I have a weakness for books. Anyone in my family could tell you this. During college I made myself a rule that I couldn't read fun books during the semester because I knew I would just read them instead of studying. I would make an exception during reading days. When I was at the library studying all day I would pick out something light from the Juvenile Fiction section on the 5th floor. I would make a deal with myself that I could read for 15 minutes now and then as a break from studying. Needless to say that worked for awhile and then I read for an hour and a half or two hours until the book was done and I had to go to work. Not super effective, but that is what reading days are for - reading.
I am having the same problem now. I have started reading while nursing Kate. Again 15 minutes of reading and then work and interact with the kids until she needs to eat again. It keeps me sane. However, in the last two weeks I have read: The two Octavian Nothing books, Wicked, Harry Potter #7 and #6, Catcher in the Rye (hello, swearing!), Ship of Fools and a Drowned Maiden's Hair. I decided I needed to add something a bit more classy to the mix if I was going to keep reading like this and have started Founding Mothers (revolutionary war nonfiction). Obviously, I have not been just reading while I feed Kate. I just can't stop! In my defense lots of the reading happens during the fussy time between 8 and midnight or when the kids are outside playing but still, my house would be a lot cleaner if I had read even one less book.
I don't know what it is about nursing but doing nothing or worse trying to deal with other children while nursing drives me nuts. While I nursed Aleah and Emily I was a total HGTV junkie. With Colleen I don't know what I did but here my drug of choice is reading. Worse still,I have a library that takes 10 minutes to walk to. It totally enables my problem - and Brian is my pusher - taking the girl's to the Library and bringing me books! I don't even know if I want to stop.
Maybe when the Cooks and Brian's Mom visit it will break the cycle - at least for awhile. But just in case it doesn't, what have you been reading this summer?
7 comments:
Yippee! I found your blog! (blame Maren) I would suggest all of Anne Perry's novels - victorian murder mysteries. Clean easy reading that focuses on the mystery solving and social rules of the time instead of the gruesome details of the murder.
I want to know which of those books you liked the most? (After Potter, of course).
I just bought a brand-new YA book with a birthday gift card "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate". The cover is absolutely gorgeous and the book is great so far.
I read "Silas Marner" last month by George Eliot and thought it was a treasure.
Just finished "Justice hall" by Laurie R. King. If you haven't discovered "The Beekeeper's Apprentice" yet, Leila, then you are in for a treat. The Laurie R. King books are what my favorite librarian recommended to me when I was feeling book-sad after the end of Harry Potter. She told me they would keep me busy for a while, and they have--love 'em.
Like many other addictions, there is a genetic predispostition to reading. If it becomes unmanageable or the floor impassable, we will simply have to take away the lightbulbs and limit you to daylight hours only!
My current reads are Camilla, a YA reissue from 1951 by Madelaine L'Engle; Undaunted Courage by Steven Ambrose;Help, a geat first novel; and Food of a Younger Land, an intriguing look at food and recipes collected by WPA program in the late 1930s.
I just finished reading another Janet Evanovich book. I love her Stephanie Plum series! Also, if you haven't read Richard Peck's books then GET ON IT! Before the Janet Evanovich book, I re-read A Year Down Yonder, and before that I re-read A Long Way From Chicago, and before that I re-read A Hat Full of Sky, by Terry Pratchett (also a YA read that is witty and HILARIOUS). I'm a book nut too, but I can't read nearly as fast as you do. I'm a little envious.
So our summer goal here is to read 25 Newbery Medal winners. I like them because they are good clean reading and because they are lightweight enough to read in one sitting-- I know scary. I have taken a compulsive cleaning break/ emotional breakdown break for the last couple weeks so the numbers are lower than I expected but here is a list:
The Giver, The Whipping boy (very enjoyable- light hearted fun about 2 hour max read), Witch of Blackbird Pond, Bronze Bow (very interesting in light of mental emotional breakdowns) Hero and the Crown, Ginger Pye, Julie of the Wolves, Island of the Blue Dolphins, A wrikle in time (first time I have actually finished it!!!!) Shen of the Sea (collection of Chinese folk tales-- good because there are definate stops) Johnny Tremain, Bridge to Terrabithia, Tale of Despereaux, Bud, Not buddy, Out of the Dust... the list could go on I am up to 15 of 25 goal
When Eleanor reads 25 she will get $25 to spend at the bookstore.
Another good book I read this summer is the Devil's Arithmatic-- the story of a modern jewish girl who gets transported back in time to the Hulacost-- how she learns to appreciate her religion and to find joy in unbearable circumstances.
I started reading the client - i picked it up in egypt on the free book shelf at the hotel when i was getting rid of my other ones. Oh, I have read about half a dozen of the James Patterson books this summer. Anything by him is good.
Post a Comment