I'm reeeeeally supposed to be working on my final papers, but I'm distracted because somewhere in the middle of yesterday I decided that I would allow myself to read ONE (1) for-fun book after finals, over the break.
Why?
Well this is what's going on: my oral exam is scheduled to take place at the end of January, hence am currently in my six-week reading period for said huge exam, meaning that I am supposed to be living and breathing all things Boxing in American Literature. This is fine in that I constructed the reading list myself, so I get to get down and dirty with some texts I really want to read like Gus Lee's China Boy, and Trevor Von Eden's The Original Johnson.
This is not cool in that if I don't get to just turn my brain off and consume some brain candy, and STAT, I might actually, physically explode.
You would think, as a graduate student, as someone whose job it is to read all the time, I would want to go on vacation and maybe run a marathon, or re-watch all of Battlestar Galactica, or put myself in a corner, and oh, say stare at a blank wall and hum quietly. But I enjoy reading. This summer I read thirteen books. Last holiday break I read four (yes, I do keep count, thankyouverymuchas). I really think that this on-the-side reading is what has kept me from from going ballistic.
So while I'm sitting here trying to eloquently describe the class and gender implications in Million Dollar Baby (hooo boy), what I'm really thinking is, "which book, which book, which book, which booooooooooook will I read when this crap is over???" I'm like a dog looking at a buffet table which is just a little too high. If someone would just throw me a friggin' bone, I would be so happy!
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore.
ReplyDeleteOr anything else by Christopher Moore. The Stupidest Angel is good for the holidays but would be funnier if you read Lamb and Island of the Sequined Love Nun first.
I have a love affair with books too. All through college I couldn't wait for the holidays so I could read what I wanted, even after taking two 300 lit classes. I just did a post on my favorite books I've read this year.
ReplyDeleteAnd my biggest worry about having a baby? Not having enough time to read. Maybe I better straighten up my priorities.
Ashlie, I saw you recommend that to someone else. I'll put it on my list. Isn't that the one that's printed to look like a bible, too? Ha!
ReplyDeleteJessica, this is the stupidest thing ever, but I want to have a kid so I have someone to read to. Which is the WORST reason (ok not the worst, I could want one so that I have someone to pick up my shoes, or give me a kidney). But it's still dumb. My kids are going to be sick of me reading them things they're not interesting in at all when I should be feeding them instead.
I love China Boy, and Gus Lee is a hell of a cool guy. He came and spoke at UCCS once. When you get back to reading for fun again, his book on courage and leadership is good too.
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