My friend Frank once told me that work is what we do so we can do the stuff we love when we're not working (a work philosophy that doesn't totally jibe with my ways, but if it works for him...). Well, I don't go out and drink. The husband and I rarely eat out. We sometimes go see movies. I don't buy lots of clothes or shoes or need the latest doodads and technojunk. What I do is read. I work to read. Keeps me from lots of psychological mischief and feeds my brain.
When I think about it that way, I don't dislike my job so very much.
Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer
2 days ago
5 comments:
I'm impressed with your love for reading. I need to re-ignite that in myself. I've got a ton of 'books to be read' but something always seems to come up that prevents me from reading. I suppose I should just start on a book because once I do I tend to read a ton of them for months and then stop for months.
Thanks for the inspiration. :)
I used to have about half a dozen books by my bed, and a bunch of magazines. I never got any sleep!
MW - read. It's as good for your brain, heart, and soul as music. ;)
Val - I don't know how you get any sleep as it is, what with all the awesome screencapping you do! lol
I do hope you are loving Gaudy Night! It has been many years since I found this gem - Lord Peter is OK, but Harriet Vane rocks!!
I am so happy to see a book lover! One comes in contact with bibliophiles damn infrequently these days - I suppose any reading is better than none, but great writing is so much more satisfying than a romance novel or "self help" drivel.
Be as anal as you want with your list - I even take notes. Currently reading Hortense Calisher's "Sunday Jews".
Wonderful blog - so many of the same interests.books, music, i can has cheezburger!
Hi Susin, and welcome to my teeny corner of the universe! I hope to write about my love of books, book reviews, and the like more often.
I did love Gaudy Night very much, not only because of the brilliant dissection of academia, but also because I am a closet romantic. I personally love Lord Peter. I do wish there were an annotated Dorothy Sayers out there; so many literary references, so little time to read them all!
I hope you keep coming back. My taste in reading material is as eclectic as my taste in everything else, though, so it may not please everyone all the time! lol
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