In one way, this past week went as expected: busy. In another, it didn’t: not with things we wanted to do or things we didn’t want to deal with, namely doctor appointments, one for my wife and another for me. We also didn’t get away as we had planned for a one-day wine trip on Thursday, but we did get accomplished on Thursday at home, with some much needed housekeeping. In light of the busyness again this past week, this weekend Sunday, I’m planning on doing another weekend a Sunday readathon, or a #fakereadathon as one of my book blogger friends called it on Instagram, like I did last weekend.
This time though I’m getting real with my reading. I’m not feeling the series I started, Bruno, Chief of Police, or the book I had on hold from the library, Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware. I’m only three books into the Bruno series, but I’m already beginning to wonder why he never seems to be prepared for large protests in his small town and while I read – and really enjoyed – The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ware last weekend, I’m just not feeling like reading another one of her books this weekend.
Plus I’ve been reflecting on this post from Karen of the blog Booker Talk: “Read It Now – Tomorrow May be Too Late”, which she talks about reading “rainy day” books, the ones we keep saving for a better day…but then that day never comes…or might never come if we don’t actually get to reading them. So I have three in particular (listed in order of publication) I’ve been saving for a rainy day:
- Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen
- We Were Eight Years In Power: An American Tragedy by Ta-Nehisi Coates
- Becoming by Michelle Obama
Born to Run: I actually got for my wife, because she is a big Bruce Springsteen fan a few years ago from a book blogger gift exchange, but I still wanted to read, but then never did – I think in great part due to the size of the book. For the record, my wife still hasn’t read it either. We Were Eight Years in Power was another I received from a book blogger gift exchange and to be honest, I just was – and still am – burnt out from the 2016 election, but I really liked (not enjoyed necessarily, because it wasn’t – and still isn’t – easy) Between The World and Me also by Coates. Becoming: I had on hold for a long time on ebook at the Free Library of Philadelphia, then finally bought a copy when it came in as a donation for our library book sale, thinking I wouldn’t have to wait for months to read it. Now months later, Mrs. Obama’s book sits, along with Mr. Springsteen’s and Mrs. Coates’ books, atop my computer desk unread.
I’m going to begin with Born to Run tomorrow and might take a break by reading a little of Coates’ book in between. Then next weekend, since I have a three-day weekend, I will read more from one, two or all three of the books. Most likely I’ll still be reading Bruce’s autobiography and Coates’ essays, but we’ll see.
Postscript
- Neither my wife nor I is in the best shape, health-wise; she, after being diagnosed with atrial fibrillation two years ago this month and I, after somehow twisting my left knee in late March. We both are on the road to recovery. But it’s a slow journey, due to a combination of factors including doctors, insurance companies, physical therapists and quite frankly our not understanding the “process” since we really haven’t been “through it” before. That doesn’t mean, though, that we won’t stop attempting to better ourselves.
- I planned on reading today (Saturday, as I write this), but I distracted myself all morning with trying (unsuccessfully) to get tree sap off the hood of our car. And now at almost 3:30 p.m. as I get ready to hit “publish,” I don’t really believe that reading is going to happen. Oh, well, there’s always tomorrow.
How was your past week? Reading anything good or getting ready to read anything good? Share in the comments.
Still an unfinished person... 
Well, now I want to know how your #fakereadathon turned out. I know I saw updates on Instagram but I was sleep-deprived and can’t remember if you said you finished anything. I love the hashtag. I planned on doing the same, yesterday, but it didn’t work out. Husband has been on a cleaning/purging tear in preparation for family coming down for son’s wedding and he was making such incredible messes that I had to join in or risk not being able to use the counter for painting or get into bed (which became a sorting table). It went well; I’m not complaining.
I know what you mean about the medical stuff. I’ve had an old problem come back to haunt me. More doctor visits and such to come. Never fun, but sometimes we have no choice. The bills are absolutely shocking.
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I didn’t finish anything but started Born To Run, which is very good. I plan on continuing this weekend.
