I'm reading James which was on my TNBR pile. I was sure I could read it in two weeks. I haven't anotated since school and I'm a fast reader of many books and genres. I'm getting such a lot from annotating, checking references and looking up words and phrases I didn't know, which I would usually skim over! I've learned such a lot about the roots of slavery and the reasoning (infallable) for its' continuance. I'm reading and understanding James as a satire, with the author's reference to Candide as a clue. I found some chapters weak but I've also started The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as background material.
Throughly enjoying learning new things and exercising my brain with this challenge.
Catherine, I loved reading your update!! It sounds like this is going to be a rich and worthwhile reading experience for you, even if you don't love every moment of the book itself. I like the way you're letting the book teach you how to read it...Candide is such an important part of JAMES and almost overlooked because of the HUCK FINN of it all. Your point about looking up words and references is huge. I don't think we need to do that with every book, but when I decide to make that a priority, I'm always rewarded. No rush on finishing (of course!) but I will be very interested to hear what you think of the ending.
I’ve been reading Prodigal Summer, and it’s been just perfect for this season. I’m ripping pages and annotating, and this close reading experience has helped me really immerse myself in everything beyond plot (which I don’t think is the point of this book). I’ve always expected the book to be about the importance of the natural world and ecological interdependence, but I think the more interesting theme Kingsolver is exploring is solitude vs loneliness - how one can be very solitary and not at all lonely, and yet one can also be surrounded by people and feel intense loneliness. I was able to identify solitude as a theme from the first page and I’ve been so attuned to it. I also wonder if one character in particular is a bit autofictional - it feels at times as though Kingsolver is speaking her own thoughts through this character.
This is so great, Kendra! You are so right that often reading well helps us move past the obvious and see themes we weren't expecting. I know when I read a book quickly, I usually pick up on the most blatant big ideas the book is exploring, but it's usually the more subtle ideas that have the most personal meaning.
I'm re-reading Ithaca by Claire North (first time reading in print, I initially listened to the audio), and it's been great. There is a huge emphasis on gender, the power differential between men and women, and how women use subversion to exercise power. I'm still working out exactly what the author is saying about all of these themes.
Hera - the queen of queens, women, and mothers- narrates and story, and I'm noticing how often she references the stories and people the poets will immortalize compared to the story she's telling.
I'm already in the habit of marking passages or lines that stand out as especially important or beautiful, but I'm trying to expand my critical reading and notations by asking myself more questions along the way.
It is so smart to do this as a reread! Once you know the story, it's much easier to pick up on details and the themes the author wants to emphasize. The idea of whose story gets told is always one of my favorite things to read about so you're making me want to pick up ITHACA too! And I love that you're focusing on asking questions while you read...as simple as it is, I think that's my best piece of reading advice.
I'm reading Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner. I usually find myself sweeping through the beginning of a book and justify it as "This will make sense later." but this challenge has helped me identify the "theme" and topics way better in just the first few pages. Totally agree that there is a delicate balance between letting yourself fall into the story vs stopping every other moment to annotate/think about the meaning of it all. I'm mainly annotating thematic topics, tone, and writing I like. I especially love the recommendation to think about the topics first and then pull questions by connecting them. Great way to get thinking about theme early without bogging yourself down with "getting it right" immediately.
What has been standing out to me while reading Creation Lake: lineage, progress, connection (lack of), evolution, activism, acting/performative, romanticizing the Paleolithic era.
(Funnily, this is the third story I've encountered in the past few months that had Neanderthals as a major/thematic component as part of it: The Materialist and Psycho Therapy being two films with Neanderthal connections!)
The balance is so hard!! I do think with practice, I've found the right rhythm for careful reading while maintaining momentum, but sometimes I still get bogged down. Another strategy I use is marking passages to come back to and read more closely later. I don't always follow through, but it's a way to keep myself engaged while still noting moments that deserve more attention.
I'm glad that listing and connecting ideas is working for you! The ideas you've flagged are fascinating and it's making me want to bump up Creation Lake! How funny about the Neanderthal connection!
