One of my professors in grad school used to use this joke--if you asked him if he'd read a certain book, he'd respond, "Read it?! I haven't even taught it yet!" Though the idea that one would actually teach a book without reading (at least most of) it first is a bit of an exaggeration, it gets at a certain way that academics and grad students learn to "read" certain books without actually sitting down and reading them all the way through. It turns out you can figure out a lot about a book by reading its cover, jacket, index, and table of contents, and browsing through a chapter or two.
This is a tool I use readily when reading parenting books--I find that many of the ideas could really be 3-page articles, but they are stretched into 250-page books. I like the challenge of trying to figure out the idea, the general "camp" of the author, and 2-3 concrete suggestions, without actually reading the book.
It's kind of like the challenge of covering the "answer" of those "Who wore it best?" spreads in magazines, and trying to guess correctly who did wear it best. Except that it's not really like that at all, other than the fact that those are two little games I play with the reading material by my bed.
Perhaps I play those games because I have been needing breaks from my other reading material--after describing the opening of the novel I just started reading to Patrick, he remarked, "You're reading a lot of depressing stuff lately." It's not really all depressing overall, though many of the books have a sort of dark tone to them: Zeitoun, by Dave Eggers, about Hurricane Katrina and post-9/11 policies; The Year of Fog, by Michelle Richmond, a book about a missing child that takes place mostly in San Francisco; I'm now reading Purge, by Sofi Oksanen. There's something dark about each of those books, but something beautiful about each of them as well. Novels, books of short stories, memoirs, creative non-fiction--these are books I read from cover to cover.
What about you, what are you reading lately? And is there anything that you like to "read," without really reading it?
V - I am trying to get into All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren and I cannot get past page 17 or so. I want to read this without reading it.
ReplyDeleteI remember this joke and I refer to it often!
ReplyDeleteSo would you recommend the Year in the Fog?
I like to read-without-reading fluffy chick books like Slummy Mummy and the Nanny Diaries. The latest I devoured in about three hours was Momzillas. It's like People Magazine or something with no pictures.
Those sound like perfect vacation books, B--I think I'll have to try one. Maybe you should too, Mary? ;)
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I definitely recommend The Year of Fog--the premise can make you uncomfortable, as a parent, but it's unique and well-written.
Enjoying your blog, V! I worked in a bookstore in high school and perfected the art of being able to discuss a book without having read it. At the moment I'm reading Coop by one of my favorite writers, Michael Perry; a midwest farm boy turned nurse turned writer. Other favorites by him are Population 451 and Truck.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of him, Lynn, but his story is fascinating, and I'll definitely check out his books--thanks for the recommendation!
ReplyDeleteI've been in bed with a bad cold all week and thus read several books: Fair Game by Valerie Plame Wilson, Noah's Compass by Ann Tyler, A Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult (sp?), The Girl who Fell from the Sky by Heidi Durrow. They all kept my interest, but then I was a captive audience.
ReplyDeleteI've been enjoying your blog, V. I've been reading 'The Girl with...' Steig Larson's third book. They're dark, too, but I keep reading them. Amazing you have any time to read with Shay being so active. Judy
ReplyDeleteI've been reading the All Creatures Great and Small trilogy. They are perfect bedtime reading. Uplifting and funny. And I totally agree with you about the parenting books. Have you read the "No Cry Sleep Solution"? That book could have been a one-pager.
ReplyDeleteps: this is your cousin Heidi