I just can’t settle in with a book right now. Maybe it’s the time of year. Maybe it’s all the errands I’ve been running on my lunch hour, so I miss that hour of reading. It doesn’t happen often for me, but sometimes I just can’t find the right book. Sounds funny, doesn’t it, with all those books piled up?
In between other things, I’m reading The Big Book of Sherlock Holmes Stories edited by Otto Penzler. It’s enormous, but I’ve always enjoyed those stories.
So, while I’m finding something else to read along with it, tell us what you’re reading. Or, are you having the kind of reading week I am?
I feel your pain, I too am having a hard time trying to find time to read. Here's what I'm tackling at the moment.
Heretics and Heroes by Thomas Cahill
Brooklyn on Fire by Lawrence H Levy (Library Thing early review)
Violinist of Venice by Alyssa Palumbo (for review)
Happy Reading Holidays.
I am exactly like that and far more often than you Lesa! I have just got 'Summertime: All the Cats Are Bored' – the title was enough to grab me – but I haven't started it yet. It's described as 'French noir'.
And now I'm just away to my very last school Christmas assembly! How time flies!
Rosemary
I'm with you too, I've been struggling myself to find just the right book to read. Like you I am a reviewer with a blog and have tons and tons of book I could and should read. I did read one that I really love, finished now I find myself in the same situation again.
Could be this time of year, things are so busy with the holiday season. I want to read I really do but for me now there's just too much choice I don't know how to choose.
Love your reviews and your blog. Your very inspiring. Thank you.
The Vinyl Detective – Written in Dead Wax by Andrew Cartmel.
I know the feeling. I have such a huge TBR pile now too. I started skimming one I was really looking forward to last night – Carrie Brownstein's "Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl." She's a musician I admire, from a groundbreaking "riot grrrl" band I love (Sleater-Kinney) and I was looking forward to hearing her backstory. It was fascinating and really resonated – her analysis of how being a fan makes music sound was spot on. But then, because it was getting late, I skipped ahead to her years out of the band, when she was doing animal rescue, and something horrible happens. It's a memoir and she is both sensitive and respectful, but it was the last thing I was readying before turning out the light and it haunted me … not in a good way. Think I may put that away now.
I've been having several weeks like that! In fact, I was just admiring how you seem to be reading book after book while I've had trouble reading anything but short stories.
But I am reading:
Mary Karr, THE ART OF MEMOIR
Martin Edwards, ed. – SILENT NIGHTS: Christmas Mysteries (from Conan Doyle to Edmund Crispin and Leo Bruce)
John D. Spooner, NO ONE EVER TOLD US THAT: Money and Life Lessons For Young Adults (addressed to his grandchildren)
I've had trouble finding a novel that really grabs me. Seven of the last eight books I've read have been short story collections.
One more:
Coim Toibin & Carmen Callil, THE MODERN LIBRARY: The 200 Best Novels in English Since 1950 (originally published in Britain in 1999)
Reading three books at once as I, too, can't seem to settle on one:
*Nora Roberts: Stars of Fortune
*Ridley Pearson: Middle of Nowhere (can't believe I've not read him yet)
*Elizabeth George: Banquet of Consequences
~Tricia
Hmmm. Sounds like some of it might be the time of year. And, Jeff? I need to read Silent Nights. I have it downloaded, but I seldom read on a device. Thanks for not making me feel so bad everyone! I did finally start a mystery last night, and I'm liking it. Someone recommended it – either here or on Facebook, and I bought it. It's Maurizio De Giovanni's I Will Have Vengeance: The Winter of Commissario Ricciardi. Actually, it was just what I needed.
No, I get it, Jeff. Sometimes story collections will do it. Thank you.
Thank you, Tina, for your kind remarks. I appreciate them!
