Since I lack anything particularly interesting to say and, since you really don’t want to read about my daily, personal travails, and, since I feel the familiar compulsion to write something to fill the space, and since I really love pointless, run-on sentences, I will ply you with a tale of something lacking.
I recently finished George Saunder’s “In Persuasion Nation,” which I thoroughly enjoyed, but am now facing down the abyss that every serious reader (and writer) has at one point in his or her life:
I don’t know what to read.
Sure, I’ve got books stacked up at home, piles of novels by once-hot authors and still-burning stars. There are plenty of musty volumes lying about; story collections, biographies, history, science. But I can’t seem to work up the cajones to read any of them.
For a neurotic like myself, the thought of wasting time reading something possibly bad is as stress inducing as, say, spending my time writing something possibly bad. I was hoping to find a book that would transport me elsewhere, a book that is so well-written and gripping that I can’t put it down. (It’s been a long time since I had one of those).
I tried “Bel Canto,” which Wife strongly recommended, and found it as turgid as the opera it describes. I tried “Atonement,” which about 1,232 people recommended, but I couldn’t find the energy to finish.
Unread and unloved
Classics? I am in that state which compels me to Keep Up With What’s Happening in Literature, and I gotta read new writers, you know? (Though I do have a book before me that was published but a couple of weeks ago, and that I highly recommend.)
My reading vistas were not always so bleak. Since I was a child, I’ve always carried around a list in my head of books to read, works I would jump into as soon as I was finished with the book I had in my hand. These were always colored by what my friends read or how much I liked the author I was currently reading — for instance, as soon as I read “The Handmaid’s Tale,” I got my hands on as much Margaret Atwood as I could find. Ditto with “Moon Palace” (Paul Auster), “Fifth Business” (Robertson Davies) and, recently “Cloud Atlas” (David Mitchell).
You know what I’m talking about.
The few times I’ve the same feeling about non-fiction happened to be two books about evolution, “The Moral Animal” (Robert Wright) and (maybe the most important book I’ve read) “The Selfish Gene” (Richard Dawkins). But while I enjoyed their other books, it wasn’t the same — your know, first love and all that. Right now, Dawkins’ “The Ancestor’s Tale” is on my nightstand, barely read.
Often, I feel the obligation to pursue a novel that has no interest — bad sign — but has been molting on my bookshelf for so long that I feel like a heel by not reading it. There’s only so many trees in the world, and some went to make this book, never mind the author’s dedication and sweat.
He just read Camus
But life is too short, I say, that reading should be a burden. There are writing schools of thought that posit you should read as much as you can in order to learn, but that smacks of drinking cod-liver oil or allowing a sex-deprived Mike Tyson give you several right uppercuts. Iron Mike broke my jaw, but I learned to duck!
You see, the most important reason for a writer to read isn’t just as a course of study. It’s inspiration. Some of my best writing has come as I am reading something amazing: “The Moor’s Last Sigh” or “Cat’s Eye,” for instance. Given my lackadaisical fiction output of late, and, given that I am going to embark upon familial duties and vacation that will suck the minutes available to writing, I need something inspiring, well-written, funny, smart, impossible to put down or forget.
Something that I can read the shit out of.
Any suggestions?
I’m in the exact same boat right now. Every book I pick up, I end up forgetting about halfway through, unless it’s short stories. Sadly, this is not helping my writing all that much.
As far as a suggestion goes, I always go to my old standbys, Chuck Palahniuk and Steve Almond. Although I hear a lot of people talking about this one book, called “The Da Vinci Code” or something like that. It’s supposed to be pretty good.*
*Note: This is my pathetic attempt at humor. I hope said attempt does not result in my banishment from this blog.
i just borrowed The Secret Life of Bees, and it’s been sitting there, staring, saying: read me, you uncouth bitch.
when i’m in a rut, i read a trashy romance novel. it’s usually a quick read without much thinking involved like watching a mindless reality show.
Oo, I agree with le. I’ve read romance novels since roughly the same time I hit puberty, and I’ve got several favorite authors that I still read whenever I hear they’ve a new book out.
But it’s still fun to read shit entitled “The Younger Man”, or “Who Will Father My Baby?” if they’ve got enough sex.