I've been reading Rabbit Moon, by Jennifer Haigh. Since it's a library book, I started trying to take notes in my phone, but I'm not a natural book annotator, so I've ended up doing it in my head. Maybe I'll put a notebook and pencil next to my chair. Language is a big obvious theme, but so is disconnection, both emotional and physical. All the characters are so disconnected from each other, their inner dialogues and self-perceptions are completely different from how they characterize each other. They are also physically separated by language, countries, cultures, and a coma. There is also a tertiary theme of good parent/bad parent good child/bad child dichotomies, but as the parent of a 17 and 22 yo, I find this a less interesting theme on which to hang my reading.
I think taking mental notes is wonderful! I like annotating some of the time, but it can also be a burden and I don't want people to think that they're not reading well if they're not annotating! That couldn't be further from the truth! I think it's the mental exercise of keeping these sorts of questions in mind that helps me dig deeper into a book and it sounds like you have quite a few points of interest you're considering!
I am reading Brotherless Night, by V.V. Ganeshananthan. It’s a re-read which influences my approach because I already know what I loved about this book and want to explore more.
The author has a one page prologue which raised three interrelated areas that I wanted to focus on, (1) what is the difference (or is there a difference) between a terrorist or a citizen/ how does one move from being a citizen to a terrorist. Her first paragraph introduces that she “used…to be a terrorist” and “we were civilians first”. (2) language / perception around terrorist/civilian. Eg she talks about using the word terrorist because “it is a language you know”.
One of the questions I have is what are the different view points that impact the definition of terrorist/civilian. For example (a) Point of time – book is first person POV, looking back - Sashi’s perception over the timeframe in the novel or (b) Place – eg narrator who is there versus the reader ‘you’ who is likely not tamil/in a civil war
The third area that I want to look at is how the author brings out key moments in the narrator’s (Sashi’s) life that influence her choices and beliefs. This book is very much a look at the impact of war on women and civilians.
To try to start the book well, I read the prologue and first chapter a couple of times. The first time noticing but not making notes, the second time annotating and using some post its. I also like having small sheets of paper to track a few themes and key plot points/ideas with page numbers. I then file these with the book.
I noticed that it is better for me to limit my ponderings to a few areas, and to not go down too many review/interview rabbit holes; as I tend to be a person who wants to understand/learn ‘everything all at once’.
Caroline, I really appreciate your reflections here. Rereading is such a valuable experience because then we can get deeper without also needing to read so much for the plot. I love how different the questions you've pulled from the prologue are. They're looking at craft and character as well as plot--really a well rounded group of ideas to ponder! I also try to track ideas with page numbers! I usually do that in the front of my book, but I like the idea of a slip of paper because then I wouldn't need to keep flipping back and forth. Thank you for sharing that!
I’ve been paying close attention to tone and repeating words and images in The Safekeep, specifically the word “keep.” This close reading set me up well for the twist to be extra impactful when it hit!
Ooooo I love this! I'll be so curious what you have to say about tone because I think the tone of that book shifts more than I expected. Very curious about how the word "keep" comes up as well and if you think the meaning of the word changes throughout the novel. Thanks so much for sharing!
I finished and loved my close reading of The Unseen World! I felt like it helped me pay attention to the big trends which were: Ada and her home-schooled upbringing, her father David and his developing of Alzheimer's, and the presence of technology and artificial intelligence. The question I've been mulling over since finishing is: what was Liz Moore trying to say by having these three main ideas interact simultaneously? I don't have any fully-fledged answers but I have a couple of theories.
Also, your question about perspective is a big theme in The Unseen World, even from the Prologue. There are some big twists that had me coming back to it. I do think that is something Moore is playing with - who IS telling the story?
Reading Assembly and now I will think a bit more about what you have said. Since I had just finished Mrs Dalloway there is a bit in my brain doing a comparison. Both have a party but interior voices. But moreso, what is catching my attention: Mrs Dalloway is very much of her British circle whereas the narrator in Assembly seems to be very outside the circle.
Perfect timing. I started (re)reading One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez yesterday. I plan to take it slowly, so I'll keep in mind some of your prompts as I work through it.
I'm reading James which was on my TNBR pile. I was sure I could read it in two weeks. I haven't anotated since school and I'm a fast reader of many books and genres. I'm getting such a lot from annotating, checking references and looking up words and phrases I didn't know, which I would usually skim over! I've learned such a lot about the roots of slavery and the reasoning (infallable) for its' continuance. I'm reading and understanding James as a satire, with the author's reference to Candide as a clue. I found some chapters weak but I've also started The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as background material.
