Tag: Thursday Thoughts

Thursday Thoughts: How do you make time to read?

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

So many of my friends look at my bookshelves and say:

‘Wow, have you read all of those?’

‘You have a lot of books.’

‘Nobody can say I have too many books again.’

Or, fairly reguarly:

‘How do you have time to read?’

This is a question that I have been thinking a lot about recently. Especially as a lockdown highlight for me has been all the books I have managed to read and enjoy. As a sense of my ‘normal’ is starting to return in September, I am trying to decide if I can keep this up. And the answer is, yes I can but possibly not in quite the same way or pace.

I have always read – all the time – since I was a child. The two places or time I always read are on any trian journey and before bed. So, as I return to my commute by train, I have made the decision to ensure I read both ways, As, at the end of the day, it can be easy to let social media take over rather than returning to my book for relaxation. That will make time for reading.

I will also – and this is a promise to myself – ensure I read every night. Even those nights I am very sleepy, I will for my own wellbeing, carve out times to read some pages, as this always improves my quality of sleep.

Just these two little things give me time to read, and I am grateful. Also, my new little reading space should be complete by mid-September, which I am sure means I will snatch some more reading moments.

However, I do always think it is not the amount you read or the pace you read at, but ensuring you enjoy reading. Life is not a competition and reading is there to be enjoyed, not to compete over.

So, allow yourself some reading time – and make sure you enjoy it!

Thursday Thoughts: Are you afraid of the classics?

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

So, I have decided to start sharing my Thursday thoughts. It is a little random idea I had to share some of my other bookish thoughts.

My first set of thoughts are about the classics. There is, of course, a whole genre of classic literature, which covers so many other genres. Some you may have read and loved; some you may have read and hated (or DNF), and some you may have read because you had to. Or, maybe you have not read any of them, and that is fine too. I am not writing this because I want to preach about the classics or because I want to judge anyone’s reading preferences. I am writing this because I just want to share my own thoughts (and fears) of the classics.

I love classics adpated for TV. However, I have not always read them and, let’s be honest, that absolutely okay. Yet, the reason for this has occasionally been the fear of the classics. But, thanks to the great bookstagram community, I have started tackling all sorts of classics with the support of amazing buddy reads (which have also been a great lockdown highlight): non-judgemental spaces to read and discuss books with other brilliant bookworms.

This has led me to read books that I never thought I would have the nerve to tackle due to the classic fear. Vanity Fair, a book I always considered a brick, has been read and enjoyed. Great Expectations has become a favourite of mine. And, currently, Les Miserables (a real brick) is being read and I absolutely adore it. Hugo’s writing is just beautiful.

So, I guess, what my rambling is trying to say is that maybe you can pick up that classic, you may enjoy it. And, if you don’t it does not matter at all. After all, if we all liked the same thing, the world would be a dull place.