Well, I was planning to write about the books I've read so that I can finally update that sad little "Books in 2010" list in the sidebar, but wouldn't you know it? I didn't plan well and forgot to bring my stack of recent reads out of the bedroom. And now poor old Rusty is asleep and I don't have the heart to clomp around gathering them.
So in lieu of my penetrating and always-fascinating insights into the modern novel, I thought I'd follow up on an idea that was twigged by my last post, where I talked about my shitty memory. As proof of this fact, I thought it would be fun (well, fun for me; you're on your own) to go through the archives and see how many books I flat-out cannot remember reading. Prepare to be amazed.
From 2005
Dear god. Apparently I read Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul 2. Wow. I may reel from this for days. Apparently it made me weepy. Apparently I have a heart of stone because I remember none of this.
Sadly, I also don't remember reading Barbara Kingsolver's Prodigal Summer. Blasphemy! But let's be honest with each other here: as awesome as she is, we all know Kingsolver doesn't always hit 'em out of the park. I'm not going to be too tough on myself.
From 2006
And I read... a Candace Bushnell novel? Really? I mean, I'm the only person who has the passwords and stuff to post here, and I'm reading a post about Lipstick Jungle right here, so I guess I read it. Huh. I would feel shame, but I'm too busy being confused.
Did you know Margaret Atwood wrote a collection of vignettes called Moral Disorder? You did? Because I didn't. Or at least, I thought I didn't until I realized that I read them four years ago. Go figger.
From 2007
And then there's the collection of Eudora Welty's early short stories, A Curtain of Green. I'm sorry, Eudora. You may belch like a champion, but you still deserve better than me.
And we all know how 2008 and 2009 went.
So there you have it. Perfect evidence of my imperfect memory. As if I needed to be humbled further.
8 comments:
I WISH I could forget Prodigal Summer.
I think it's okay to read and forget; better than not reading at all. Which is what I did for most of 2009. Anything longer than an essay was too much commitment for me.
Wow! This got me thinking as I too have been going through boxes of books and ebooks on my PAD. Back in 2006-2007 as I lay partially paralyzed from a spinal injury I read some 200+ books, essays and short stories. Of course, 2006-2007 is a complete blur and I remember NONE of it thanks to percocet, hydrocodone some other pain med I can't even recall taking.
Aha! So it's not just me!
And the past few years make me think that sleep deprivation somehow inhibits the laying down of memories - good thing I've got so many photos.
But what *are* you reading these days? I don't currently have anything really satisfying to dig my teeth into.
I *loved* Moral Disorder! You should try it again. (Come to think of it, I am pretty sure we had a fabulous conversation about that book. You liked it, if I recall. Hell, maybe you'll like it all over.)
Yes, do enlighten us with your current book loves. I enjoyed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the follow-up, but I can't say they rocked my world. Quick, help before I re-read Mackenzie Phillips' awful autobiography!
I love your humor. The ability to laugh at oneself is rarely employed, and you do it beautifully.
K.B.
LOL.........I am so happy to know that we don't have to remember every book we ever read and sound so wonderfully inteligent. I too forget what was inside sometimes but when I see the title or book cover I know that I have read it. Sometimes I even know and list books that have touched and changed me but I forgot what about it did . HAHAHAAHA. Lovely article thank you.
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