I just finished The Crossing by Michael Connelly and started Riot Most Uncouth by Daniel Friedman. I enjoyed Friedman's Buck Schatz mysteries where a crotchety elderly man was the protagonist. This time around the main character couldn't be more different. It's 19-year-old Lord Byron (yes, that one), who lives with a bear as a pet, makes a half-hearted show of studying at Trinity College, is quite egotistical about his published poems, and fancies himself a sleuth when a young woman living nearby is gruesomely murdered, I'm not too far in yet so I don't have an opinion, but the writing is clever.
I do have periods of time like that! so frustrating to me. Right now I'm reading an ARC of Lisa Jewell's "The Girls" and, so far, like it quite a lot.
It's a bit like going into See's Candies and, faced with the trays of choices, getting paralyzed and losing (temporarily) the taste for chocolate. Fortunately, that passes quickly, and I hope your malaise will too! A dark chocolate raspberry creme usually does it for me!
Twenty years ago (August 1995) I started trying to read at least one short story a day. A lot of it was to try new authors and see which ones I liked. That turned out to be a LOT of people! (I'd put Chekhov and John O'Hara up near the top.)
In the last 4 years I've been keeping track of every story I've read and trying to get the total up to two stories a day.
Totals:
2012 727 (38 collections)
2013 676 (41 collections)
2014 760 (52 collections)
2015 743 (47 collections) with two weeks to go
I just checked and there are 1,000 collections read in my database!
Thank you, everyone, for sharing what works for you, or what you're reading. I appreciate it. Susan, I absolutely love your analogy! Milk chocolate with raspberry or lemon would work for me.
Jeff, I am so impressed with the number of collections and stories. I like to hear about someone who sets a goal, and sticks with it. And, I'm sure you found some wonderful authors and stories while reading those.
Have recently finished What We Keep by Elizabeth Berg
and The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt.
I've just begun The Crossing by Michael Connelly.
Good luck — you do know, of course, that this fit will pass
and soon you'll be engrossed in something.
Shameless Self Promotion: Might I suggest my amateur sleuth mystery with an edge (no cats, crafts or cookie recipes): The Hanged Man's Noose. It's getting great reviews. http://www.judypenzsheluk.com/reviews.
Here's the Amazon link — http://authl.it/3jg (12 5 Star Reviews)
If you'd like a review copy, I'm happy to send you one 🙂
I am reading Circling the Sun by Paula McLain. It is interesting but I am finding it a little long. I'm having a hard time understanding how it made so many year end best book lists. Have a Merry Christmas!
I'm currently reading The Edge of Lost by Kristina Mcmorris. I have no trouble getting into her books. I can only read one book at a time. My pile of books are getting out of hand, but it won't stop. LOL I love books too much. Time is an issue and more so at this time of year.
I'm reading The Panther by Nelson DeMille (600 pages+). It keeps calling me away from my other chores so I may finish it today.
I am the same way now. Did a bunch of errands like mailing packages from the Post Office, got back took care of more things and then couldn't settle down to read. I won the 1st book in the series at Library Thing and never received it and now have the second book, Brooklyn on fire. I read the prologue and was throughly confused. An old woman and Vicky and Albert were talking. I thought they were people but at the end found out that Queen Victoria and Albert were cats! Now can't seem to get into the rest of the book. Will try again today, now errands. I was tired and it threw me about the cats! LOL
I am looking forward to your review Page and hope that you have better luck than me getting into the book.
I just pull out an old favorite – kind of like comfort food. This week it's Jan Karon's Shepherds Abiding – perfect for the season!
I am currently reading (listening) to the 39 clues series. Also the new Cussler book and re-reading a Dee Henderson. Depends on the mood, time of day and light resources.
I have managed to read a few holiday short stories but can't get into a book right now, too many errands and other commitments. Still looking for the big book of Christmas stories edited by Otto Penzler and I got last year and loved. We had a big remodel this year and while I thought all the books were back on the shelves I just can't find it. I'm sure on December 26 it will make itself obvious. But then that's a great week to read. Happy Holidays!
I'm almost finished with Killing Bridezilla by Laura Levine. It's pretty funny.