I read a fair bit. Perhaps not as much as Sarah Weinman, but she’s a professional reviewer with the luxury to spend all her time reading, and by day I serve as a senior business analyst. Still, I do ok.
Inspired by Weinmen, and a few friends who track what they read, for the first time in my life I’ve started keeping a list. It only includes books I’ve finished reading, and while I’m listing the graphic novels, I’m not counting them. Not because they’re not “real literature” (though that may be debatable), but because they’re so short. As of today I’m at 25 for 2009. ((Plus 7 graphic novels, for those interested.))
I tend to read several books at once. Some books make great subway reading. Others prefer a quiet afternoon and a nice cup of chai. Others still keep me up all night wondering what’s going to happen next, when they’re supposed to lulling me to sleep.
While I’m not a career reviewer, I do write reviews for websites and magazines, ((A dozen or so publishers regularly send their latest books and catalogues to my postbox.)) and also to better organize my thoughts, interpret and integrate what I’ve read.
So far this year I’ve written reviews of The Anbubis Oracle, The Heretic’s Guide to Thelema, Lucifer’s Court, and The Weiser Concise Guide to Aleister Crowley. You can expect reviews and reflections to appear here with some regularity, too, as a personal site provides me with more room to respond.
Right now I’m reading Frances Yates’ Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition, Sam Harris’ (shockingly bigoted) The End of Faith, and Francis Breakspear’s If It Was Easy, Everyone Would Be Doing It!. It makes for an odd mix, but I like it.
What are you reading, and how do you read? Do you stick to one book and see it through before you move on to the next? Or are you type who wades in a bit before deciding to commit? Or do you, like me tend to dive in and out, switching between books to suit your mood or fancy?
