So Many Books - Heather's Review

Today, I finished reading So Many Books, So Little Time by Sara Nelson. I read this for about a billion reasons. Natalie liked this book, and it was on one of the Something About Me lists. It is about books and reading. The cover is cute. I love memoir-ish writing. The list goes on. Why had I not read it before now? Too many of my friends read it. I tend to be contrary when it comes to things that are popular. It took me forever to give in and read the first Mitford book. Sadly, it bored me. A part of me fears the same for any book my friends like. What if I don't like it? What if I do and then I am just part of the crowd?

Well, I loved So Many Books. The author writes with a voice that appeals to me. I can relate to her addiction to books and reading, even when our taste seems vastly different. For instance, she enjoyed Her by Laura Zigman and I remember the book being shallow and boring. However, there are other things we have in common, such as our love for Dorothy Parker.

I emailed Sara and told her how much I love her book, and she replied quickly. I know, and you know, that writers are just people, but it is still immensely gratifying to have an author I admire acknowledge me. I can remember my excitement over a handwritten letter from Nicole Johnson (Fresh-Brewed Life) and a few friendly emails exchanged with Jodi Picoult. These encounters make me more loyal to these writers. They make me happy.

I loved reading about some of the concepts that came up in So Many Books. One was double-booking. Since, I was triple-booking when I read this. In the carpool line at Haydn's school, I read The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom and I have a copy of Jacob, Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson on the end table in the living room. I read bits and pieces of it. No danger of mixing these books up. One involves Christians hiding Jews during WWII and one is the young adult story of twins who are unequally loved. Neither can be easily confused with a book of essays on reading. I also loved the idea of journaling a year's worth of reading. Granted, I already keep track of every book I read in list form and in my Library Thing database. However, that is very sytematic. I would love to share how I choose what to read, sometimes, and how I react to a book rather than just a short review of the story and writing.

I am very VERY glad that I finally delved into this book. It was pure delight.

Heather

So Many Books, So Little Time

when i first heard that there was a book entitled So Many Books, So Little Time, i knew that it would only be a matter of time until i read it. (especially since my blog has the same name!) because So Many Books was on the lists of Vasilly, a.book.in.the.life, and Sally, this challenge was the perfect excuse to read it. i suspect that most book bloggers could say that this book title is "about" them! i certainly can!

Vasilly said that author Sara Nelson "is one of my heroes." she appreciated what Nelson wrote about how books fit into her life and the joy that reading brings. a.book.in.the.life similarly liked this book because "I love books and reading, and I love books about books and reading."

i also enjoyed this book, but I think I appreciated the concept - in which the author was going to read one book a week for a year and write about that experience - more than the actual implementation.

i read the book just a little at a time - it's easy to read in snippets - and i ended up with a number of possible additions to my own to-be-read list. i didn't ever feel personally engaged with Nelson, though, and a couple of times i found myself thinking that many of the book bloggers i know could have written this book at least as well, if not better. still, it's a worthwhile read, especially for those of us who can relate to the idea of "passionate reading"!

So Many Books, So Little Time

So Many Books, So Little Time: A Year of Passionate Reading by Sara Nelson is one of the books I chose to read for the Something About Me Reading Challenge. This book appeared on at least three people's lists: Sally, a.book.in.the.life, and Vasilly. The book is obviously about a woman's love affair with reading. In many ways, I can relate to this "passionate" affair. I love to read. I love to write about what I read. So you would think I would love to read about a woman writing about what she is reading. I love this book, but in name only. I love the concept of this book. But the book itself, well, not so much. It's not that it was boring. But it wasn't thrilling either. I feel like I am missing something. If this book is her description of those books that she is so "passionate" about, then I don't think it "works" as a persuasive tool. If this is just a behind-the-scenes of her project and her other writings are gathered elsewhere--perhaps published week by week at whatever paper or magazine she worked for at the time...then that would be a different story. There were parts I enjoyed, but most of the book was just okay for me. I didn't hate it. But I didn't love it either.

For "A Year of Passionate Reading" I would rather follow the lives of bloggers day by day. I guess my general reaction was that with a name like that: So Many Books, So Little Time: A Year of Passionate Reading...I expected something more. I just think the passion wasn't particularly conveyed that strongly. I mean if it had been called "Thoughts on the Books I've Read This Year" instead I would have thought it delivered just fine.

So many books, so little time

Wow, can't say it better than that! I had a hard time choosing 5 books that represent me and an even harder time choosing ones I want to read from all the great lists. The books that represent me:

1. The earth, my butt and other big round things (YA) by Carolyn Mackler .I completely relate to this girl and how she feels!
2. The dogs who found me (NF) by Ken Foster. I am a huge dog lover and especially love that this author does not discriminate against certain breeds because of their reputation.
3. The Penderwicks, a summer tale of four sisters, two rabbits and a very interesting boy (F) I was an only child and wished I had a fun family like this to grow up around.
4. The sisterhood of the traveling pants (YA) by Ann Brashares. My friends are everything to me, just like these great girls are to each other.
5. The house of the scorpion (JuvF) by Nancy Farmer. I admire the sense of hope this story brings despite it's horrible events .

On the other side of the fence, I am afraid it is just as difficult for me to choose just five books to put on my list to read. Especially
since I've been reading all the reviews. I will just have to add on to my list I guess :)

1.So Many Books, So Little Time by Sara Nelson (So many had it on their list and I can already relate to the title)
2. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (I love children's lit. so...)
3. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (It has been sitting on my shelf for a while)
4. Nothing But the Truth by Avi (I have never read one of Avi's books before and I am not sure how that happened)
5. A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly (This one I have also had on my shelf waiting to be read)

and I have already added on

Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block (Sounds like a fun read)
Place Last Seen by Charlotte McGuinn Freeman (Cause I live so close to desolation and love dogs too!)