Tuesday, January 02, 2007

New Year, and a Reading Slump

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. It didn't seem to be going too fast at the time, but I can't believe it's all over already. I was off all of last week and a few days the week before that, and I was able to get my bedroom painted, complete with some new furniture and some new window treatments.

In terms of reading, however, I'm in a major slump. I was struggling through both The Ambassadors and Race and Reunion last week; neither one was engaging me all that much. So I put them both aside and picked up Persuasion again. I've read it many times, but I was just in the mood for some good writing and a good story that I knew I would like. In addition to the two abandoned books, I have many others on my TBR pile. But, as I've mentioned, nearly all of them are loans. Even the ones I've chosen, like The Ambassadors, seem too much like an assignment.

So for the time being, I'm giving up on challenges. Until I can get into a mood where I really want to pick up something and read it, signing on for challenges is just going to be too frustrating. Race and Reunion is back in the library (I skipped the last chapter and a half, but did read the Epilogue). The Ambassadors can just rest on the nightstand for now. I may still go back to it.

But I still need something to read, so I've picked up Donna Tartt's The Secret History. It's been many, many years since I read it, so I don't remember that much of the story. I'm enjoying it a lot, so hopefully this will get me out of the slump.

So what are you reading today?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I struggled with The Ambassadors too, but I had to read it for a university class, so I got through it somehow.

Right now I'm in the middle of five books: The Temple of My Familiar, The Polished Hoe, The #1 Ladies Detective Agency, Emma, and The Books of Magic (a graphic novel--the first I've ever read).

I've read Emma a zillion times before, but I too need something easy to read.

The first two on this list I'm reading for the "From The Stacks" challenge. They're the last two I'll be reading for it; then I'll go on to the Classics Challenge and the first book in my TBR list (as yet unchosen).

I go back to work next week, so I've still got a little time to read. So far my time off has been taken up with family stuff.

Happy New Year!

Carl V. Anderson said...

Finishing up Colleen Gleason's very fun novel, The Rest Falls Away. Looking forward to diving into The Conquering Sword of Conan for the Winter Classics Challenge and John Scalzi's latest sci-fi book, a comedy, The Androids Dream.

Unknown said...

Amy -- Good to know that someone has made it through The Ambassadors! Actually, I'm sure many people have; I just have to try harder.

Carl V. -- I've been reading Colleen's blog for quite a while now so I'm interested in her new book as well. I think I'll be adding it to my "I really do want to read this" pile.

Anonymous said...

I hate reading slumps! After trying so hard to finish things last year, I feel a bit slow and slump-ish right now, though am enjoying what I am reading. I loved Persuasion! Right now I am reading PD James's The Children of Men.

Diana said...

I got over a slump by randomly choosing "Memoirs From a Muse" from my shelves. It's not particularly well-written (the author's native language is Russian) but the stry gripped me and the frequent allusions to Russian writers made me also dig out my old, yellowed paperback of Crime and Punishment. What a great book!

I recently received The Secret History from Bookmooch, so it's nice to see that you are enjoying it. Maybe it'll move on up the stack.

Anonymous said...

I went through a book reading slump that lasted a whole year - all I read was various newspapers until I got so depressed with current affairs that I escaped back into books.

I am reading Richard Ford's "The Sportswriter" at the moment. It is excellent.

John W

MissMiller said...

The Secret History is definitely motivation for those in a reading slump. I'm currently nearing the end of Corfu by Robert Dessaix. The last third has been quality stuff but I was not enamoured with it for the most part. It's redeeming quality is its allusions to Russian literature.