That's all very relatable (I'm a Gen X dude too). I'm always happy to see other people reading in public, but it doesn't happen all that often. I really like the comparison of literary fiction to music because the two have always been connected for me. Agree books can be hit-and-miss, even the most revered, but I *usually* try to push through them anyway. Then again, sometimes a book that I struggled with will hit different when I pick it back up again.
30 makes me feel like a slacker, too. I remember one particularly strange Canadian December when I had just moved back after a year or so, didn't have anyone's contacts any more, had dropped my laptop upon arrival, and had a few weeks to kill before the school semester started back up. So of course I went to the library. What followed was a strange dream-like existence, where for a few weeks, I lived a rhythm of read, sleep, eat. I lived in basement suite with only one tiny little window. In the PNW grey. I lost track any normal circadian schedule. I estimate I read around 20 books in 3 weeks. It was a beautiful time.
Twenty books in three solitary weeks seems like heaven to me! Is there one book that remains a favorite from that feverish period? I ask because I had a real intense moment with "Cryptonomicon" by Neal Stephenson in the early 2000s. I can still remember what it felt like to read for the sole purpose of escaping my own thoughts. I have an intense connection with that book to this day.
I read 60+ last year but it goes up and down. When I'm involved in a project that involves research I read a lot of books but finish few of them because I'm taking what I need. I've been reading more poetry lately which means shorter books.
Dude! 60+ (or anything close to that) is impressive. 🙌 I definitely hear you on the research reading—lots of skimming involved until I find what I need. BTW: I thought of you in Santa Cruz over the weekend when I came across a book called "Barred For Life" (about the history and importance of Black Flag's logo). I'm guessing you've already read it tho...
I have always read books, not just school assignments, but just as a regular activity. In fact, I know zero about video games because I was usually in a corner with a book in hand. I have always found joy in books about music (just finished Jesperson's), and have been enjoying cozy mysteries as a mindless escape lately. I can add this: one thing I do enjoy is rereading the classics assigned in high school. With age comes a different perspective on characters, plots, just the general details that you may have ignored to get through the assignment.
I have always loved that about you! Us readers have to stick together—especially lovers of music books (I loved the Jesperson book, specifically because it was good to get his take on all the Replacements books I've read). And I agree about re-reading classics later in life. I usually re-read most of Vonnegut's books every few years. I re-read A Christmas Carol over the holidays. Think I might need to go back and re-read The Great Gatsby too...
Why thank you! I did The Great Gatsby a couple of years ago, and recently (as in two days ago) finished Great Expectations. I'm debating on what to read next. Perhaps another Greg Salem book? Yes, that was a hint.
Yes, Lawrence Weschler's book on/with the artist Robert Irwin, "Seeing Is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees". Whatever fiction I read, I barely recall except for this cloying novel about a guy who, in a period of life disillusionment, starts going to yoga and fully falls into the lifestyle and meets the love of his life there and then proceeds to have a typically tumultuous relationship and then she dies and he's left to process his grief. I think he gives up yoga. Also remember a few books on Swedish Death Metal, and Black Metal and some book on a kidnapping and killing of tourists by Islamic terror cell in The Khyber Pass (I think), just prior to September 11. Books rule like that, you can just go all over the place.
Funnily, I recall exactly the time period of my life when I read Stephenson's "Snow Crash", and also have a deep connection to it, for the same reason—to just get lost in someone else's imagination.
I'll give it a read! He also wrote a book w/ David Hockney that starts out as Hockney's response to an argument that Irwin presented in "Seeing..." but then turns into something else about technology and The Renaissance, which Hockney turned into another book, and a documentary. I saw Weschler give a talk once, and it had me spinning with questions that I've now unfortunately forgotten.
Weschler was a guest on Alta Book Club last month, discussing DJ Waldie’s HOLY LAND: A SUBURBAN MEMOIR (which I need to read). They highly recommended Weschler’s Substack, called Wondercabinet…
It's weird, but I don't even remember how or why I became a "reader". I know I had to read stuff starting in grade school, but have no memory of when the spark, uh, sparked. I only have time to read a handful of books a year, maybe half a dozen. But I plan on trying to do better than that starting this year. Less putzing around online, & more time with my nose stuck in a book. I just finished "MCU", about the history/making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( I've always loved "behind the scenes in the movie industry" books ). And I juuuuuuuuust started "Whatever Happened To Slade?" about the glam rock legends. I'll be interested in seeing what you think of the DLR book eventually - the idea of it intrigues me.
There definitely are people who were born natural readers, I just wasn't one of them. Needed a peer to make it "cool" for me.
I'm sure the DLR book will be funny, ridiculous and insightful to varying degrees. I really like the author, Darren P., who is a big supporter of other writers. I'm sure my review will end up on here at some point. Stay tuned...
And now I want to read that Slade book—thanks for the rec!
This rings very true for me. So much of what you wrote I can identify with. And our books are strikingly similar. Why do I read books? With fiction, I enjoy painting the canvas in my head and nonfiction, it kind of depends, but more than likely subject of interest. Admitedly, I am more likely to put down a non-fiction book if it doesn't hook me. And man, oh man, walking a good bookstore is easily just as much fun as a record store.
Having gotten to know you over the last few years, I’m not surprised that our reading history overlaps. (The Replacements Matrix?!) I still have personal hang ups about giving up on a book, but I do it slightly more often these days than ever before.
