Sunday Salon : Reading Blank and Books
So last night something happened, that hadn’t happened in a very long time : I had a reading blank.
It used to happen from time to time, especially in times of stress. I would finish a book, stare at the books I have yet to read and feel a total absence of motivation. It never lasted for long, but still, not a fun feeling. Since I started joining various bookish communities back in June 2008, that hadn’t happened even once!
Last night, after turning Time of my Life‘s last page, I stared in wonder at my TBR pile(s) and had absolutely no idea what I wanted to read next! No book particularly tempted me; I picked one, read the first two pages, put it back, chose a second, etc. I probably read the first pages of about a dozen of books before forcing myself to settle on a specific one. Huh. Does this happen to you? Do you push yourself into a book, or do you wait until your motivation gets back on track?
After asking myself “what do I feel like reading?” and then answering myself “something light and funny”, I picked up Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson. I have been addicted to Johnson’s blog for a while; she’s so incredibly funny! I had yet to read one of her books, though. So far I love it, it’s cute and funny, exactly what my undecided self needed! That’s what I’ll be reading today, probably with a huge cup of iced coffee!
Books Read this Week :
- The Ghost Writer, by John Harwood
- Artichoke’s Heart, by Suzanne Supplee
- Time of my Life, by Allison Winn Scotch
All good books, but Artichoke’s Heart was the one that surprised me the most! It was such a great story, and nicely written. I loved it!
Books Reviewed this Week :
- The Awakening, by Kate Chopin
- The Ghost Writer, by John Harwood
- The Widow’s Season, by Laura Brodie
How has your reading been this week? Any book discovery to share?
I usually have the opposite problem – I have too many books I want to start next!
I know! That’s usually my problem, too. And I wasn’t even stressed or tired… did I hurt my head and just can’t remember it?
I don’t like it when I am just browsing books; I am happiest when I am fully immersed in a book. Like I am today…if I will ever get off the computer and go read….
If I get really stuck then I often find that going back and re-reading an old favourite will unblock the system.
I’ve had this happen before. It most recently happened before I went home the last time and I’d run through most of my TBR pile here. I say most, I still had about 60 books, but none of them were really calling to me. That’s why I started my short-lived goal to read the oldest books on my TBR pile. It worked well while it lasted and I’m sure I’ll find myself doing it again if I need to.
Usually, though, I have too many books I want to read!
I tend to have reading blanks when I’ve overdone my reading or when I just get very restless and bored with regular life. Thankfully it hasn’t happened in awhile.
I love Maureen Johnson’s books! I haven’t read SS yet but it’s on my shelf waiting for me.
Reading blanks hit me quite often – it’s not like I don’t want to read but more that I desperately want the perfect book to get sucked into. The problem is when I’ve no idea the right type of book. I can try five or six and know they aren’t going to work so I get frustrated. Kinda like having a snack craving but not knowing what munchie will satisfy the hunger 😛
I hate reading blanks! Sometimes I think my problem is I have too many different books I want to read I get overwhelmed with where to start!
Right now I’m reading Suite Scarlet as well and i’m finding it very cute and light hearted….perfect for the summer!
I have this happen to me all the time! Seriously. I wind up sitting in front of piles of books and I don’t want to read any of them… Sometimes I do force myself to just pick something and start, but other times I wind up taking a few days off from reading until the desire to read overcomes me and something seems really salient. Sometimes I think I just get a little burnt out and even though it sucks, I accept it, knowing it will pass…
i experience this every few months – most often after i’ve acquired a crap load of books. my motivation to read any of them goes away entirely at the sheer impossibility of getting to them all. i hope you pull yourself out of it, kay!
Reading blank — is that what you call it? I wrote about something similar in my Sunday Salon post. For me, it is difficult to jump from one style of book to another. I can’t go from mystery to romance to sci-fi to YA. I like to gorge on two or three books in a certain style, then I’m ready to change to a different style.
There is another type of reading blank I experience. I was a voracious reader as a child and teen, but after I married I gave up books for TV. I got back into reading fiction a couple years’ ago, but I still have weeks where none of my books look appealing in the face of TV. The box is too strong!
You know, it must be in the air 😛
I only say this because I finished Julie & Julia this week and then just stared at my TBR stack and nothing – I mean absolutely nothing – jumped out and grabbed me. So, I resorted to looking at my challenge books. I picked up an A.S. Byatt book, but couldn’t get into it. Now I’m reading Middlesex, and am about 50 pages in but still not feeling it. IDK. It’s terribly frustrating!
Q: Does this happen to you? Do you push yourself into a book, or do you wait until your motivation gets back on track?
A: This happens to me all the time. I get my self motivated by reading the first couple pages of some of the books in my stack. The first one that really grabs me is the one I go with.
I don’t tend to push myself into reading certain books, because I know I’m a moody reader. If I’m not in the mood for something, it will just annoy me, even if it’s a good book. There have been times when I’ve not been in the mood to read any of the books on my bookshelf, but I’m almost always in the mood to read. Except when I’m overly excited about something.
Wow, thanks everyone for your response! It’s really interesting to hear how each of us has experienced this differently! I would like to answer each of you, I have so much I could say, but this gave me a little idea for a post this week 😉
Yep, that happens to me too sometimes. Normally I take a day or two off until the mood to read returns. It hasn’t happened in a while, though.
I’ve been meaning to read Maureen Johnson for a long time. I have The Bermudez Triangle in my pile and hope to get to it soon!
I used to have reading blanks until I discovered challenges. Even though I’ve been rotten about challenges lately, they still give me a stack of books to read OR if I’m feeling rather procrastinat-y I’ll ignore all those books and find something more interesting. My problem with reading blanks is that it usually stems from having too many books I want to read at that moment.
I usually go from book to book pretty easily. As soon as I finish one, I already have one lined up – or a pile, but every now and then something unexpected trumps the pile and moves to the front. And then there are moments of indecision where I know what I should read next (that book that’s been sitting there for years since I bought it) or something light and fun. Usually, light and fun wins. I guess that’s probably why that book has been sitting there for years. Haha.
Nice list. I’m looking forward to reading the reviews.
You’re not alone. I used to be able to finish a book and pick up a new one nearly straight away but I definitely have to let my finished book settle now. If I go to find a new book straight away, my mind will fight me tooth and claw. I draw a complete blank. I usually just wait until I feel like reading again. 🙂
You’ve done really well this week!