Timing is Everything
You know how there are people who can match the perfect wine to a meal? That is not me. I don’t drink wine, so I have no clue how to pair it. But I am totally that way with books and my own brain. I can’t do it for anyone else, but I am so good with holding books and then reading them at the right time.
Take, for instance, Us by David Nicholls. I owned it for years, and I kept it by my bed for years because I didn’t want to forget to read it. Every so often, I’d read the first page or two and think, “not yet.”
I read it while we were traveling through Scotland this summer. Even though the family in the book exits the UK, they at least begin their travels in the UK. Being away from home heightened my enjoyment of that book. It was the best pairing I’ve done in a while between book and experience.
On the other hand, I’m planning to read Andrew Sean Greer’s Less while I’m at home. It’s also a travel story, but instinct is telling me to read it from home, preferably in winter, though it technically could be enjoyed in any season.
I went back to the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy because they felt best consumed in summer, and it’s currently summer. Though I just slammed shut and returned When Life Gives You Lululemons to the library when I was only a few pages in because I realized that it wouldn’t work for me in any location OR in any season even though I wanted to read the book. I left a note to check back with my gut in a few months to see if I can find a place/time to read it, but… if not… I have to drop it. There’s no life experience to pair it with that would work.
Can you read any book at any time, or do you hold certain books to read in a season or place?
6 comments
I think you take book timing more seriously than I do, which is awesome. I have some favorites I reread, but rarely, and the timing has to be perfect for it to happen. I have books I hold onto for a long time or hold onto in my brain knowing I will come across a copy when I need it (being in the book resale business pretty much guarantees it). Since we are coming into fall, I recommend Shadows in the Wind. For me it pairs best with a cooler and calmer season. I learned the hard way that I do not read dark/bleak/depressing books in January through March, such as F 451 or the Bell Jar.
I do like to read books with place in mind, but I haven’t been to many places lately, so I haven’t timed any books lately.
I will be paying more attention now to timing, though.
I can mostly read any book at any time — but I have sometimes held off on certain books — mostly because another book seems more interesting/important. I started reading Jann Arden’s “Feeding My Mother,” about dealing with her mother’s Alzheimer’s disease, last Christmas when I was visiting my own aging parents. I adore Jann & she’s a great writer but I realized the timing in that case was NOT good (!) & I set it aside to return to another time. I will often try to read books before the movie version comes out.
Right now I am debating whether I have time to start another book before Bob Woodward’s new book comes out on Tuesday (assuming my local store will have copies by then), because I will definitely be reading that one right away. 😉 Hmmmm….
P.S. Mel, I just noticed the box I usually tick to have future comments on this post sent to me is missing. ??
You are such an interesting reader! I love that you can pair books with experiences. I definitely have seasonal book choices, and have been holding on to some for cozy cold weather reading. I don’t know that I’m as specific about timing, but I do curate little collections to read on vacations, specifically. That Lululemon one didn’t sound appealing to me. Sometimes it’s exactly the right thing to do, snapping it shut and saying, NOPE.
I don’t preplan these things. But I can look at my library wishlist or kindle list and know that it is not the right time for some books. It’s more of an instinctive thing though, and usually done through process of elimination. In the last decade or so, I’ve learnt to be easier on myself too, and put certain books aside if they’re not right for my emotions, my energy etc at the time.
I’m also not bad at matching wines to food. Not great. Just ok.