Oct 7 2004
Book Burnout?
I feel like I am in a bit of an intellectual funk these days. I just can’t seem to get excited about all of the books I have lined up to read. I have started half a dozen in the last week or so and can’t seem to get any momentum no matter what I pick up. History, politics, philosophy, novels, short stories, nothing seems to generate interest or zip. I surf the net aimlessly and yet find nothing particularly deep or interesting to say. I continue to write about the election and Ohio but can’t seem to post anything here. I think the combination of football season and the election has just been to big a distraction.
Question for the audience: what do you do when you are burned out on books? Is there a particular genre or type of book (or even a specific book) you turn to when this happens? Or do you just do something else for a while assuming that the reading thing will come back after some distractions? Do you even find yourself burnt out on books? Is it just me?
Feedback appreciated.
Oct 07, 2004 @ 13:00:55
Kevin,
My burnout book is THE GHOSTS OF AFRICA by William Stephenson. If you can find it, it’s a great saga set in East Africa during WW1.
David
Oct 07, 2004 @ 20:16:41
When the reading experience transforms into something that is regimented rather than random, I often find myself bemoaning what I’m reading. Which is why I decided to pick one of the books near the bottom of my pile (“The Time of Our Signing” by Richard Powers) that I really WANTED to read. One heck of a cure. I’m enjoying it immensely.
I’d suggest, Kevin, that you read something fun instead of the intellectual or nonfiction books you’re pining for. The mind really does need stories and poetry to live on and when it’s denied from time to time, the result is, much like one of the unfortunate results perpetuated by bad English teachers, an aversion to something as magical as reading.
Oct 08, 2004 @ 20:17:07
Yeah, I get burnout every once in a while. I don’t try to force getting rid of it, but just go with the flow. What usually gets me back in the mood for reading is a vastly different type of book from what I have been reading. One time it was a book about reading that got me back. It just depends for me… and I never quite know what will do it. Sometimes a couple of visits just browsing in a bookstore will set things aright…