Do you like to read? You must, you’re reading this right now. So what kinds of things do you like to read? I’m a voracious reader, devouring fiction, nonfiction, magazines, poetry, plays and blogs. I’ve even been known to read a cereal box. I love learning new things, being surprised or scared, and filing information away for future use. But for pure pleasure, there is nothing better for me than a good book.
First, a word on e-readers. You can’t curl up on the deck on a sunny day with a glass of wine and a kindle. I Don’t use them and never will. Like many bibliophiles, I like the feel of a book in my hands. I enjoy turning pages and flipping back to refresh my memory on a character or plot moment. I like seeing the progress I’ve made and knowing how many pages I have left to go in a chapter, or to complete the book. I most often borrow books from the library and I like knowing that someone read that exact book before me and someone else will read it after me. I like that I don’t have to charge my battery in order to read my book.
I can’t tell you what a good book is, and don’t let anyone else tell you either. Book preferences are very subjective. A good book is anything that makes you want to keep reading and makes you wish it wasn’t over when you’re finished.
I would say my current favorite genre is the psychological thriller. I don’t care for anything supernatural or science fiction. I want to know as I’m trying to solve a mystery, or predict a twist, that it’s something that could have realistically been expected to happen and not an alien or a ghost. Some of my recent favorite reads include One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus, and The Better Liar by Tanen Jones. But I don’t read these exclusively. I think even if you know exactly what kind of book you like to read, it’s always good to occasionally step out of your comfort zone and read something uncharacteristic for you. If you predominantly read fiction, don’t be afraid to add in some nonfiction. What interests you? Trust me, there’s a book about that. Do you feel you weren’t really paying attention during your high school years? History is a lot more interesting as an adult! Even a cookbook is interesting when you read more than just the recipes. And if you’ve never really been a reader of books, give it another try. You might find things have changed.
I am frequently reading two, or even three books at the same time, and usually a mix of genres. I might be enjoying my psychological thriller while also reading a work of nonfiction (recent examples include a book on parenting, relationships, intermittent fasting, and blogging). A third book might be a classic such as Great Expectations or The Magus by John Fowles. Lately I’ve also been reading a lot of classic mysteries like Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes.
Which book I currently have in my hands depends on where I am and how much time I have. If I’m bringing my book to the beach, I’ll be taking the “easy” read; the typical “summer” read, maybe a light mystery (Sue Grafton’s ABC series is a good choice) or the typical summer romance. I often bring a book–or 2– to work each day to read during my lunch break. I usually start by reading a work of nonfiction or a classic, and will read until it requires more concentration than I’m able to muster at the moment. I’ll then switch to the easier read. Using this method, I often will read two pleasure books to every one of other genres.
So what happens when you get stuck with a boring, tedious book? I recently started one of those romances where clearly the main characters are crazy about each other but through some misunderstanding, each continues to believe that the other is not interested. Ugh. I used to refuse to stop reading a book, no matter how difficult a time I was having getting through it, or how predictable or formulaic it was. It felt like admitting defeat. But life is too short for that. I currently have over 300 books on my pending book list, so I don’t have time to waste on something I’m miserable reading. If I mistakenly grabbed something in a genre I normally dislike, and I’m 30 or 40 pages in with nothing grabbing my attention, I will give up. Two books I recently was not able to finish were Something Happened by Joseph Heller, and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. The latter I had a feeling I would not like going in, realizing it was largely fantasy, but I did give it the requisite number of pages before calling it quits. I had read Joseph Heller in college with some interest so expected to enjoy this one, but it was pure drudgery for me. “Something Happened” is an ironic title in that nothing really happens. There’s no plot, just the narrator’s complaining about his life and family, with each of these getting a very long, verbose chapter.
How do I choose which books to read? I keep lists of course! (check out my blog post on lists!) I have a list on my phone for making notes whenever I hear about a book that sounds interesting. These can come from many sources like a book I’m reading, social media, or friends who also like to read. My local library has a nice online catalog that lets me search for books by title or author, and place holds so I can simply go in and pick up when items become available. The online catalog also has a list feature, so I can keep track of books I want to read, and move them to a hold request status as I finish the ones I have at home. If I’ve enjoyed a book I read, I will likely search the author and add more of their titles to my list.
Summer is the best time to enjoy a great book, so do some looking around, ask your friends what they read recently and enjoyed, or simply head out to your local library and peruse the stacks, picking up anything that looks good. If one doesn’t catch your interest, rest assured, there is one out there that will!
F Words that are not 4 Letters 