Thursday, March 31, 2022

Whining

My library is currently buying a lot of books I don't want to read (i.e. mainstream romance novels, books about political conspiracy theories, so many books on Ukraine, mystery novels by 40 year old men in which the hot take is that women get murdered). I'm not exactly mad about this, since I know other people like to read this sort of book; but on the other hand, I am running woefully short of books to read.

I've been driven to rereading books on my shelves, as an emergency measure. Yesterday I finished The Last Samurai, which I liked a lot more on this second read; two days before that, I reread Doris Egan's Ivory series. Now I am rereading A.S. Byatt's The Children's Book.

What will I do after this? I have already reread all of Thirkell. I'm saving Kage Baker for the next time I'm sick. WHAT CAN I READ NEXT?


8 comments:

nicoleandmaggie said...

Can you read on your new phone? There's a whole Gutenberg collection out there. Maybe some Trollope?

Does your university library have fiction? Ours tends to keep stuff forever compared to the local public, so there's a lot of backlist.

delagar said...

Our university library has like 12 books, sadly. But I can read on my new phone! I'll see what I can find.

Foscavista said...

Maybe try French literature in its original language?

delagar said...

I've actually been doing a little of that! I'm not QUITE proficient yet, but I've been reading simplified French novels, and a children's book called Le Petit Nicole. It's more work than pleasure still, though.

Anonymous said...

Many avid readers I know use NetGally, especially for ARC. I've never used them myself, so I'm not sure exactly what the terms are, but perhaps it's worth checking out? It does mean reading on screen, though.
/Silvi

Jenny F. Scientist said...

Have you read A Marvelous Light? Mystery with queer characters and magic. I found it delightful.

delagar said...

Jenny F. -- I did! I loved it!

delagar said...

Silvi -- I haven't heard of NetGalley. I will check it out!