Nobody else' s book club
Last year was one of the least productive years of my life. I'm really very unhappy with what I've not accomplished.
As this blog attests, knitting has become a bit of an obsession since I've started learning it about 2 and a half years ago. But until recently knitting was just one of my hobbies. I used to knit almost every day, but I'd also do other things. Not so last year and, no matter how much I enjoy knitting, I don't like the fact that it has swallowed up all my other hobbies. Nor do I want to live the rest of my life this way. Don't get me wrong, too much knitting is not responsible for my lack of achievements this last year. It is just one of the things I want to change in my life. I want to go back to making reading my main hobby.
Book clubs! I always loved the idea of participating in a book club, but I've never done so because I can't find one with any books that I'd like to read. Now I'm sure there are book clubs for all tastes, but, damn it!, I cannot find one that is even close to mine. I understand that by participating in a book club you must make some concessions. You exchange the freedom to read whatever you fancy for the pleasure of sharing your reading with others. But reading only or mainly books I don't want to read is not only too much of a concession, it will also turn me into the black sheep of the club who has nothing good to say about any book. Now, I don't want that to happen, I already have too much of a reputation for being fussy and overcritical.
My trouble with finding a book club that caters to my taste is not due to having such strange tastes. It's mostly that the majority of book clubs exist to sell books and therefore recommend newly published ones. But I like classical literature as much as contemporary one and have little interest in fads. Simply put, when one looks back to the literary cannon, one won't find a book per year that deserves one's attention in any of the past centuries. What makes you think this century is any different? Sure there are some books published in the last years that are well worth reading and I, like most people, prefer reading contemporary. But what I really prefer is to read a good damn book.
So I'm starting my own book club. The nobody else's book club, because it's only me and nobody else. I'm afraid I don't have anyone to join me. Sad, ain't it? I know the idea is kind of ridiculous. It is actually the exact opposite of my idea of a book club, because I'll be picking the books, but won't be sharing them with any one. But if you'd like to join me, don't hesitate. I'd love to have a real book club.
As this blog attests, knitting has become a bit of an obsession since I've started learning it about 2 and a half years ago. But until recently knitting was just one of my hobbies. I used to knit almost every day, but I'd also do other things. Not so last year and, no matter how much I enjoy knitting, I don't like the fact that it has swallowed up all my other hobbies. Nor do I want to live the rest of my life this way. Don't get me wrong, too much knitting is not responsible for my lack of achievements this last year. It is just one of the things I want to change in my life. I want to go back to making reading my main hobby.
Book clubs! I always loved the idea of participating in a book club, but I've never done so because I can't find one with any books that I'd like to read. Now I'm sure there are book clubs for all tastes, but, damn it!, I cannot find one that is even close to mine. I understand that by participating in a book club you must make some concessions. You exchange the freedom to read whatever you fancy for the pleasure of sharing your reading with others. But reading only or mainly books I don't want to read is not only too much of a concession, it will also turn me into the black sheep of the club who has nothing good to say about any book. Now, I don't want that to happen, I already have too much of a reputation for being fussy and overcritical.
My trouble with finding a book club that caters to my taste is not due to having such strange tastes. It's mostly that the majority of book clubs exist to sell books and therefore recommend newly published ones. But I like classical literature as much as contemporary one and have little interest in fads. Simply put, when one looks back to the literary cannon, one won't find a book per year that deserves one's attention in any of the past centuries. What makes you think this century is any different? Sure there are some books published in the last years that are well worth reading and I, like most people, prefer reading contemporary. But what I really prefer is to read a good damn book.
So I'm starting my own book club. The nobody else's book club, because it's only me and nobody else. I'm afraid I don't have anyone to join me. Sad, ain't it? I know the idea is kind of ridiculous. It is actually the exact opposite of my idea of a book club, because I'll be picking the books, but won't be sharing them with any one. But if you'd like to join me, don't hesitate. I'd love to have a real book club.
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