I don’t know how my experience compares, but the first weeks of motherhood just doesn’t allow for much time or mental capacity to read. I’ve barely read a word since August. When I realized I had read at least one book a month for the last three years, and that I was in danger of not finishing one for September, I pushed through to finish Lorrie Moore’s A Gate at the Stairs. Not exactly the way to read a book by a phenomenal author, especially when said author had not published one in over 10 years.
So I’ve realized I better make an effort to read and intentionally pick out which books I’d like to finish. Here’s my list for the rest of 2009:
- Infinite Jest – I started it with the Infinite Summer group, but I could not finish it by September 21. I thought 90 days would be plenty and I’d finish early. Now I’m just hoping to finish it before the end of the year otherwise I’ll have to chalk it up to a third or fourth failed attempt.
- 2666 – At this point I don’t even want to finish the book, but I’m too stubborn not to. I’ve read all but the last 200 pages and it’s been close to nine months since I’ve last read a decent chunk of it. I realize that I can’t give an accurate review of the book since I’ve probably forgotten much of what I’ve read.
- Once the Shore – I read most of Paul Yoon’s stories earlier this year, but had to return the book to the library before I could finish the last few.
- Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned – Wells Tower’s debut story collection received a lot of hype, and though I’ve only read a handful of the stories here, I don’t think they’ve lived up to it. But because I’m stubborn, I’d like to finish the last few (Notice a pattern here?).
- Girl Trouble – I’d looked forward to Holly Goddard Jones’s debut collection since I read one of her stories earlier this year (or late last year?). She’s talented and I’ve loved the few I’ve read. But I haven’t picked up the book since its September 1st release.
- Reasons for and Advantages of Breathing – Another collection I’ve been meaning to read. Lydia Peelle is an amazing short story writer, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this collection, if only to reread “The Still Point.”
If I get through those books, I’d love to start some Faulkner (Light in August), Gogol (Dead Souls), Cheever, Carver, Munro, Welty, and some religious/spiritual writing (such as Thomas Merton) and Jewish-American Fiction. It’s been a while since I’ve read the Russians, and I do love them. Right now I can’t contain my reading excitement, but I also can’t muster up the concentration to get started. Until then, I’ll watch the Broncos continue their winning streak and maybe catch up on some One Story issues during half time.
Year End Reading
I don’t know how my experience compares, but the first weeks of motherhood just doesn’t allow for much time or mental capacity to read. I’ve barely read a word since August. When I realized I had read at least one book a month for the last three years, and that I was in danger of not finishing one for September, I pushed through to finish Lorrie Moore’s A Gate at the Stairs. Not exactly the way to read a book by a phenomenal author, especially when said author had not published one in over 10 years.
So I’ve realized I better make an effort to read and intentionally pick out which books I’d like to finish. Here’s my list for the rest of 2009:
If I get through those books, I’d love to start some Faulkner (Light in August), Gogol (Dead Souls), Cheever, Carver, Munro, Welty, and some religious/spiritual writing (such as Thomas Merton) and Jewish-American Fiction. It’s been a while since I’ve read the Russians, and I do love them. Right now I can’t contain my reading excitement, but I also can’t muster up the concentration to get started. Until then, I’ll watch the Broncos continue their winning streak and maybe catch up on some One Story issues during half time.