Reread? Never. If you happened to read my personal blog, The Real Me, this week, you know that I never do anything twice. Hey, as a Gemini, I hardly do it once.
I usually love the themes of our blogs. My killerhobbies sisters are ingenious and energetic in coming up with things to make it worthwhile for our readers to tune in.
But this week I'm stuck. The only books I reread are reference books for classes or ancient books (more than a couple of months old) for a book club meeting.
Like Joanna (not to misquote!), I feel there are too many books coming off the presses (or interacting with electrons) every day for me to reread anything.
I've already read the classics in all the fields I'm interested in and I think I got the message. Maybe there's something I missed, something I might meditate on, but there's no time to go back when there's a wealth in front of me. In fact my latest meditation piece comes from the new Dexter book. Here's the quote:
Anytime we think we have a real choice, it just means we haven't seen the shotgun aimed at our navel.
Wow. There's so much to think about—every choice we've made, every decision that has brought us to this point. How free have we been?
In the last three weeks, I've read Martin Cruz Smith's Three Stations (August 2010), Jeff Lindsay's Dexter is Delicious (September 2010), Mary Roach's Packing for Mars (August 2010), Ayelet Waldeman's Red Hook Road (July 2010), and Sue Miller's The Lake Shore Limited (April 2010). Next up are Stephen Hawking's The Grand Design (August 2010), Justice Breyer's Making Our Democracy Work (September 2010), and Jonathan Franzen's Freedom (August 2010).
I'm in the middle of Thomas H. Cook's The Last Talk With Lola Faye (July 2010). I've preordered The Best American Mystery Short Stories, edited by Lee Child and Otto Penzler, due the end of this month.
You get the idea.
There are many reasons, besides my Gemini baggage, that I read only current books.
As a citizen in 2010, I want to know what's happening now and who's in charge. (Lots of luck, right?)
As a writer in 2010, I feel I must read 2010. I want to be aware of what's out there now, next to my own books, what the current trends are regarding point of view (that's a whole other blog!), characterizations, and all the elements of fiction and nonfiction in today's market.
As a scientist and science teacher, I need to stay current. It might be my training in science that keeps me from going back over things I've already met/read/thought about.
I might be missing something that's behind me. I may be thought uncouth. But I worry more about missing what's ahead.
What new books are you reading?
7 comments:
Reference books are the only books that I've re-read, again, only re-reading those sections that I'm interested in.
I don't even think I re-read school books, I would make notes for future reference.
What new books are you reading, Dru?
hmmm, maybe I should ask everyone!
I read - and re-read - fan fiction. It's free, and doesn't fill up the bookshelves. What it does to my hard drive, on the other hand....
But if we talk published, paper fiction, I'd say the one I've read the most often is Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny.
A classic choice, Ellen!
PS - will you be at Bcon?
I've been reading everything I can find by Joseph Finder because I'm supposed to interview him. I just finished CJ Box's most recent book, Nowhere to Hide. I've ordered quite a few books and I have them on my e-reader, but I must admit your list looks fascinating Camille. I'm also doing research for books I have in process, and one book in particular The English Vice, is on the top of the stack because I had to get it through inter-library loan. I've also been surveying the first books in a variety of cozy series, to see what really intrigues me as a reader.
I've never heard Finder in person; I like his books -- I'm sure that will be a great interview, Joanna.
And sometimes we're reading for "business" in away, aren't we!
I was reading The Girl Who Played with Fire, but had to set it aside until I turn in my manuscript.
I'm impressed how much you read.
Post a Comment