Readers and Reading discussion
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Reading Slump
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that is good to know! Cookbooks, huh? I collect them so I have a bunch!I still am not over the hump but I am hoping it passes soon. It better because I bought some books at the book sale today.
I am reading a book called The Cape Ann by Faith Sullivan and really liking it...so maybe I just needed a bit of a break.
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I like cookbooks that are also food narratives.
When I was recoving from a Stroke, I did not want to read. I know now that my brain had just not settled down to aborb my reading, but my daughter went and bought me a book with 3 or 4 short stories and when I got thru those, then she bought me one with only 2. I then went on to a bigger chapter book. That was 13 years ago and today I read 60 to 70 books a year.Right now I am just reaching into my stack and pulling out books that I have had for 6 or 7 years. The one now I found out is a true story, Weird title about a lady whoowns a hair salon and a bookstore, combined. Lots of books recommended too.
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This sounds interesting.....what is the title, please?
Your daughter was very smart to do what she did after your stroke.
The title is a long one. The cover is PINK.
The title is a long one. The cover is PINK.
OOPS The Pulpwood Queen - Tiara-Wearing, Book Sharing Guide to Life. The Author is Kathy L. Patrick. It was fun in that I got a lot of reading ideas and makes me want to go thru my stack because I know I have some of the booksMy daughter is fantastic and she reads as much as I do, although she has a Kindle, and me, I still want to have a book in my hand.
I have a Kindle Fire and a Nook but I do prefer the good old fashioned book.
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My daughter is a great reader too (and a wonderful writer). She has an iPAD and a Kindle, but like you and me, prefers to have a book in her hand.
Female friendship and reading are the two of the best things in life!>>amen to that!!
It was all that. I just saw the pink book on my shelf and decided to try it and I am glad I did. The author gave a lot of books that she read, that I have read, but many more that I have never heard of, but looked great.The funny part of it, the books that she said got her started reading in the 4th grade were the "Kattie John" books, written by Mary Calhoun. This lady was in my mom's graduating class, grew up in my hometown, and wrote the books about a certain house that is still standing. I also have read all the books and my daughter has autographed copies of the books, thanks to Grandma.
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What is your hometown?
Rosie, I'm in a slump, but not from lack of interest so much as difficulty having time and concentration. But I have two strategies when I'm in the kind of slump you're in. The first is to read something light that I wouldn't normally read, but has some interest for me. (I read mostly non-fiction, so that applies to this.)My second is that I have some favorite authors (non-fiction) whose books never fail to grab my interest. I save the books I have by them for such times. When I need fiction in such a slump, I read some classic or other I've been meaning to get to because they're straightforward and don't require as much concentration. OR, I'll pick up a political or espionage thriller to get my juices going again.
I find part of the slump problem for me is getting into a book far enough that I get engaged. And I hate starting 10 books trying to find that, when I know I probably would have liked those books under different circumstances. Thus my strategies: easy and/or different.
The town is Keokuk Iowa and Mary Calhoun's maiden name was Huiskamp. I cant remember how many books were in that series, but I am thinking 4 or 5. I have never seen them in print lately, but I really dont look at younger kids books anymore. The author would be in her 80's now. I think I read a couple of them when my daughter was reading them.
Labryinths,thanks for the advice! I got some good ideas from you all about my "slump" which may be coming to end. YAY. I just finished one book and started another.
Another problem though is my neck. I have to find a new reading position. Ugh!
I too hate starting books that dont interest me. I usually put them back in the TBR pile to try again later--like you said maybe in different circumstances the book might interest me.
A while back I started a book and the language was so filthy. Every other word was the F bomb or some variation of it. I am not easily offended but I really didnt want to read a book like that. How many times do you really need to have that in your story? So many times makes it unrealistic. Maybe some people do talk like that but not in my circle, so to speak, (ok we let one fly now and then! LOL) but I dont know. Maybe I am getting to be an old goat. *sigh
Ok ...I AM an old goat but I love it. BAAH!
