Over the summer I got into a reading groove and was tossing books down like tequila shots. I got all the way to 26 for the year (see the list) and then ground to a halt two or three weeks ago.
I don't know what changed -- was it my attitude? stress level? did I just pick some dud books?
I tried reading In The Skin Of A Lion by Michael Ondaatje. I don't know where I got the idea I should read this -- maybe because he wrote several award-winning books, including The English Patient which was then made into an award-winning movie -- but I couldn't get very far. It was like slogging through deep snow.
Next I tried Water Bound by Christine Feehan. After (guiltily) enjoying a romance novel earlier in the summer, I thought I'd go for another one, and this one got good reviews somewhere. I wish I could remember where that "somewhere" was, because I'm not going to trust it again. Only made it two chapters into this one before all my eye-rolling was hurting my head. I skipped ahead to the first sex scene and then called it quits.
Most recently I've been trying to read The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. I picked this from Amazon.com recommendations after I so enjoyed The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. Unfortunately this book is just not doing it for me. I only kind of want to know what happens, and I don't feel like dealing with the minorly annoying writing style to find out. I think I'm going to give this up too.
Many of my favorite reads have actually come from NPR recommendations, especially Nancy Pearl's lists. Guess I'll be returning to her...
NPR is my best source for good reading. And also, surprisingly, Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert. There's really something about listening to (or watching) an interview with an author that always suckers me into buying their book. Mostly nonfiction, though. I need to get back to reading; I was doing very well indeed until a few weeks ago too, so maybe it's not you....
ReplyDeleteFor a funny, mindless read try Going Postal by Terry Pratchett. Here are the first few pages from Google books (start on Google's page five - Chpt 1). It's along the lines of Douglas Adams, if you like that sort of thing. And I guess Pratchett is considered a fantasy writer, but there's not such a strong influence in this one.
Thanks Ces! Recommendations from friends are the best. I'll check it out.
ReplyDelete