26 March 2014

Current and Recent Reads

I haven't been reading as much as I'd like here recently. I'm not proud of it and there's no excuse for it, it just is. At home I often take baths. (I don't ever really mention that to anyone because everyone usually acts like baths are the most disgusting things in the world - "you're stewing in your own filth!" (which is not really the case, all right? I'm not Pigpen or anything) - and I've yet to find out if everyone actually thinks that or if everyone thinks they should think that to fit in with the rest of the haters. Until then, only you will know my secret, internet.) The transition from bath to shower sends a lot of quality reading time, forgive me, down the drain. Is there any better feeling than reading a good book in a steamy tub of your own filth? I think not. This was intended to be a post about books, but now it feels like I'm about to go all Mutant and Proud about taking baths. Sorry.



Currently I'm somewhat muddling my way through Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms. This is my first Hemingway and I'm not sure if I picked incorrectly or if I just don't gel with the guy, but it's a little tedious for me, and not in a rewarding way. I really, really want to like Hemingway, so any recommendations on how to make that happen would be great.

For the previous two, I accidentally read two feminist books in a row. I say accidentally because I don't really buy into the whole bra burning feminism craziness that I think is most prominent and most likely what you're going to get if you read feminist literature. That's the vibe I got from The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. I did not care for it. It seemed too contrived for me, too out to make a point. And seriously, less than one generation from a free society you're going to have an entire nation completely brainwashed into total and complete enslavement of women? I just can't believe that. And there's no explanation of the conflict that brought about the societal shift whatsoever. What happened, Margaret Atwood? You're not mysterious, you're frustrating. The book doesn't make sense. It doesn't provide a story. I didn't like it. Then I read The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, which I did like. I was sucked in to the story and character. It was sort of haunting, and I kind of like that.

You know what? I lied earlier. I didn't read those back to back. I read The Martian Chronicles in between. Nothing like a bit of Bradbury to get the taste of a disappointing book out of your mouth.

2 comments:

  1. So I don't know how I remember that I wrote this, but baths for the win. http://kerrycogan.blogspot.com/2012/07/5-things-i-vowed-i-would-never-like-but.html

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    1. Haha, I do remember this now, too! Isn't it crazy how easy it is to forget what we write? I feel like I'm constantly wondering "have I already mentioned this?" :P

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