Friday, January 12, 2007

The Slump Continues, Sort Of

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and sharing your own reading. My reading slump is, hopefully, on the wane.

I had picked up Stephen King's The Stand the other day. I thought if I could get myself involved in something big and thick for awhile, it might help. I always loved early Stephen King, although I lost interest around Misery. That story just didn't click for me (one of the few books I remember not finishing) and I never returned to King. But Salem's Lot, It and The Stand -- as well as the short-story collection Night Shift (which I really need to get a copy of) -- were all books I really enjoyed. So I started reading it the other day and everything seemed fine. Last night, 200 pages in, in the middle of a page, I suddenly decided I had no interest whatsoever in finishing the book. So that goes back on the bookshelf too.

I did pick up No Country for Old Men, which is one of the books foisted upon me quite awhile ago. I'm not a huge fan of modern literature (I seem to prefer my authors long, long in the grave), but I read All the Pretty Horses a few months ago, and it was okay. Just a few chapters in, No Country is pretty engaging. Hopefully that will get me out of this slump.

In case it doesn't, I broke down today and visited Amazon.com. On the way are Jane Austen: A Companion, and Time and Chance by Sharon Key Penman. I read the first of Penman's Henry and Eleanor series several years ago when it first came out and forgot that there were sequels planned. But I am absolutely addicted to all things Henry and Eleanor; I've seen The Lion in Winter more times than I can count and I've read biographies of both Henry and Eleanor. They are both fascinating characters.

If that doesn't work, I don't know what I'm going to do.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just read Jane Austen: A Companion. It was very interesting. Look for the part where they talk about men's hairstyles and how that certain one was recently in style again. I saw a guy today with that exact hairstyle. I swear.

Unknown said...

Thanks, Adrienne. I'm pretty sure I read about the book on your blog. At least, I saw it on someone's blog -- I lose track sometimes! Very much looking forward to it.

MissMiller said...

Did you find All the Pretty Horses compelling enough that you would read the rest of the Border trilogy? Someone gave me a copy of ATPH, but I haven't begun it yet.

Anonymous said...

I feel your pain on the reading slump thing. I may not experience those as often as I used to, or not as dramatically I should say, but that feeling is just the pits. Yuck!

I'm not sure what exactly you enjoy reading, so I'm not sure what direction to point you in to help you out. I'm bad with being put on the spot by people asking me what they should read, though. I freeze like a deer in headlights. They think "all she does is read, she should know," but I'm scared to death they'll hate my suggestions, I guess.

Oh well, here's hoping you un-slump soon, and thanks so much for stopping by and linking to my blog! I shall link back. Anyone who publicly trumpets buying books is definitely a kindred soul.

Unknown said...

acquisitionist -- I finished No Country on Sunday and I loved it. It made a much bigger impression on my than ATPH. But I think that says more about me and less about the book. I read very little modern fiction, so I have a hard time putting it in any context. For me, No Country just resonated on a lot of levels.

Bluestalking -- I know how you feel about the suggestions. I hesitate to give them to because I think my reading is rather quirky in its own way. But I have say, No Country was a recommendation from a friend; I never would have picked it up on my own. So recommendations are a good way to get someone to read something a little different.

Books and Tea For Two said...

I am in a book depression of my own. I hate it!