13.08.2023 Sunday
It is Sunday. A good day as any other to start something. Here I am, starting to write my day-to-day reading journal.
I like reading journals of other people. One of the latest I’ve started to read were the diaries of Alan Rickman (“Madly, Deeply”). It was hard to make much sense of it at first, because those are really raw diary entries. I didn’t know (I still don’t) some of the names from there. Nevertheless, I enjoy getting into someone else’s head even for a bit. It’s always curious to know what others are paying attention to, what do they find as a highlight of the day or moments that are worth remembering.
This idea of writing a reading journal came to me yesterday evening. I was trying to write down my thoughts after reading a book and I realised that I got back to the state where I’m only capable of saying “It was a nice book, I liked it.” Even though 15 mins before that I was reading a scene in the book and I was thinking how well written it is, how close to reality and still relevant are the described situations.
Anyway, this is my attempt to improve the way I talk (in this case write) about books. The way to remember more. More details about books, more thoughts and emotions I had while reading them. Is that something you are looking for? Great! Welcome!
What to expect from this format?
- Bits from my personal life
- More than bits from my reading life
- Thoughts and emotions about current read, most probably with spoilers
- Pretty much unedited stream of words, that comes to my mind
“The Painted Veil” by W.Somerset Maugham
Yesterday I finished reading it. It was a nice book, I liked it. 🙂 Joking…
From the very beginning I was very invested in it. I can’t explain it by just saying that “I didn’t read anything from Maugham before”. I didn’t read anything from many authors, but not every book I start I start so eagerly.
What I’ve noticed pretty early in the book is that there are no useless details. The chapters are small and neat. They could probably be one long text, but we are given a moment while turning a page to take a breath.
Another thing that caught my eye and made me happy is the abundance of idioms. It’s precious to me, to a non-native English speaker, to see them in use.
“Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead” by Olga Tokarczuk
Started re-reading this book today. I listened to it in audio format somewhere last year, but I barely remember the details, so I need to refresh it for the book club this Thursday.
There was not much time to read today, we were at a grill party with our friends. The road to their house is ~1 hour, so I’ve read some while commuting, about 30 pages.
I already remembered why I liked it last year. Just look at how it starts:
“I am already at an age and additionally in a state where I must always wash my feet thoroughly before bed, in the event of having to be removed by an ambulance in the Night.”
It’s not only a darkly witty sentence, but also a foreshadowing of the upcoming events.
14.08.2023 Monday
Welcome to a new week. Does it take you long to get back to the working mood?
I’m trying to get back to the morning routine, when I woke up several hours before work and read. Somehow in winter it was easier.
Today I had a reason to open my eyes and keep them open early enough. We have a friend visiting and staying with us. I had some last minute adjustments and cleaning to do. As a result – woke up early, but had no reading time…
“Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead” by Olga Tokarczuk
I tried reading bits here and there, so another 20 pages are down.
Yesterday I read about the main event that needs to be solved, the death of one of the villagers. Today the story was going deeper into the characters. The lady that is narrating the story. I’m sorry, I’ll call her by name, though she mentioned several times that she doesn’t like it.
Her name is Janina. She is an old lady in her sixties, living alone in the village on the border of Poland and the Czech Republic. Alongside her natural curiosity she believes in horoscopes. I loved her theory about testosterone autism. It was a part that I immediately liked while listening to this book last year, and I still find it amusing. Or in the next chapter, the absurd singing ritual? I don’t know how it is possible.
Xella Reads 
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