Sara Nelson - So Many Books, So Little Time: A Year of Passionate Reading

[Kookamoor]

This was a fun read! New York writer and reviewer, Sara Nelson, sets herself the task of reading a book per week for a year. This book is a synopsis of her journey and how her books and life mix and how books 'choose' to be read.

I really liked the concept of this, and it made me think of my own TBR list and how I select books to read, and how my life and my reading are not isolated but rather reflect upon each other. Nelson sets out to read several books that turn out not to suit her life at that point in time, and her book-of-the-week ends up being something completely unexpected. At times I felt she was trying too hard to build a reading-life connection, however for the most part it's a wonderfully enjoyable read and added several books to my own TBR list.

One of these was 'Charlotte's Web', which I read straight after I completed Nelson's book. I'd never actually read it, despite the fact that I'd picked it up second hand many years previous. A wonderful book which I fully intent to read to my own children to help them understand the concept of death.

I strongly recommend picking up Nelson's book, if only for the annecdotes she shares about her and her many reading friends. I do give you warning, however, that the descriptions of her book piles and "cherry wood shelves" may make you green with envy!!

 

[bluecaffeine]

Sounds like something I'd like to read

 

[ValkyrieRaven88]

I read this article about a woman who read 100 books in a year to escape a writer's block.

 

[Kookamoor]

I read this article about a woman who read 100 books in a year to escape a writer's block.

100 books in a year... so she escaped writers block by avoiding her writing all together?

 

[nomadic myth]

I read this article about a woman who read 100 books in a year to escape a writer's block.

My New Year's resolution is to read 100 books. My first two years or so after university I read maybe 10 books total. I was busy settling into work, life overseas, and a marriage. Yikes!!! Anyway, last year I read about 50, so I thought I'd put the bar up this year. I'm already at 37, and I'm loving it. I gave up so many bad habits (excessive TV, useless web surfing, obsessive cleaning), and integrated reading into my everyday routine more. I got into this forum because of my reading. I wanted to talk about what I was reading.

I don't think my plan has the concept that this woman's plan has, though. She seems to be trying to push her life certain ways. I'm just reading anything and everything of quality (trying not to cheat myself) that comes my way.

 

[Kookamoor]

I don't think my plan has the concept that this woman's plan has, though. She seems to be trying to push her life certain ways. I'm just reading anything and everything of quality (trying not to cheat myself) that comes my way.

No, not push her life. Perhaps I explained myself poorly. I just meant that at times the links between her life and reading were a bit forced. I thought the very interesting thing about this book was that she didn't always read something intelligent. That might have been her intention, but it didn't happen. You should add it to your list, I reckon and compare the way you choose your books with her's.

 

[nomadic myth]

No, not push her life. Perhaps I explained myself poorly. I just meant that at times the links between her life and reading were a bit forced. I thought the very interesting thing about this book was that she didn't always read something intelligent. That might have been her intention, but it didn't happen. You should add it to your list, I reckon and compare the way you choose your books with her's.

I think I will add it to my list. The hardest part about reading so much is keeping my books to read pile full of interesting books. There are thousands of books to read, but choosing them is hard sometimes. It sounds good.

 

[nomadic myth]

Will this book be really enjoyable if I haven't read most of the books she has read?

Also, I read a review of her book on Amazon that her lifestyle is quite central to the book, whereas not everyone shares her lifestyle. Would this affect my enjoyment of her book?

Just want to consider things before I buy it.

 

[Kookamoor]

Will this book be really enjoyable if I haven't read most of the books she has read?

Also, I read a review of her book on Amazon that her lifestyle is quite central to the book, whereas not everyone shares her lifestyle. Would this affect my enjoyment of her book?

Just want to consider things before I buy it.

I still found it really enjoyable, and a few of the books she did read were added to my TBR. Her lifestyle is basically a somewhat-affluent New Yorker. It didn't bother me at all. Sure, I was jealous that she could read all day and that was her job... but I didn't find it interfered at all with my enjoyment. I just liked being able to hear another person's thoughts as they were reading their books. I would have liked to have heard mroe about the books and less about her life, but that's not the book she set out to write, I guess.