Reading for Pleasur

"Reading is everything.  Reading is bliss."  I love this quote from the late Nora Ephron.  Ephron wrote and directed the wonderful movie, "You've Got Mail" starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.  I totally agree with Nora, that's what reading should be.  I was listening to National Public Radio yesterday and Nancy Pearl was on.  Nancy Pearl is the library queen of reading and book recommendations.  She has written at least nine books starting with 2003's "Book Lust" that categorize books for pleasure reading.  She has suggestions for every genre, every taste, every age from the classics, to first novels, dog stories, ghost stories, fantasy, memoir, and so much more.  If you don't know what to read next, Nancy has a recommendation for you.  Nancy even has her own action figure for those of us who are total library geeks!

On the radio, she was reminding her fans of her rule for starting a new book.  If you are 50 or under, give the writer 50 pages and then if you don't care what is happening to the protagonist or only want to find out "who done it," skip to the last page and find out.  There is no shame in not finishing the book.  If you are over 50, subtract your age from 100, and that is how many pages you should read before it is perfectly acceptable to put the book aside.  Pearl admits that sometimes she just isn't in the right mood for a book and she stops reading and hopes to try again another time.  There are so many good books out there for every reader that you do not have to read something that you don't like or doesn't interest you.

Sometimes I am guilty of just not being able to give up on a book.  My most recent example is "Eiefelheim" by Michael Flynn.  This is a science fiction novel about alien contact set in medieval Germany.  I know, it sounds weird anyway, but I like alien contact novels and I love medieval history.  Flynn is a well known author.  So, I thought this must be the book for me.  I slogged my way through and it was terrible.  The plot was simplistic and there was way too much German history that wasn't explained at all.  The author assumed that I was an expert on German kings, princes, barons and countless feuds and battles.  And the ending was so disappointing.  Over all, a colossal failure of a book.  Let that be a lesson.  If after the required number of pages, if the book isn't engaging you, give up. You can always return to it if you think it's worth another try.

Remember leisure reading is for pleasure.  After finishing that book, I rewarded myself with Sheri Holman's "The Dress Lodger" which I loved.  I just finished her first novel, "A Stolen Tongue."  It's not as good, but still a compelling read.

If you like reading for pleasure, follow Nancy's other cardinal suggestion, go to the library and ask the librarian for a recommendation.  We will ask you what you have read, what you liked about your favorite books, and then suggest titles that you may enjoy.  We love to talk about books!

Or join our library book discussion group.  This month we are reading Khaled Hosseini's second novel, "A Thousand Splendid Suns."  According to Amazon, "It is a deeply moving story of family, friendship, faith, and the salvation to be found in love set in modern Afghanistan."  I read it several years ago and I am looking forward to re-reading it.  Our book group meets the third Thursday of each month at our NICC/Peosta branch and begins at 6:00 p.m.  Everyone is welcome.  Copies of the book are available for loan, just call your local branch and we will send one out for you.  The next meeting is November 21st.  In December, we will be talking about David Sedaris' "Holidays on Ice."  Please join us.

Thanks to everyone who visited the library after the Asbury Halloween parade.  We loved meeting you and you are welcome back any time.  

Have a great weekend.  Dawn