I know I’m not the only person who finds it difficult to keep up with all the reading that’s required in my publishing life, while taking the time to focus on entertaining “reads.” Between queries, book proposals, emails, requested manuscripts, and staggering piles of books elaborately & artistically placed between various rooms, I always hope I’ll “catch up.” Several years ago, long before my many administrative duties to the agency, networking sites, Twitter, emails, and meetings took over a large hunk of my weekly schedule – I could easily get through a book a day–this is in regard to pleasure reading.
Nowadays I find that while I am still quite the avid reader, I’ve also fallen behind on my pleasure reading time. I know it’s life, my responsiblities, and the fact that sometimes one needs to be in the “mood” to read particular book categories.
On MPR (Minnesota Public Radio), David Ulin was interviewed this morning. The interview being initiated due to a recent editorial of his titled “The Lost Art of Reading.”
After realizing I wasn’t alone in this feeling, and that many others are feeling the same way, it resulted in a new inspiration. A goal more than anything else. A goal to simplify this crazy, hectic schedule of mine. A goal to get back into the pattern of intensiving focusing on my pleasure reading again. Not only will my agency benefit, but it affect my general happiness as a reader and lover of all things called books.
Taking a break from the rat race, getting back into that book nostalgia, and turning on one’s imagination = a good thing.
I’d love to hear what others think. Drop me a note, or even leave a comment.
Over the past twenty years–that I recall–there seems to be an unwitting movement by many high schools and more than a few universities, to kill the pleasure of reading. I have always read books “outside of class,” that is, any book not required to pass a test. In my dream world, a teacher or professor could allow every student to share with the class a book that has nothing to do with an exam or essay (or the approved canonical text). But, then again, openly sharing one’s pleasure reading would be too much like a confession, opening oneself to comment or ridicule. Alas, the pleasure of secret reading!
Thats very good to know… thanks