terra non firma

A reader divided against herself cannot stand

for months now, Middlesex has sat on my nightstand taunting me. Everyone tells me I will love it. I've read a couple of chapters, but its just not grabbing me. I had the same problem with the plot against america. I never used to have a problem getting into books - when I was in college I use to challenge myself to read a book a week on my summer vacations, since I never felt like I had enough time during the school year to read for fun. and I've read both eugenides and roth before and have loved them both. so I don't think its the author or the quality. I think its me. for some reason, I'm struggling with fiction these days. the last few books I tore through were all non-fiction: the tender bar, slouching towards bethlehem, the sarah vowell books. these days I only have the patience for essays and memoirs apparently.

so I'm giving up and giving in - at least for now. I put middlesex back on the bookcase for another day and just ordered two vidal books: lincoln: a novel (but its a work of historical fiction - does that count? sarah vowell whetted my lincoln appetite and I feel the compelled to find a political figure I can actually admire), and palimpsest: a memoir. see? - back to the memoirs. and I can't get away from NPR contributors either. for a little levity and a lot of snark I also ordered Don't Get Too Comfortable: The Indignities of Coach Class, The Torments of Low Thread Count, The Never- Ending Quest for Artisanal Olive Oil, and Other First World Problems by daniel rakoff. he had me at artisanal olive oil. with a long trip to ny in a couple of weeks I should be able to get through at least one or two of them pretty quickly.

posted by marissa @ 6:20 PM