So, I doubt it's just me here who has the "English major who can't seem to read anymore" issue. I'm trying to get back into the habit, but I am by my sense of what I should read versus what I want to read. I spent so many years in college and grad school being forced to read more classical literature that I now have a sense of duty ingrained in me. I should read Things Fall Apart and I should read East of Eden and I should read Poe and Faulkner and Hemingway and etc etc etc. I have a list a mile long of more "canon" lit to read.
Except then reading feels like a chore.
I want to read other, more fun books. Or explore other genres. I read When Women Were Dragons and actually finished. I want to finish the Annihilation series. I want to read the Wool series. I want to finish the Oryx and Crake series.
Except then I feel guilty.
Thoughts? Advice? Commiseration?
by psychicamnesia
3 Comments
I have a PhD, I feel no duty.
Hiya! I’m exactly the same as you. An English major that graduated and wants to fill in the gaps. But, I also am tired of forcing my way through big heavy tomes, and just wanna read things that are fun and delight me. So my solution has just been to read 5-10 pages a day of a classic. Then I put it down and read the fun stuff for the rest of the day! It’s worked perfect for me and I’m finishing some of the classic I never read.
Hope that helps ☺️
My theory is some people have finite appetite for certain genres and authors . once you have had your fill, you are done. once you have read a certain number of words in a lifetime, you don’t need more