I’m in the exact same boat right now. Every book I pick up, I end up forgetting about halfway through, unless it’s short stories. Sadly, this is not helping my writing all that much.
As far as a suggestion goes, I always go to my old standbys, Chuck Palahniuk and Steve Almond. Although I hear a lot of people talking about this one book, called “The Da Vinci Code” or something like that. It’s supposed to be pretty good.*
*Note: This is my pathetic attempt at humor. I hope said attempt does not result in my banishment from this blog.
I’m in the exact same boat right now. Every book I pick up, I end up forgetting about halfway through, unless it’s short stories. Sadly, this is not helping my writing all that much.
As far as a suggestion goes, I always go to my old standbys, Chuck Palahniuk and Steve Almond. Although I hear a lot of people talking about this one book, called “The Da Vinci Code” or something like that. It’s supposed to be pretty good.*
*Note: This is my pathetic attempt at humor. I hope said attempt does not result in my banishment from this blog.
i just borrowed The Secret Life of Bees, and it’s been sitting there, staring, saying: read me, you uncouth bitch.
when i’m in a rut, i read a trashy romance novel. it’s usually a quick read without much thinking involved like watching a mindless reality show.
i just borrowed The Secret Life of Bees, and it’s been sitting there, staring, saying: read me, you uncouth bitch.
when i’m in a rut, i read a trashy romance novel. it’s usually a quick read without much thinking involved like watching a mindless reality show.
Oo, I agree with le. I’ve read romance novels since roughly the same time I hit puberty, and I’ve got several favorite authors that I still read whenever I hear they’ve a new book out.
But it’s still fun to read shit entitled “The Younger Man”, or “Who Will Father My Baby?” if they’ve got enough sex.
Oo, I agree with le. I’ve read romance novels since roughly the same time I hit puberty, and I’ve got several favorite authors that I still read whenever I hear they’ve a new book out.
But it’s still fun to read shit entitled “The Younger Man”, or “Who Will Father My Baby?” if they’ve got enough sex.
I highly recommend a steady diet of In Style magazine, the Weekly World News, and The Onion for about two weeks. Go to the grocery store and load up on every single trasy and pointless magazine you can find.
Read the shit out of all of them while stuffing your face with Hostess products like Ding Dongs and Ho Ho’s.
Then drink a lot of grape soda.
After two weeks, when you can’t stand the sugar or the brain candy any more, take another look at your bookshelf.
You’ll feel like a fucking genius, ready to take on ANY serious work. You’ll also have a new appreciation for really long sentences.
Just my two cents.
*mwah*
No suggestions.
Wing it with the wind.
Any time someone tells me a book is a “must read,” I get all stubborn and contrary and juvenile and rebellious and avoid it like…like cod liver oil.
I find David Sedaris impossible to put down. I avoided him for a long time because he was becoming such a book celebrity, but one day, I bought “Me Talk Pretty One Day” and did not stop laughing while the book was open. He is funny, smart and a fun read.
Lately, I’ve been recommending John Berger’s “To The Wedding,” simple, honest, unsentimental writing – and a heartbreakingly beautiful story.
But I like Michele’s suggestion – some kind of mental enema to flush out all the blockage, then go back to your bookshelf. I do that from time to time. I have a series of books a read specifically for that purpose – and I’ve been neglecting them lately, which might explain a lot.
I highly recommend a steady diet of In Style magazine, the Weekly World News, and The Onion for about two weeks. Go to the grocery store and load up on every single trasy and pointless magazine you can find.
Read the shit out of all of them while stuffing your face with Hostess products like Ding Dongs and Ho Ho’s.
Then drink a lot of grape soda.
After two weeks, when you can’t stand the sugar or the brain candy any more, take another look at your bookshelf.
You’ll feel like a fucking genius, ready to take on ANY serious work. You’ll also have a new appreciation for really long sentences.
Just my two cents.
*mwah*
I highly recommend a steady diet of In Style magazine, the Weekly World News, and The Onion for about two weeks. Go to the grocery store and load up on every single trasy and pointless magazine you can find.
Read the shit out of all of them while stuffing your face with Hostess products like Ding Dongs and Ho Ho’s.
Then drink a lot of grape soda.
After two weeks, when you can’t stand the sugar or the brain candy any more, take another look at your bookshelf.
