Happy weekend, everyone! I will be hither and thither for much of it, so I’m glad the heatwave is over. I’m also finding myself not super in the mood for reading at the moment, which is very unlike me and will hopefully pass soon. (Not an eye issue this time, thankfully, just not always able to get into a book – more like the reader’s block I wrote about for Vulpes Libris years ago.)
But here is a book, a blog post, and a link to entertain you this weekend, whatever you are doing:
1.) The blog post – I loved Brona’s reminder of why Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill is so good.
2.) The book– I love Jenn Ashworth’s writing, particularly her novel Fell and her memoir Notes Made While Falling. She now has another memoir out – tellingly, given the recent Salt Path debacle, it’s about walking as a way of healing. I’m really keen to try The Parallel Path: Love, Grit and Walking the North.
3.) The link – and, just in case that mention above is baffling and you’re the one person in the bookish community who hasn’t read the exposé on The Salt Path – here is some brilliant journalism from Chloe Hadjimatheou.
Happy weekend Simon – I hope your ‘hither and thithering’ helps shake off that reader’s block. I had missed your article in Vulpes Libris originally, so very much enjoyed reading that. It is a very pertinent point you made about how if we consider ourselves ‘readers’ then that becomes very much part of our identity and it can really profoundly affect us if we go through a period of not reading.
Book serendipitiously, I have just been reading The Parallel Path. I had to read it very quickly as it is in demand at my library. I also have a copy of Notes Made While Falling.
I did know about the Salt Path debacle; in fact I am now feeling quite (unjustly!) proud of the fact that I have never read it, despite receiving it as a Christmas present not long after it first came out. Somehow, I could not get my head around what happened to them and I kept quizzing my doctor friends as to what exactly was wrong with Moth!
P>S I’m feeling happy this weekend because Karen Swallow Prior’s book on Reading that you recommended has just popped up on my abe wants.
Thank you so much for that article on the Salt Path. Based on the number of references to it I’d glanced in the media, I assumed it must be something of the magnitude of the Windrush scandal and, what with the fascist insurgency we are undergoing here in the states, couldn’t bear to investigate. But no, just another cynical fabulist cashing in with a false but uplifting, feel-good “memoir”.
I also enjoyed your VL post, and recognized every one of those symptoms. I also think of myself as a Reader, and struggle with what you describe quite frequently. A recent palliative I have found is to pick something that requires very slow going, deep concentration, reading and re-reading – annotated poetry works well for me here to tide me over until I can pick up a novel again.
Totally agree about the Salt Path article – wonderful journalism!!
Let’s face it, most memoirs probably need to be read with a large pinch of ‘salt’! (Sorry, couldn’t resist).
I wasn’t that shocked by the revelations. I read a lot of these sorts of books because I enjoy reading about experiences of the natural world, but I’m generally much less interested in the ‘misery’ side of them which seems to be obligatory these days. It would make a nice change to read about someone simply enjoying the outdoors for what it is without it needing to be a cure or solution for some problem.
Thank you for the shout out this week Simon – my post about The Dept of Speculation seems to bringing back lots of happy readerish memories!
I think all readers go through blocks and blimps at times – our lives get busy, we can’t find the right book to get us going and sometimes we just need a little space in our brains from all those words :-)
A favourite reread works for me sometimes and other times it can be a non-fiction book that sets me going again.
Good luck.