Throughly enjoying learning new things and exercising my brain with this challenge.
Catherine, I loved reading your update!! It sounds like this is going to be a rich and worthwhile reading experience for you, even if you don't love every moment of the book itself. I like the way you're letting the book teach you how to read it...Candide is such an important part of JAMES and almost overlooked because of the HUCK FINN of it all. Your point about looking up words and references is huge. I don't think we need to do that with every book, but when I decide to make that a priority, I'm always rewarded. No rush on finishing (of course!) but I will be very interested to hear what you think of the ending.
I’ve been reading Prodigal Summer, and it’s been just perfect for this season. I’m ripping pages and annotating, and this close reading experience has helped me really immerse myself in everything beyond plot (which I don’t think is the point of this book). I’ve always expected the book to be about the importance of the natural world and ecological interdependence, but I think the more interesting theme Kingsolver is exploring is solitude vs loneliness - how one can be very solitary and not at all lonely, and yet one can also be surrounded by people and feel intense loneliness. I was able to identify solitude as a theme from the first page and I’ve been so attuned to it. I also wonder if one character in particular is a bit autofictional - it feels at times as though Kingsolver is speaking her own thoughts through this character.
This is so great, Kendra! You are so right that often reading well helps us move past the obvious and see themes we weren't expecting. I know when I read a book quickly, I usually pick up on the most blatant big ideas the book is exploring, but it's usually the more subtle ideas that have the most personal meaning.
I'm re-reading Ithaca by Claire North (first time reading in print, I initially listened to the audio), and it's been great. There is a huge emphasis on gender, the power differential between men and women, and how women use subversion to exercise power. I'm still working out exactly what the author is saying about all of these themes.
Hera - the queen of queens, women, and mothers- narrates and story, and I'm noticing how often she references the stories and people the poets will immortalize compared to the story she's telling.
I'm already in the habit of marking passages or lines that stand out as especially important or beautiful, but I'm trying to expand my critical reading and notations by asking myself more questions along the way.
It is so smart to do this as a reread! Once you know the story, it's much easier to pick up on details and the themes the author wants to emphasize. The idea of whose story gets told is always one of my favorite things to read about so you're making me want to pick up ITHACA too! And I love that you're focusing on asking questions while you read...as simple as it is, I think that's my best piece of reading advice.
I'm reading Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner. I usually find myself sweeping through the beginning of a book and justify it as "This will make sense later." but this challenge has helped me identify the "theme" and topics way better in just the first few pages. Totally agree that there is a delicate balance between letting yourself fall into the story vs stopping every other moment to annotate/think about the meaning of it all. I'm mainly annotating thematic topics, tone, and writing I like. I especially love the recommendation to think about the topics first and then pull questions by connecting them. Great way to get thinking about theme early without bogging yourself down with "getting it right" immediately.
What has been standing out to me while reading Creation Lake: lineage, progress, connection (lack of), evolution, activism, acting/performative, romanticizing the Paleolithic era.
(Funnily, this is the third story I've encountered in the past few months that had Neanderthals as a major/thematic component as part of it: The Materialist and Psycho Therapy being two films with Neanderthal connections!)
The balance is so hard!! I do think with practice, I've found the right rhythm for careful reading while maintaining momentum, but sometimes I still get bogged down. Another strategy I use is marking passages to come back to and read more closely later. I don't always follow through, but it's a way to keep myself engaged while still noting moments that deserve more attention.
I'm glad that listing and connecting ideas is working for you! The ideas you've flagged are fascinating and it's making me want to bump up Creation Lake! How funny about the Neanderthal connection!
I've been reading Rabbit Moon, by Jennifer Haigh. Since it's a library book, I started trying to take notes in my phone, but I'm not a natural book annotator, so I've ended up doing it in my head. Maybe I'll put a notebook and pencil next to my chair. Language is a big obvious theme, but so is disconnection, both emotional and physical. All the characters are so disconnected from each other, their inner dialogues and self-perceptions are completely different from how they characterize each other. They are also physically separated by language, countries, cultures, and a coma. There is also a tertiary theme of good parent/bad parent good child/bad child dichotomies, but as the parent of a 17 and 22 yo, I find this a less interesting theme on which to hang my reading.