You’ll feel like a fucking genius, ready to take on ANY serious work. You’ll also have a new appreciation for really long sentences.
Just my two cents.
*mwah*
No suggestions.
Wing it with the wind.
Any time someone tells me a book is a “must read,” I get all stubborn and contrary and juvenile and rebellious and avoid it like…like cod liver oil.
No suggestions.
Wing it with the wind.
Any time someone tells me a book is a “must read,” I get all stubborn and contrary and juvenile and rebellious and avoid it like…like cod liver oil.
I find David Sedaris impossible to put down. I avoided him for a long time because he was becoming such a book celebrity, but one day, I bought “Me Talk Pretty One Day” and did not stop laughing while the book was open. He is funny, smart and a fun read.
I find David Sedaris impossible to put down. I avoided him for a long time because he was becoming such a book celebrity, but one day, I bought “Me Talk Pretty One Day” and did not stop laughing while the book was open. He is funny, smart and a fun read.
rebecca: thanks for the cool suggestions. did i ever tell you i’ve met steve almond? a few times? never mind.
and your attempt at humor only succeeded in making me smile, my dear. no banning necessary.
le: what is the male equivalent of trashy romance novels? or chick lit, for that matter?
madame d: i don’t need to read about sex, i just need sex. but those titles are a hoot.
michele: you are funny, i gotta say. dingdongs and hostess ho-hos, yay! but grape soda? urg.
bernita: yeah, once somebody insists on me reading something, it becomes an act of study rather than enjoyment. feh.
fringes: david sedaris is da bomb. he kills me. but i’ve ready most of the sedaris catalog.
quinn: berger is a writer that few people read much any more, but he’s a hoot. wait a minute, i’m thinking of thomas berger. never mind.
i think there’s a genre called lad lit.
eh, just read comic books…errr, graphic novels. i think that’s what the cool kids call them.
Alright. You can have an exemption on the grape soda if you drink some Kool-Aid.
High doses of refined sugar. And maybe some popcorn.
That would be good.
Yeah. Popcorn.
Lately, I’ve been recommending John Berger’s “To The Wedding,” simple, honest, unsentimental writing – and a heartbreakingly beautiful story.
But I like Michele’s suggestion – some kind of mental enema to flush out all the blockage, then go back to your bookshelf. I do that from time to time. I have a series of books a read specifically for that purpose – and I’ve been neglecting them lately, which might explain a lot.
Lately, I’ve been recommending John Berger’s “To The Wedding,” simple, honest, unsentimental writing – and a heartbreakingly beautiful story.
But I like Michele’s suggestion – some kind of mental enema to flush out all the blockage, then go back to your bookshelf. I do that from time to time. I have a series of books a read specifically for that purpose – and I’ve been neglecting them lately, which might explain a lot.
Have you read the Bible lately?
rebecca: thanks for the cool suggestions. did i ever tell you i’ve met steve almond? a few times? never mind.
and your attempt at humor only succeeded in making me smile, my dear. no banning necessary.
le: what is the male equivalent of trashy romance novels? or chick lit, for that matter?
madame d: i don’t need to read about sex, i just need sex. but those titles are a hoot.
rebecca: thanks for the cool suggestions. did i ever tell you i’ve met steve almond? a few times? never mind.
and your attempt at humor only succeeded in making me smile, my dear. no banning necessary.
le: what is the male equivalent of trashy romance novels? or chick lit, for that matter?
madame d: i don’t need to read about sex, i just need sex. but those titles are a hoot.
michele: you are funny, i gotta say. dingdongs and hostess ho-hos, yay! but grape soda? urg.
bernita: yeah, once somebody insists on me reading something, it becomes an act of study rather than enjoyment. feh.
fringes: david sedaris is da bomb. he kills me. but i’ve ready most of the sedaris catalog.
quinn: berger is a writer that few people read much any more, but he’s a hoot. wait a minute, i’m thinking of thomas berger. never mind.
michele: you are funny, i gotta say. dingdongs and hostess ho-hos, yay! but grape soda? urg.
bernita: yeah, once somebody insists on me reading something, it becomes an act of study rather than enjoyment. feh.
fringes: david sedaris is da bomb. he kills me. but i’ve ready most of the sedaris catalog.
quinn: berger is a writer that few people read much any more, but he’s a hoot. wait a minute, i’m thinking of thomas berger. never mind.
