Listen, it comes to my attention that I do not read at the most opportune moments. For example, this year, we moved house. And while throughout all the packing and cleaning and boxing and all the exciting things that moving house entails (sob), I read an entire book. It’s therapy, you know?
Another busy period came upon me recently. And you’d best believe I read an entire book. Procrasti-who? Anyway, here’s some of my recent reading adventures. After I explained the plot of one book, my dear friend insinuated that my internet should be taken away. Hurtful.
ALL THE WAY TO THE RIVER: LOVE, LOSS, AND LIBERATION
Oh boy. So. I have taken a dive into Elizabeth Gilbert’s books. I travelled to Paris to find a shark (listen, it’s an entire thing) and didn’t take Eat, Pray, Love with me because a) it appears that I’m capable of feeling public shame and b) I feel ashamed of this feeling and z) but not ashamed enough to not read it in public.
S H A M E.
(But what if they thought I wanted to flee my life to go to an ashram in India. You don’t know that they won’t. You don’t know.)
Anyway. I’ve read Gilbert’s latest memoir. I think I strained my eyes staring at my kindle screen. I have thoughts, naturally. (I frequently have thoughts.) (At least one or two every hour ho ho ho.) I feel like you can clickbait header this book for obvious reasons, but you can also look a little deeper. And when you do it makes you go: … hmmmmmmmmmm and sometimes: ???? and sometimes: … ah … ?!
It’s not my cup of tea. If I was to extend this metaphor I’d say it’s one of those beverages you see in passing and think: hmm no actually I’m okay.
I do recommend Jia Tolentino’s excellent review.
THE DISABLED TYRANT’S BELOVED PET FISH
It’s unhinged. It exists. It is a series. These are all epitaphs that could be written about these books. I will only say that I really think that Xue Shan Fei Hu is a stronger person than I; I would never be this creative when it comes to writing from the POV of a fish.
So.
That’s that.
Every time you think ‘surely not’ the answer is ‘surely yes‘.
THE SPANISH TRAGEDY AKA EVERYONE DIES
I’ve never encountered this play before. It was enormously popular in Elizabethan England & if I had encountered this as a teenager (not in Elizabethan England) – oh you’d best believe I’d have been obsessed.
Maybe just for a week, but still. It holds.
This play is gory. It is a revenge. Everyone dies. Someone bites their tongue out, and then dies.
(It’s just occurred to me that I’m not even trying to give a synopsis of these books. I’M DOING MY BEST! I LIVE IN A SOCIETY!)
AS YOU LIKE IT
Well, I didn’t. So there.
There are some excellent scenes and witty lines because it’s Shakespeare so of course. However … no. Why on earth is Hymen appearing at the end, I ask you. Take him away! Hurl him off the stage!
Yes, yes, I know that there are reasons! I know that this has a deeply interesting background and that you could spend weeks! months! years! centuries! studying it and still find swathes of unknown, er, forests to explore. BUT.
Not for me. I’m more of a Julius Caesar ‘and Brutus is an honourable man’ kind of girl. Sorry, Rosalind.
I WANT TO DIE BUT I WANT TO EAT TTEOKBOKKI
The author has tragically passed away, which makes this book more somber to read.
Baek Sehee was enormously brave in revealing her own humanity and her struggles with her mental health.
I wasn’t expecting the format, I must admit. This is primarily transcripts of her sessions with her therapist.
Warring with your mental health is exhausting and some days are much better than others. Some days are worse. Be kind, you know? You don’t know what battles others are fighting.
My target was reading 3 books this year, and I’m 2233% done with my challenge! You see, kids, if you set the expectations low enough you too can easily pass them.
You’re welcome.
I’ve also read Dracula (post probably incoming) and I’ve got one more Shakespeare on my to-read list, and the Twilight saga stacked up on my piano. I’ve never read them before and got them all second-hand, so you know, it’s time.
Have you read anything interesting lately?
of words & books 
Yes, reading is therapy and we absolutely need to read more the busier we get. This is perfectly sound logic. *nods sagely* (I hope moving went as smoothly as possible!)
I think I need to set my reading goal really, really low next year. That sounds like an excellent plan.
I haven’t read any of these, and hadn’t heard of most, but reading this made me giggle. Especially your reactions to All the Way to the River.
I am slowly making my way through Nicholas Nickleby–great fun but there are too many other interesting books that keep distracting me. One such book is Lud-in-the-Mist, a delightful little fantasy about the inhabitants of a stuffy, sleepy town whose lives get rudely interrupted by fairies.
It IS perfectly sound logic!
Yes – setting my reading goal super low has made it soooo much less stressful. Deffo would advise. Who needs stress PFFT not we!
Hehehehe yes, I’ve just finished the first book Eat, Pray, Love and boi oh boi, a little break from Gilbert is needed I think. I cannot say I *recommend* but I can say it is an *experience*
I have never read Nicholas Nickleby (shammeee!!!) Ohhhhhhhhh Lud-in-the-Mist sounds so delightfully cosy! I am tempted!!!!
“I cannot say I *recommend* but I can say it is an *experience*”–very relatable, this 😛
I downloaded Lud-in-the-Mist as a free ebook from Project Gutenberg, wink wink. I haven’t finished it yet, but I’m having a glorious time with it!
IT IS A FREE BOOK? Not me picking up AND PAYING for it from Waterstones at the weekend *DARN IT*
!!! I did not know you were that tempted !!! Darn it indeed……..
… I hope you enjoy it 😅