I think taking mental notes is wonderful! I like annotating some of the time, but it can also be a burden and I don't want people to think that they're not reading well if they're not annotating! That couldn't be further from the truth! I think it's the mental exercise of keeping these sorts of questions in mind that helps me dig deeper into a book and it sounds like you have quite a few points of interest you're considering!
I have Rabbit Moon in my stack as well. I just started writing thoughts on Post-it's and sticking them in library books; that has been really helpful.
I am reading Brotherless Night, by V.V. Ganeshananthan. It’s a re-read which influences my approach because I already know what I loved about this book and want to explore more.
The author has a one page prologue which raised three interrelated areas that I wanted to focus on, (1) what is the difference (or is there a difference) between a terrorist or a citizen/ how does one move from being a citizen to a terrorist. Her first paragraph introduces that she “used…to be a terrorist” and “we were civilians first”. (2) language / perception around terrorist/civilian. Eg she talks about using the word terrorist because “it is a language you know”.
One of the questions I have is what are the different view points that impact the definition of terrorist/civilian. For example (a) Point of time – book is first person POV, looking back - Sashi’s perception over the timeframe in the novel or (b) Place – eg narrator who is there versus the reader ‘you’ who is likely not tamil/in a civil war
The third area that I want to look at is how the author brings out key moments in the narrator’s (Sashi’s) life that influence her choices and beliefs. This book is very much a look at the impact of war on women and civilians.
To try to start the book well, I read the prologue and first chapter a couple of times. The first time noticing but not making notes, the second time annotating and using some post its. I also like having small sheets of paper to track a few themes and key plot points/ideas with page numbers. I then file these with the book.
I noticed that it is better for me to limit my ponderings to a few areas, and to not go down too many review/interview rabbit holes; as I tend to be a person who wants to understand/learn ‘everything all at once’.
Caroline, I really appreciate your reflections here. Rereading is such a valuable experience because then we can get deeper without also needing to read so much for the plot. I love how different the questions you've pulled from the prologue are. They're looking at craft and character as well as plot--really a well rounded group of ideas to ponder! I also try to track ideas with page numbers! I usually do that in the front of my book, but I like the idea of a slip of paper because then I wouldn't need to keep flipping back and forth. Thank you for sharing that!
and with slips of paper I don't have to worry about whether it will fit on the front pages :)
I’ve been paying close attention to tone and repeating words and images in The Safekeep, specifically the word “keep.” This close reading set me up well for the twist to be extra impactful when it hit!
Ooooo I love this! I'll be so curious what you have to say about tone because I think the tone of that book shifts more than I expected. Very curious about how the word "keep" comes up as well and if you think the meaning of the word changes throughout the novel. Thanks so much for sharing!
I've been enjoying reading slowly, annotating and keeping a notebook with notes that I jot down along the way. Lovely post!
I'm so glad you're enjoying this, Jennifer!
I finished and loved my close reading of The Unseen World! I felt like it helped me pay attention to the big trends which were: Ada and her home-schooled upbringing, her father David and his developing of Alzheimer's, and the presence of technology and artificial intelligence. The question I've been mulling over since finishing is: what was Liz Moore trying to say by having these three main ideas interact simultaneously? I don't have any fully-fledged answers but I have a couple of theories.
Also, your question about perspective is a big theme in The Unseen World, even from the Prologue. There are some big twists that had me coming back to it. I do think that is something Moore is playing with - who IS telling the story?
I love that you're considering perspective and putting some of the ideas she's exploring into conversation with each other!
Reading Assembly and now I will think a bit more about what you have said. Since I had just finished Mrs Dalloway there is a bit in my brain doing a comparison. Both have a party but interior voices. But moreso, what is catching my attention: Mrs Dalloway is very much of her British circle whereas the narrator in Assembly seems to be very outside the circle.
What an intriguing pair of books! I think putting two books into conversation with each other is one of my favorite ways to analyze literature.
Perfect timing. I started (re)reading One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez yesterday. I plan to take it slowly, so I'll keep in mind some of your prompts as I work through it.
Oh yay! I'm excited to hear all about your rereading experience!