Sarah Nelson explores a wide range of books in her quasi-essay about a year of reading. She is so much like me in so many ways, but so different in so many others. How do you even begin to talk about books? The impact that some of them have had upon your life? A book that changed your ideas of something? These are questions that Nelson tackles in her long essay about what it means to be a reader.Nelson found that she couldn't meet her goal. She basically read whatever she felt like reading, whenever she felt like reading it. Sure, she had "must-read" books, and books that had been recommended to her; but they all came in the course of time- whatever felt "right" was the book she read at that particular time. The thing is, you can't just sit down and read a book a week for fifty-two weeks! It may take two days to read one book, but then two years to finish another book. I go through phases of reading, and its good to know that I'm not the only one who does that. I'm the kind of person, too, who reads more than one book at a time; often I'll get questions like, "how can you pay attention to two books at the same time?" Like Nelson, I read whatever I want to, whenever, and sometimes don't finish things.
Nelson talks about her reading selections in an educated manner, saying why she did or didn't like a book, and giving a few personal reminisces of her own. It is a well crafted novel, a must-read for any book lover. Nelson also gave me a few suggestions as to what to read, and made me consider more deeply the way in which I regard books in general.
Also reviewed by: Book Nut
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