So Many Books, So Little Time: A Year of Passionate Reading by Sara Nelson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“Hell hath no fury like an expectant reader scorned.” So Many Books, So Little Time was about the author and her year of books. She sets off with a list of books she wants to get to and she incorporates her everyday life in this task. She comes from the publishing world and has some great insights as a reader. It delves into her past, her relationship to books/reading, and how books/reading interact with her world. It was so relatable and funny. I found myself taking tons of notes and nodding my head in agreement many times. Her humor is very witty and observational. Sara Nelson relates bookish topics to and extrapolates on them in ways that are fresh and interesting. For example, she introduces me to the term double booking (I am familiar with doing it just not the term) and relates it to the famous Woody Allen quote on bisexuality. I smiled a ton as she accurately touches on the experience of choosing what book to read & the feeling of not having one with you, lending books to friends, resisting reading something that is popular & being touted as a must read, and rereading books. I tied together her thoughts on looking to be surprised when reading and reading a book before watching the movie. It has to do with coming to my own conclusions on the interpretations of the characters and story before being told what it should be by a director or reviews. Sara tells this heartwarming story about reading Charlotte’s Web with her kid and how it was a moment of connection with her past and present. And the very next chapter talks about erotic books and adult topics/actions. I did not expect that and I loved it. One thing I struggle with and currently have a different view on is putting down a book if it is not working for you. I have a hard time abandoning a book. I want to add it to my read list. Hence, “the people I love and the person I am-are not normal: we’re book people.” To finish with something to remember, “not only is reading a distracting during difficult times…but it’s a highly socially respectable means of social avoidance.” Get your read on!
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