My Reading Pace

I know that part of my "tag line" on the blog says "wish-I-had-more-time reader" but it truthfully should say "wish-I-could-get-paid-for-this reader." Maybe I'll change it. :o) I've been keeping a list of the books I've read for the last year or so and I realized tonight that it's been a while since I updated it. I added three of the more recent titles: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall (highly recommend!), The Bedwetter by Sarah Silverman (meh), and Half-Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls (also a good one). Then I spent some time scrolling through the titles. I know there have been more books that I've had on my nightstand, but I've blown through them so quickly that I can't remember their names. I take the kids to the library weekly and so I have a quick turn around on the books that I've read; I don't like having library books sitting around when I'm done with them. Since I rarely have the chance to browse with the kids in tow I tend to select my books ahead of time and put holds on them (even if they aren't checked out), which makes the librarian do most of the work!

Back to the list: there are over 40 titles on there, and I honestly had to go back to the online library to look up a few of the titles to see what they were about. For example, the book Tamar -- I couldn't remember at all what that one was about. But then I saw the cover and remembered that it was a novel I actually liked about a couple of World War II spies in the Netherlands. One might think the lesson from this is that I should read slower or choose my books more carefully so as to retain the information from higher quality literature. But reading is my hobby (hence, the desire to get paid for it!). I think it's similar to hiking or backpacking or even running: I can read a guide book (or review) about a new trail (or book) but I've got to experience it for myself. Sometimes along the way I enjoy it and other times I wish I had stayed home. But the feeling of accomplishment at the end, in addition to the good parts of the journey, make the effort well worth the time.

P.S. A glance at my current holds list: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (doesn't come out until August but I am very excited for it) and How to Sew a Button and Other Nifty Things your Grandmother Knew. But since my grandmother is 10 minutes down the road I might skip the latter and just go learn those "nifty" things in person!