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Oh, good, I didn’t miss anything, then. I’ll look forward to your thoughts on Born to Run, when you finish.
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It’s going well. About three quarters through the book.
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Hoping you both remain on the road to recovery. And books sitting around waiting to be read? Tell me about it.
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Do I really, REALLY need to tell you? 😉
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Hi Bryan, so sorry to hear about your health travails and those of your wife. I hope things get better for you soon. As you know I’m a bit older than you and have chronic conditions and I am grateful every day for the NHS though I don’t trust our current government to keep it safe. I’ve also got to the stage where I put aside books I’m not enjoying and trying to read the ones that call to me rather than saving them although there are just too many!
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I don’t have rainy day books, but I do have ones that slip off my immediate radar. I have a shelf of them in my bedroom that I meant to read when we first moved back in 2017. I am making the effort now to read through them as I read through my newer books. My weekly update.
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Glad to know I inspired you to think about those books you really really want to read. Becoming would be on my list too….
Health problems – ugh. I can sympathise with you since my husband and I have been in this situation for a few years now. We are utterly sick of hospital waiting rooms……..
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I really have no excuse for Becoming. As for the health issues for all of us, hopefully we all can keep improving, wading our way through our own health issues.
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I’m only a few years younger than you, and I’m starting to notice how quickly time is passing. I have a chronic health condition, which means I am utterly grateful for our public health care system, and utterly baffled by the US system. I hope you and your wife find a way to navigate it.
Enjoy your reading choices
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We are finding a way…but a lot of self-advocating helps. So far, I’m enjoying Born to Run.
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And I’m glad that you are able to get the help you need with your condition.
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Sorry to hear y’all are struggling with your health. My husband was diagnosed with afib several years ago and is on medication that has helped tremendously – he has no problems with it now. What are they doing for your wife?
The books you have selected for your readathon look terrific – I listened to the audio of Becoming and loved it.
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I’ll e-mail you privately about my wife. As for the books, I don’t know why I’ve put them off for so long…well, the one I do, the other two, not so much.
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I fell last year and dislocated my thumb. One of my book friends is a doctor who lives in another country. I told her what doctors did here and asked her what would have been done in her country. She was shocked that I had the bone popped back in place and stitches, with no followup and no physical therapy. I really wasn’t familiar with the system either.
After I read your Citizen book, I took it up to my writing class in Houston and offered it to an interested reader. The other members of my class all wanted to read it, and I finally just had to draw straws for it. I thought you’d like to know how your book is traveling on.
I’m more than ten years older than you, and I can tell you that I do many things differently than I did in my thirties and forties. I only read the good books. I spend as much time as I can with people, whether I’m sitting on my front porch and talking to those who stop at my Little Free Library or visiting with people at the Y or speaking to people in line at the grocery or surprising others with baked goods or enjoying my time with other readers on Sunday Salon. In the last couple of years my sister-in-law and brother-in-law both died unexpectedly, and they were only a few years older than I am. I’m trying to live in the present moment. And that includes reading all the good books. Now.
Oh dear. I didn’t mean to get all preachy. I think I was really talking to myself as much as you, reminding myself to enjoy the now.
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The more stories I hear about our medical system, the more I’m not surprised…sadly.
I’m glad to hear the book is traveling on. It’s one of those books I wanted to get to, but just never did.
I didn’t take what you said as preachy…at all. I’m also learning not to waste my time on books or series that aren’t working for me and reading the good books now. My numbers of what I read are going down each year, but the quality of what I’m reading is going up.
It’s always good to be reminded to enjoy the now…as I sit in my recliner, ice on my left knee, my laptop on pillows on my lap, reading Sunday Salon and other blog posts. I’m listening to Guido’s Lounge Cafe. Life is good.
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Hi Bryan! Sorry about your wife’s and your health. I wish you the best with your recovery.
You have chosen some good books for your #fakereadathon. Maybe I should have one for myself! My family is gone to Oregon without me. I deserve a day off, too.
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To Oregon without you? Why? (now seeing your post, I understand)
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