I was sitting with my sister-in-law a few weeks ago and we were talking about life, the universe and everything. I told her that I have not finished a book since June. She looked at me and told me that she was the same way after her dad died. (Most of you know that my mom died in July.) I've been thinking about it a lot and wondering just WHY is that the case? Is it just (JUST!) the grief? I've not been all that "efficient" at reading for the last couple of years. Grad school and Web 2.0 seems to have taken quite a bit of my reading energy. The only other time I remember going so long without finishing a book was when my son was born. Back then, I didn't even start a book. Now, I start a book but don't get it finished.
Here's a sample of books I've started:
Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
The Lord is My Shepherd by Harold Kushner
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
Those poor books! They don't deserve to be neglected like this. I think a need a prescription from the doctor that says I HAVE to read for 30 minutes a day. No matter what. Not that I do everything my doctor tells me to do.
Anyway, I was just wondering have any of you ever experienced Reader's Block? If so, do you know what caused it? How long did it last? Do you remember the first books you read after your reading slump was over?
++++++++
Cross posted at T-Dot Bloggers Book Club.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
I've had reader's block, though unconnected to tragic loss. The best solution I've found to the ordinary kind is to pick a shortish, plot-driven book and force myself to read it all the way through. That kinda jump-starts me again.
CRANFORD?! Happy day that you find yourself reading that one! :)
I don't suffer from reader's block; I suffer from too-many-books-I-want-to-read and once-I-start-one-another-book-looks-exciting-and-new.
So I have a couple dozen books I'm "working on." :) Here's to us finishing books, friend!
I'm in the reading doldrums right now. Can't commit to anything. I usually cure it by reading several non-fiction books. B/c it's okay to skip out parts of a non-fiction book.
I have. Your problem is that you are trying to read books that you currently do not want to read. Find something short and dumb and fun and that makes you smile. Ta da! Fixed.
My Reader's Block is due to nagging guilt. Along the lines of, "Well, if I have the mental energy to read this book, I should be reading that textbook/article." Or, "If you have to JUST sit and read, you could be cleaning."
Hmm, no robots or spaceships in any of these books, right?
I've got hibby's problem.
Post a Comment