It's hard to believe I've only been blogging about books for seven years when it feels like I've been doing it my whole life. Not only is reading a pleasurable daily activity for me but now being on many different online platforms including YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and GoodReads there's barely ever a day when I don't have some form of online interaction with other readers. This is so different from my childhood and college years when I'd spend ages reading and thinking about books and had no one to discuss them with me. I'm thankful for people who are interested in my thoughts about books and I'm especially grateful for the opinions of other readers. Whether their ideas are aligned with my own or greatly differ, my perspective on many books is usefully challenged and shaped by our great virtual community of bookish folk.
I’m going to sound like a broken record, but with the special challenges this year has presented I really don't know what I'd have done without books to provide much-needed solace. Of course they’re often entertaining, inspiring and informative. With the stress of the world and this extended period of time largely confined at home, I've also grown to value the sheer comfort books provide even more. While many readers have understandably found it challenging to concentrate on reading during this time it's also encouraging to know we can still discuss our zeal for books and connect online.
It was truly momentous for me to get to interview my favourite author Joyce Carol Oates about her life and writing this year. Who'd have thought such dark circumstances would provide an opportunity for a long, enriching zoom chat?! For the past few months I've also been preoccupied with reading entries for the First Novel category of the Costa Book Awards. Judging a book prize is an enormous time commitment and I take it very seriously so want to give each book submitted a fair chance. But this presents a dilemma for me as a blogger since I can't discuss everything I've been reading here since that obviously wouldn't be fair to the judging process. It's meant in the past few weeks I've been more quiet on here than I have been in years - ironic that I've been reading more than ever lately but also blogging less than ever! Nevertheless, I'm so excited to be part of this process and to share the shortlist my fellow judges and I come up with later this year.
I also think it's healthy not to feel it's necessary to analyse and comment upon everything you read. Sometimes I feel guilty when I've read a book and not blogged about it. This could happen for any number of reasons. Sometimes I simply don't have much to say about a particular title I've read or find it too difficult to articulate my thoughts about it or I might just not have the time to write a blog post. I made a resolution at the start of the year not to stress too much about this. The true pleasure of reading is in the act itself and it's impossible to ever fully capture the experience of that. Any reflections I post about here are just my geeky musings. But thanks for following along and I hope you're reading something good!
