Sci-Fi Overload

I knew it was all going too well. I was on schedule, averaging two books a week. I don't know what happened. The house took priority for a week or so and then I just had so much trouble trying to get into a book. I started reading Hyperion by Dan Simmons and then The Female Man by Joanna Russ but I just couldn't get on with them. I had obviously reached my Sci-Fi limit. I tried to persevere and at least finish the two books I had started but it was no good. I needed a break. Not a break from reading, just a break from science fiction.

I haven't been a member of a library since I was a kid. I sort of forgot they existed. I have so many books myself and almost everything else is accessible via the Internet so I didn't have much use for one. Until now. A thousand books is a large number of books to source. I have managed to source about two hundred so far from my own book collection, ebooks etc but my purse is not going to stretch to buying another 800 books in the next few years. (Besides, I think C might kill me if I start bringing loads of books home again). So the library just might be the solution to my problem. My local library is tiny and fairly poorly stocked but luckily membership covers all libraries in the borough so I am hoping I can track down quite a few on the list.

BOOK CHALLENGE 18/1000 (24)

First trip to the local library paid off and I picked up The Reader by Benhardq Schlink. Nice, short, easy to read. Just what I needed. I was surprised that I enjoyed this book a lot more than I enjoyed the film. Even though the film is an excellent adaptation and keeps very true to the book, I found the film a bit slow. It was refreshing to be away from aliens and spaceships and just read about real people in the real world with real feelings. I feel like I am on my way again.

Switching genres was the right move, I think. It might be just what I need to get me back on schedule.

In case there is anyone actually reading my blogs, a brief explanation may be necessary. At the beginning of the year I set myself the challenge of reading all the books on The Guardian's "1000 novels you must read" list. I set myself this task after discovering that I had only shamefully read 35 of these most important books. The plan is to blog a record of the books as I read them and my thoughts about the challenge along with all my other various ramblings through life.