Ok literary commitment is hard for me but I'm going to go with my gut and read BLACK WATER by Joyce Carol Oates for this challenge. The skill I'm going to focus on is noticing tone and repetition. I'm a bit out of practice when it comes to analyzing prose over big picture questions, and a short book feels like a good opportunity to focus on that.
So thrilled about this challenge! I’m leaning towards Prodigal Summer. I can already tell the hardest part for me will be trying to only read one book at a time 😬
I have some good library books I need to read, including Tilt by Emma Pattee. I’m excited to give this a try. And thanks for mentioning how to annotate with library books. I’m going to try transparent post its!
It's actually a great time to try this during summer, looking forward to it! I'm going to read The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin. Short but seems like there will be lots going on thematically.
This ‘exercise’ is exactly what I’ve been looking for!! As a 53yo, I don’t feel I ever truly learned how to deeply read a book. I know there are so many hidden themes and conscious details an author puts in their stories that I completely miss. I’ve even looked to enroll at ‘How To Read’ classes at my local colleges but have not found any. All that to say, I can’t wait to sit down with your suggestions this afternoon and delve into God of the Woods.
Oh this is such a good choice...a very compelling book with a lot going on thematically! I hope this couple week exercise fills in some of the gaps you are looking for. And I'm hoping to keep doing things like this so let me know if you have specific requests!! This is exactly the kind of education and support I want to provide!
This is great timing for me. I just finished the Beartown trilogy- which consumed a lot of my print reading for three months - so I’m really ready to read deeply in something entirely different. The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club is waiting for me at the library, but that might not lend itself to this kind of project. I also have Run For the Hills on hand, so that may get the deep read treatment.
Oh FUN! I think either book could work if you're excited to read them! With the Martha's Vineyard book it could be fun to think about the book club's book selections and how the author is using them to deepen her themes. But Kevin Wilson is always a great choice!!
I feel like this is the perfect opportunity for me to do that reread of The Remains of the Day that I’ve been itching to do. It’s been a very long time since I read it, but I loved it so much. And only ~250 pages!
I love this idea, and in general the posts about reading well. It's been a wonderful adventure becoming a more active reader, engaging more with the text.
I am going to do Brotherless Night by V.V. Ganeshananthan. I'm picking for a few reasons - (1) I'm hosting a book club for it; (2) I have read it before and as I know the plot I don't think I'll get distracted wanting to read faster to see where the story goes. Also (3) I know the structure/language works for me so I won't get bogged down with eg. stream of consciousness writing (skill for another day..perhaps).
This was one of my best books of last year, and when I talk about this book I come back to a few themes that I remember. So I think I'll focus on how the author explores these.
I have found that writing annotations in the book is really working for me, which is a bit dangerous because I'm trying not to buy books and use the library! I also like having smaller size college ruled paper to make notes on and store with the book or the chapters. I have really noticed a difference if I keep these notes outside of the book, in a separate journal. It's like I'm one step away from engaging with the book.
I picked Gilead off my shelves to try for this reading challenge and as I was opening it up, I read a line of praise from Ann Patchett saying, "Gilead is a book that deserves to be read slowly, thoughtfully, and repeatedly..." which feels like nice affirmation for the selection. I may try to take note of a theme, tone, and POV as reading, but may change if something else strikes me.
I just picked up The Safekeep, and I’m excited to get started!
I love your suggestion for taking a minute to write what has caught your attention at the end of each chapter. A lot of my students say they dislike writing about reading/annotating, but I’ve found that a lot of them are just stuck because they’ve learned to annotate one way, think it’s the only way, and get frustrated by that. I’ve helped some students with a similar strategy to this and while some have liked this format, it’s been more important for them to learn that there are lots of different ways to engage with a text through writing and the most important thing is to do what works for you. I think that’s a lesson I often need to be reminded of too, so want to try some of that for myself here!
I’m late but excited! I’m going to read The Queen’s Spade by Sarah Raughley. Given everything that seems to be happening in the book, I want to focus on the mood it’s trying to create. Historical fiction is not something I read often so the emotions the author is attempting to conjure with a mix of reality and fiction might be interesting.
Ok literary commitment is hard for me but I'm going to go with my gut and read BLACK WATER by Joyce Carol Oates for this challenge. The skill I'm going to focus on is noticing tone and repetition. I'm a bit out of practice when it comes to analyzing prose over big picture questions, and a short book feels like a good opportunity to focus on that.
So thrilled about this challenge! I’m leaning towards Prodigal Summer. I can already tell the hardest part for me will be trying to only read one book at a time 😬
Haha same!! But it makes such a huge difference for me. I think PRODIGAL SUMMER is a great choice! It will sweep you away!
