Thursday, October 02, 2008

I've been almost painfully remiss in my reading for the last three years. It's not that I've lost interest; I've simply gotten out of the habit. Reading, for all its myriad pleasures, is work: it takes a certain degree of single-mindedness and clarity of thought to sit down with a novel and see it through to its conclusion, especially with the Web as a looming -- and sometimes paralyzing -- distraction.

The good news is that I think I'm coming out from beneath my self-imposed spell and rediscovering that hunger for fiction that nearly defined my existence so many months ago. A most welcome turn of events, or so it seems.

9 comments:

Tony F. said...

If I can offer my expertise as an English major...

Sounds to me like you just needed:

1. A break.

2. A change of scenery.

I just went through a huge period of burnout from reading. In the last five years I've been reading Shakespeare, Tolkien, Nabokov, Italo Calvino, essays by E.B. White, short stories from Kurt Vonnegut, poetry by Auden, in addition to a stint teaching Intro to Lit. Earlier this year I said, "Enough already!" and just stopped reading.

So what am I reading to get back into it? "The Zombie Survival Guide" by Max Brooks.

Go out and get something easy. Get your mind back into the mode of reading and it'll come naturally.

That's my advice, from experience. Please ignore if you want.

Ramiro Sanchiz said...

I think Tony F. is right. Last week I was re-reading "Cloud atlas", by David Mitchell, and it took all my stamina to pass over the middle section (my mother-tongue is spanish, not english). I had to read something in spanish to feel refreshed, and so I did. Now I'm back at english, reading "The Yidissh Policemen's Union", by Michael Chabon.

Anonymous said...

"...I think I'm coming out from beneath my self-imposed spell and rediscovering that hunger for fiction..."

Hey, don't forget non-fiction--you still need to read Keith Thompson's "Angels and Aliens" for some meta-perspective...useful for enhancing logical thinking when deeply considering the ET/CT hypotheses.

Anonymous said...

You need a woman, Mac

Mac said...

Intense--

Oh, I didn't mean to imply that I'd forsaken nonfiction -- but it did kind of sound that way. "Angels and Aliens" awaits.

Kcotae--

You need a woman, Mac

I still haven't figured out if that's even an option.

Anonymous said...

Im the same way in as much as my interest in reading occasionally wanes due to distractions such as podcasts, videogames, videogames while listening to podcasts, watching The Wire, or surfing the web.

I find the best way to get back into reading is through some engaging non-fiction.

"You need a woman, Mac

I still haven't figured out if that's even an option."

a man then?

Mac said...

Im the same way in as much as my interest in reading occasionally wanes due to distractions such as podcasts, videogames, videogames while listening to podcasts, watching The Wire, or surfing the web.

Exactly. The Web is great, but it can be distracting as hell. Sometimes it takes actual discipline to remain productive. (And I'd argue that reading is a productive act in the sense that it's an intellectual catalyst.)

I could say much the same thing about relationships and sex: potentially great, but burdened with the threat of distraction.

The question is: Is it worth the risk?

Garth said...

I'm 3/4 through Pynchon's 'Against the Day'... damn! I'd forgotten what a trip his writing can be.

Mac said...

I've read "49," "Vineland," "V.", and "Slow Learner." Somehow I started but didn't finish "Gravity's Rainbow," which I'll get to eventually. I *like* Pynchon but he's not one of my favorites.

Ever read any Steve Erickson?