I am sort of like you. I never not finish a book when I start it, but it may be several years later. I put it back and try again. Now I have ine series of books, by Kate Jacobs, that I have started the 1st book I know 3 or 4 times and I just cant get into it. I have threatened myself to skip it and read the next one, but I hate reading out of order.I have stackss of books all over. There is a box on the end table by the couch, 2 drawers that have books, next to my bead, 4 shelves in my den, and then a pile on the floor in the den and my biggest is a huge stack inside a cabinet in the den. This way I have it covered when I finish a book. Now I just go to one of those and pick out a book. I will be starting a new one tomorrow, so will let you know what it is.
By the way we are only as old as we feel and I dont feel old.
Rosie, I'm like you: I can throw out profanity all on my own, but if it's the prominent vocabulary of a book I'm reading, I find it shocking and uncomfortable. I think one can use it once or twice in a book to indicate what someone is like, and if a really good writer, use the way a character constructs the language to continue showing the character that way without assaulting the reader with non-stop profanity. And it IS an assault on the reader, no matter how much cussin' and profanity the reader might use himself or herself. So, I figure an author needs to have a really good reason for using it. If not, it's just shoddy, or worse. (IMO, of course.)Richie, I'm glad to hear of other people surrounded by stacks and piles of books all over the place!
Yes, I keep reading and making the pile smaller, then I go shopping and come home with 4 or 5 books and when I finish what "I am reading, I read one of the books that just came out. We have 6 sets of bookcases that we bought when Borders went out of business, that my husband has promised me he would set them up in my sun room. If I could only get one done and could start arranging my books. I cant wait to see if I have any duplicates and what I have.
I keep reading and my pile keeps getting bigger...lol that is because I keep buying too. I just got 28 more books at the book sale at the library. Ay yi yi!Libyrinths, I do agree it is an assault on the reader to have a profanity laced book..and maybe shows some of the lack of insight on the author's part? I am not bothered to see some nasty words sometimes, like you said as part of the whole idea of the story. I dont think it adds to the story at all..it takes away.
For some reason, I always feel that finishing one book from my TBR entitles me to buy 3 or 4 more! Richie, I envy your being able to get those Borders bookcases! I always loved them, but they were too heavy for me to consider trying to buy. But it's wonderful that you have a little piece of Borders left to you!Rosie, if you were able to buy 28 books (yikes!), it DOES seem your slump is abating. I only bought in those kinds of numbers when Borders was going out of business. And ever since, my stacks of books have been wandering around, intruding on space I need for other things. I think Richie had the better idea of buying the bookcases!
Rosie, you said: I dont think it adds to the story at all..it takes away.
I agree. In a way, it's a degradation of fiction. If part of reading a story is to recreate it in our minds, leaving nothing to the imagination in that way (again, not an occasional bad word, but non-stop) takes the joy of recreating it away from the reader.
I had just read a new mystery, written by a lady who graduated a couple of years ahead of me and was preparing to send it to my 85 year old mom. Afyer I read it, I realized she was not going to care for it, because it was full of profanity. I knew she wanted to read it, knowing the author, so I let her know about the language. She still talks about it. I then wrote this lady and told her what I thouht and could she please see if she could tone it down. She wrote back and said her next one was already written and submitted, but that she would definately remember. We'll see. Her next one comes out this month, and I told mom I was gooing to get it, but I may not send it to her. She said thanks for that.
Richiesheff wrote: "I had just read a new mystery, written by a lady who graduated a couple of years ahead of me and was preparing to send it to my 85 year old mom. Afyer I read it, I realized she was not going to ca..."I think it was smart of you to follow through with the author. Maybe she didn't realize before, but she knows now, that too much profanity will cost her sales. It'll be interesting to see if you made a difference.
Richie, I applaud your taking action. Who knows the effect, but it's important for authors to get feedback, IMO.
*sigh*
There is a book sale at the local library next week which I am usually so excited about and cant wait.
Not even psyched about it.
Seems like I just cant get interested in any book I pick up.
Do any of you ever get like this?? It isnt terminal, is it? haha!