I have some good library books I need to read, including Tilt by Emma Pattee. I’m excited to give this a try. And thanks for mentioning how to annotate with library books. I’m going to try transparent post its!
I've heard great things about TILT! Great choice! And transparent post its...what a brilliant invention!
Please do BLACK WATER it’s so good and I want to talk about it with you!!!
Obsessed with this idea. Count me IN!
Thank you for sharing my Ferrante festivities. I'm excited about it and your project is a perfect segue for it!
So excited to follow along with your Ferrante project!
It's actually a great time to try this during summer, looking forward to it! I'm going to read The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin. Short but seems like there will be lots going on thematically.
Ooooo I love that you picked a LeGuin!! Can't wait to hear all about it!
This ‘exercise’ is exactly what I’ve been looking for!! As a 53yo, I don’t feel I ever truly learned how to deeply read a book. I know there are so many hidden themes and conscious details an author puts in their stories that I completely miss. I’ve even looked to enroll at ‘How To Read’ classes at my local colleges but have not found any. All that to say, I can’t wait to sit down with your suggestions this afternoon and delve into God of the Woods.
Oh this is such a good choice...a very compelling book with a lot going on thematically! I hope this couple week exercise fills in some of the gaps you are looking for. And I'm hoping to keep doing things like this so let me know if you have specific requests!! This is exactly the kind of education and support I want to provide!
This is great! I am going to read Assembly by Natasha Brown.
I love that book!
Ooh, I love this! considering Milkman as my choice as I wrap up Sense and Sensibility over the next couple days
Oh great pick!! That should probably be mine to lol
This is great timing for me. I just finished the Beartown trilogy- which consumed a lot of my print reading for three months - so I’m really ready to read deeply in something entirely different. The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club is waiting for me at the library, but that might not lend itself to this kind of project. I also have Run For the Hills on hand, so that may get the deep read treatment.
Oh FUN! I think either book could work if you're excited to read them! With the Martha's Vineyard book it could be fun to think about the book club's book selections and how the author is using them to deepen her themes. But Kevin Wilson is always a great choice!!
Needed this. Thank you
I feel like this is the perfect opportunity for me to do that reread of The Remains of the Day that I’ve been itching to do. It’s been a very long time since I read it, but I loved it so much. And only ~250 pages!
Perfect book...perfect choice!
I love this idea, and in general the posts about reading well. It's been a wonderful adventure becoming a more active reader, engaging more with the text.
I am going to do Brotherless Night by V.V. Ganeshananthan. I'm picking for a few reasons - (1) I'm hosting a book club for it; (2) I have read it before and as I know the plot I don't think I'll get distracted wanting to read faster to see where the story goes. Also (3) I know the structure/language works for me so I won't get bogged down with eg. stream of consciousness writing (skill for another day..perhaps).
This was one of my best books of last year, and when I talk about this book I come back to a few themes that I remember. So I think I'll focus on how the author explores these.
I have found that writing annotations in the book is really working for me, which is a bit dangerous because I'm trying not to buy books and use the library! I also like having smaller size college ruled paper to make notes on and store with the book or the chapters. I have really noticed a difference if I keep these notes outside of the book, in a separate journal. It's like I'm one step away from engaging with the book.
I love this book, please share your thoughts on how the slow read goes with it!
I picked Gilead off my shelves to try for this reading challenge and as I was opening it up, I read a line of praise from Ann Patchett saying, "Gilead is a book that deserves to be read slowly, thoughtfully, and repeatedly..." which feels like nice affirmation for the selection. I may try to take note of a theme, tone, and POV as reading, but may change if something else strikes me.
I just picked up The Safekeep, and I’m excited to get started!
I love your suggestion for taking a minute to write what has caught your attention at the end of each chapter. A lot of my students say they dislike writing about reading/annotating, but I’ve found that a lot of them are just stuck because they’ve learned to annotate one way, think it’s the only way, and get frustrated by that. I’ve helped some students with a similar strategy to this and while some have liked this format, it’s been more important for them to learn that there are lots of different ways to engage with a text through writing and the most important thing is to do what works for you. I think that’s a lesson I often need to be reminded of too, so want to try some of that for myself here!
I’m late but excited! I’m going to read The Queen’s Spade by Sarah Raughley. Given everything that seems to be happening in the book, I want to focus on the mood it’s trying to create. Historical fiction is not something I read often so the emotions the author is attempting to conjure with a mix of reality and fiction might be interesting.