There are times, especially during the summer, that I want something easy to read, something that does not require a lot of thought but isn’t entirely insulting either. When this happens, I’ll pick up a teen book. Other times, though, I want to speed through pages but linger with a story, which means a large paperback. Despite what I wrote previously about Jodi Picoult, the three books of hers that I’ve read did seem to do that. But they have a certain flavor. It’s like John Grisham–if you don’t feel like reading a mystery or thriller or suspense novel, no matter how great it can be otherwise, it won’t hit the spot. It’s like picking up a glass of milk when you’re expecting orange juice.
What do you read when your brain is tired? Are there writers you return to when you want a break?
This assumes there are two reasons to read: for easy, “pleasure” reading and for some kind of intellectual, spiritual, artistic pursuit. Why else do you read?