You’ve met Steve Almond? This has elevated you to a new level of coolness in my eyes. And I’m insanely jealous.
i think there’s a genre called lad lit.
eh, just read comic books…errr, graphic novels. i think that’s what the cool kids call them.
i think there’s a genre called lad lit.
eh, just read comic books…errr, graphic novels. i think that’s what the cool kids call them.
Neil is making me laugh on Bookfraud’s blog and Bookfraud is making me laugh over on Neil’s blog. What say I give up blogging and just click back and forth between here and Citizen?
Alright. You can have an exemption on the grape soda if you drink some Kool-Aid.
High doses of refined sugar. And maybe some popcorn.
That would be good.
Yeah. Popcorn.
Alright. You can have an exemption on the grape soda if you drink some Kool-Aid.
High doses of refined sugar. And maybe some popcorn.
That would be good.
Yeah. Popcorn.
Have you read the Bible lately?
Have you read the Bible lately?
You’ve met Steve Almond? This has elevated you to a new level of coolness in my eyes. And I’m insanely jealous.
You’ve met Steve Almond? This has elevated you to a new level of coolness in my eyes. And I’m insanely jealous.
Neil is making me laugh on Bookfraud’s blog and Bookfraud is making me laugh over on Neil’s blog. What say I give up blogging and just click back and forth between here and Citizen?
Neil is making me laugh on Bookfraud’s blog and Bookfraud is making me laugh over on Neil’s blog. What say I give up blogging and just click back and forth between here and Citizen?
i just finished (and admired) persuasion nation too! and am now reading and loving ‘an episode in the life of a landscape painter,’ by an argentine writer, based on a german artist’s visit to argentina in 1847. it’s super short, so it isn’t a big commitment! and it’s incredibly beautiful, suddenly very dramatic (i won’t spoil it by telling why), and a fascinating mix of history and fiction. best of all, i found it in the reject pile of the magazine where i work–too good for the american public!
have you read any david james duncan – “the river why” or “the brothers k” ? they are everything you mentioned you need…
also, i just started a new book by a new new writer – “special topic in calamity physics” by marisha pressl…it is showing some promise
le: lad lit indeed. i guess nick hornby would be the lead practitioner, though he actually happens to be a good writer.
michele: i will drink the kool-aid and try not to join a cult. popcorn rules.
neil: your (funny) comment brings to mind the old slogan, “have you driven a ford, lately?” i have tried the bible, though it gives me indigestion.
rebecca s.: there is no need to elevate me in terms of coolness, especially for meeting another writer. really, really trust me on this one.
fringes: sounds like a fine idea to me, though neil gets more traffic in a day than i do all year. of course, he’s a lot funnier, as well.
winkie: an excellent suggestion. a fast read, historical, dramatic, well-written, and ignored. my kind of book.
“in persuasion nation” was great, though uneven. “my flamboyant grandson,” “jon,” and “commcomm” are amazing stories.
kfo: also excellent suggestions. will go to my bookstore quickly. though the pressl book bothers me, if only because she’s half my age and twice as talented.
i just finished (and admired) persuasion nation too! and am now reading and loving ‘an episode in the life of a landscape painter,’ by an argentine writer, based on a german artist’s visit to argentina in 1847. it’s super short, so it isn’t a big commitment! and it’s incredibly beautiful, suddenly very dramatic (i won’t spoil it by telling why), and a fascinating mix of history and fiction. best of all, i found it in the reject pile of the magazine where i work–too good for the american public!
i just finished (and admired) persuasion nation too! and am now reading and loving ‘an episode in the life of a landscape painter,’ by an argentine writer, based on a german artist’s visit to argentina in 1847. it’s super short, so it isn’t a big commitment! and it’s incredibly beautiful, suddenly very dramatic (i won’t spoil it by telling why), and a fascinating mix of history and fiction. best of all, i found it in the reject pile of the magazine where i work–too good for the american public!
Read “Terroist” by John Updike, one of the books of the year, simply amazing
Do it now!
have you read any david james duncan – “the river why” or “the brothers k” ? they are everything you mentioned you need…
also, i just started a new book by a new new writer – “special topic in calamity physics” by marisha pressl…it is showing some promise