The day before a holiday means something a little mindless today (and maybe tomorrow, too). More bullet-points.
- Whatever lack of ambition I have in other areas of my life, I make up for doubly when it comes to reading. Yesterday someone mentioned having eyes bigger than your stomach and I suffer from that dreadfully. I really do wish I could be a one book at a time sort of reader, but I think I will not reform my ways anytime soon. A curse to be so tempted by so many different books? Naw, I like to have wide horizons and learn about lots of things. Indulgent on my part? Yeah, maybe. Actually, probably!
- What can I say, books make me happy. I just wish I was a faster reader. Then again, maybe not. It's all about the journey, right?
- I am very good at rationalizing.
- My latest reading passion? I'm discovering I love hardboiled fiction. It's a natural outgrowth of all my mystery reading in June and now July. Silly, but my reading of late (and it sounds odd when you think of it being crime reading) makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. And it's good to have something in life to feel all warm and fuzzy about, don't you think?
- I've even started making a flow chart of sorts of who came first and who has influenced who and which books I really need to read. It makes me think I have a lot of (particular) reading ahead of me--like doing a special little study of the genre. My flow chart includes lots of women writers and P.I.s, thank you very much.
- I think I have settled on a Paris in July--Colette's Gigi and The Cat. A book. Just one. It's like eating just one kernel of pop corn. Who does that? I've got a little stack of choices that I am 'trying out' at the moment, however, just in case I might read two...
- Summer Lovin' Read-a-Thon? How do I miss these things? Thanks to Buried in Print for bringing it to my attention, even if I know I can't join in this time around. Who's participating?
- In her post, BiP mentions Perdita by Hilary Scharper, a book she talked to me about earlier and that I thought I had to have (and it looks like I made the right choice). I ordered it from Canada directly, but now it graces one of my TBR piles (yes, I have more than one TBR pile). I can't wait to start it, but it will be one of my Canadian Reading Challenge books. Not a reason to rush The Stubborn Season, but something to look forward to after.
- Even though I missed the talk about the read-a-thon, I have actually been managing to keep up with reading/checking on on Feedly every day. Not that I always get out to leave comments, but I am at least reading blog posts! I feel slightly more connected with the bookish world.
- I've been listening to my radio dramatizations on my MP3 player. So far I have finished an Agatha Christie, two stories about The Saint, and am now listening to a Perry Mason. I will have to share more about them later as I have been thoroughly been enjoying myself. Now I wish I had more tokens to spend at Audible--I think I have found my niche. Perhaps the public library has some I can 'borrow'.
- The next Postal Reading Group round has just started. Books went into the mail on July 1 and I am anxiously awaiting for both my book to reach its reader and a book to reach me. Ah, the anticipation of an unknown book gracing my mailbox.
- Segue into....
- Is there such a genre as "Zombie Fiction"? I only ask as this week's TLS has a review of a book and their heading is, you guessed it, Zombie Fiction. I am not much of a fan of vampire books or horror in general, but I could read them if necessary. I have to say, however, that zombies (the idea of them that is) really freak me out. I can't even watch bad zombie movies. I wonder why that is? Crime, mysteries, detective stories. No problem at all. Zombies? No thanks.
- I am behind in writing about five books. If you blog, do you write about all the books you read/finish? Why do I feel compelled to do so? I sort of like wrapping up the experience in some way. Maybe I'll do one long post with abbreviated mentions?
- I won't tell you how far behind in my subscription reading (Melville House and NYRB) I am now.
- I have a four day weekend ahead of me. Ahh, what a pleasant thought. I won't be going to a picnic, or a barbecue, or be lazing around a pool. I think you can be confident that I will have a book in hand for every spare moment of those four days, however. I only wish I had a hammock or a porch swing, but I am sure I can find a comfy spot to read.
- The question is: Do I pick up just two or three books to spend all my time with so I can finish them? Or do I dip into books at random making a little steady progress in all? Maybe I'll play it by ear. Or maybe I should sit down now and make a list. I do like lists.
I suspect it's going to be very quiet online, so I may or may not be around for the next couple of days. I do have things to share, but I might just be lazy and spend time with my pile of books.
However you will be spending your weekend, I hope you have lots of uninterrupted reading time!