I’m a former professor and an exhausted mom of two kids. Every time I pick up a book, I get to exhausted to keep reading and go back to doom scrolling. Reasons why I’ve struggled:
-“You’re a former professor! You’ll love this book about academics…” For example, someone recommended Glittering Images. The first chapter reminded me so much of work (particularly the narcissistic traits that can populate acadamia) that I couldn’t keep reading. You know how when you do something for work, it can kind of lose its charm for recreation? That’s academia for me.
-“You’re an academic! You must want to learn!” Yes, but not through nonfiction. I’ve done a lot of that. I want to learn through good novels and fiction now. (For those interested, this is an introductory article to a subarea of my field: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/tropes/ I’m definitely up for rigor, but I need to broaden my horizons to fiction.)
-The author turns me off. Someone else I respect recommended some Alice Munro works, but in other reading I accidentally stumbled across something about her personally that alienated me, and I couldn’t get past it.
-It feels too pulpy. I really love to be frightened and enjoy suspense, so I started reading Stephen King. But I guess I just found the writing so pulpy that it grated on me. I felt like I was talking to someone I was trapped next to at a party. I hate saying this because I am truly not a snob and love many of the film/television adaptations of King. But I want to be truthful here.
-Requires too much up front investment. I tried to read Dune because I love epic adventures, but I didn‘t care about the characters yet and the book was already expecting me to learn a million sci-fi details.
-I don’t want to live with the characters. There was a season when I had the time and energy to spend my time with characters I detested because it was an interesting ride. That’s not the season I’m in. If the characters are too dark and the story is too depressing, I won’t have the energy to keep going. I need someone to root for and some hope.
I need something that really pulls you in. If I don’t get into the characters and stories fast, I’ll just fall asleep. I know there are great books that take more discipline, but I‘m just not in the phase of life when I have that leftover in the day to give to a book.
What’s worked:
-Jane Austen. Not because I’m a lover of romance (I’m really not—I like world-building and epics), but because she rights such vivid characters with humor. I find her writing light while still being intelligent.
-My favorite book is Till We Have Faces by CS Lewis, probably because I think the psychology of the characters is so real and raw.
-My second favorite book is The Brothers Karamazov but, truthfully, I read that when I was younger and had more time and energy to devote to reading. I don't think I would get through in the way I read now (dead physically and mentally tired, with nothing to prove and 15 minutes before I pass out).
-ASOIAF: epic, but still with good characters. Stopped reading them because I couldn’t stand the idea of getting invested in something that might be forever unfinished.
HELP ME.
TLDR: Help me find a book that will grip me fast enough that I won’t fall asleep and that has insightfully written characters.
by OneDadvosPlz
14 Comments
Give False Horizon by Kerrie J Hughes a try. New series. Indie author. This book is a techno thriller. I loved the characters and the story. Book 2 in series is scheduled to release in May and I have it on preorder.
St. Mary’s Chronicles by Jodi Taylor? Well written without being too challenging to read when you’re tired. There is both humor and peril. The characters are well rounded and stay in character rather than doing something completely random for the sake of the plot. They are flawed enough to seem like real people but still essentially decent. And unless you were a professor of history, you might learn a thing or two.
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison.
The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater (It is not at all like her other books).
Outlander
A Memory of Empire
Project Hail Mary
Crazy Rich Asians
Rodham
I love Till We Have Faces too, so we probably have similar taste.
Some recent-ish books I’ve enjoyed
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger
Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McGonaghy (anything by her really)
These all sucked me in quickly and are well written. I think The Wedding People might be your fave – it’s a rom com about an adjunct professor.
If you like ASOIAF, can I suggest the Broken Earth trilogy by NK Jemison? Also epic fantasy but it’s all wrapped up and the characters are generally likable
You might want to try:
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith if you love Jane Austen or maybe Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell (though this is a slower read)
Maybe True Grit by Charles Portis – it’s just an all-around excellent read regardless if western is your genre or not and gripping from start to finish
I worked in higher ed before becoming a sahm and have been in such a slump lately. Virginia Guiffre’s memoir is the only thing I’ve been able to finish. I’m not usually a memoir reader but it hooked me and kept me listening non stop. I know you’re not looking for academia type authors but I haven’t read a Jean Hanff Korelitz book I didn’t love.
R.F.Kuang Babel; Amor Towles, A Gentleman in Moscow; Wabgeshig Rice, Moon of the Crusted Snow; Ursula K Le Guin, Earthsea novels; Christopher Moore, Anima Rising; Guy Vanderhaeghe, August into Winter; Danny Ramadan, The Clothesline Swing; Janika Oza, A History of Burning – some of my favourites over the last few years
Project Hail Mary! Listen to the audiobook, then go see the movie.
Weyward or Hamnet
Maybe try giving Kevin Wilson a try? He’s got a bunch of relatively shorter books that are like Candy to my brain when I’m on a burn out. Modern settings, usually an unusual element/circumstance, amusing. My favorites are Nothing to See Here and Now is Not The Time To Panic.
Also try short audiobooks!
You need to retrain your brain. Read in small chunks, even if it’s a page at a time. We’ve programmed our brains for fast attention switches and instant dopamine response.
The City of Brass Trilogy. I call it historical fantasy. Well written, keeps your attention, and also has deeper themes.