Last year I read 109 books. One way I got this far is to not limit myself with time. If I only have 5 minutes, I use it. I am an urban fantasy kind of girl but I also just read around. I take suggestions and sometimes just read whatever is cheap or free. I very much need my escapism. I can recommend the Murderbot series by Martha Wells for some great fun. Solitary by Albert Woodfox. Wolfsong by TJ Klune. Right now I'm reading Deep Delta Justice and it is horrible a n d engrossing. I also just started Grass by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim. It's a tough one. Thank you for your post about reading. Not only do I love to read, I also love to read about reading.
109?!?!?! WHOA 🙌 Reading about reading is a favorite rabbit hole of mine too. And I will definitely check out the Murderbot series by Martha Wells. Thanks for the recommendation and the insightful comment.
I only discovered Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson this year—and I was like, this was out there this whole time? There’s so much to read. That’s why I read books—not sure how many, not too fast, several at once. Great article! I enjoyed it. Jen
I'd be a 50+ a year man. Some music books but mostly fiction. Crime has been a constant, SF (mostly pulp-era stuff) & horror were a thing in my teens and have both come back in a big way in the last 10-15 (20?) years (Michael Moorcock and Philip Jose Farmer are my fave SF writers - I love the fact that they're both superfans of the history of the genre and their work is often an expression of that fandom), along with a love of '60s/'70s/'80s 'Men's Adventure' novels - pulp thrillers basically. The transgressive nature of all that stuff appeals to me I think. Last year or so I've developed a fascination for a couple of London writers Iain Sinclair and Peter Ackroyd, who I came to via Michael Moorcock and Alan Moore., and which has coincided with a fascination with obscure London history (and no I don't live in London - I'm in Melbourne Australia). I've always avoided the classics (other than Poe and Wells, although I see them as the original genre writers really) but I can see this new fascination is leading me to Dickens. I read to explore new worlds and to find glimmers of new (to me) or previously unexplored truths...
I have a few friends in the hardboiled crime community who love all that '60s/'70s/'80s pulp stuff too—mostly, I'd guess, for the same transgressive reasons.
And I love the historical London rabbit hole you've gone down. Dickens' London is certainly fascinating. I re-read A Christmas Carol over the holidays and could see myself pushing further in that direction.
I agree with you on Poe and Wells being genre fiction originators. Thanks for stopping by!
Yep, Victorian London is an endless source of fascination. Sherlock Holmes and Jack the Ripper! The really appealing thing about London is there is millennia of history going back to Roman days and even before, all piled on top of each other, layer after layer. I recently read about Vikings sailing up the Thames (which did happen) - what an image that is.
I’ve been a nearly-nonstop reader since before I can remember, long before I fell in love with music or started writing myself. Every year I vow to cool the reading a bit for my eyes’ sake, but by the end of summer I’ve usually read 100+ books because of the local libraries’ tempting summer reading programs. (Can’t resist their incentives!) Rheostatics bassist Dave Bidini has several books I love, including TROPIC OF HOCKEY (which is more music-centric than you would think) and ON A COLD ROAD. Former Milk ‘n’ Cookies bassist Sal Maida has written a great memoir and co-edited two music guides. I’ve recently enjoyed Steve Turner’s MUD RIDE, Gina Schock’s MADE IN HOLLYWOOD, Chris Stamey’s A SPY IN THE HOUSE OF LOUD (which features truly happy Alex Chilton stories, I was shocked and delighted!), and Bobby Gillespie’s TENEMENT KID. (Ugh, I know I’m forgetting some other favorites, but I do blog about them from time to time if anyone’s interested.) My two all-time music memoir picks are Micky Dolenz’s I’M A BELIEVER and David Lee Roth’s CRAZY FROM THE HEAT. I also read a ton of manga, and books about food and art. That said, I’ll read almost anything except very gory or disturbing horror. I’ve also enjoyed S.W. and Paul Myers’ books, written separately or together!
Late-breaking addition to the above favorite music book list: THE STORY OF THE BEE GEES: CHILDREN OF THE WORLD by Bob Stanley (St. Etienne founder/keyboardist). It's beautifully researched, and the most riveting book I've read in ages. (There's also a great quote where Barry says that he and his brothers were like the Bronte sisters growing up. Stanley makes a spellbinding case for that argument.)
I've been a reader my whole life. My parents tell the tale of when I was three - it seemed like I was reading a book, but they thought I was just memorizing it. So, my dad was tasked with buying something they knew I'd never read on his way home from work one night and they put me to the test. I passed! Starting reading The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe with my mom by age 5 and never looked back.
These days I try to read as many books as I can - got to 46 last year and 47 the year before. If I cut out reading comics, that number would definitely be higher, but I like reading them too. I try to read a variety of genres and writers and have even started reading romance within the last 5 years or so.
If you like thrillers, I recommend Gregg Hurtwitz's Orphan X series - book #8 is due out imminently. Just finished Duane Swierczynski's California Bear too. I'm eagerly anticipating Kelly Link's first novel, The Book of Love, which is out next week. I have a humongous TBR stack piled behind me as a type and way too many books checked out from the library.
Oh man! California Bear is definitely on my radar. DS is a great writer. I was lucky to do a few book events with him and Eric Beetner around LA a few years ago.
I don't remember a time when I couldn't read - certainly began before school. Came from a family of working class readers. As a young adult I didn't go to college but put myself through my own autodidact regimen of reading all the classics. I particularly loved 19th century Russian authors and 20th century Americans. Reading Jack Kerouac's Desolation Angels (about his time working the firebreaks in California and just becoming famous for On The Road) convinced me to quit my small town radio job when I was 18 and get back to the city. When I got into the academic gig novel reading fell off for a bit but then I rediscovered it while finishing my PhD. For the past twenty five years or so I always read novels at bedtime. I love science fiction and detective novels but branch out all the time into other genres. I started keeping a list (because I couldn't remember what I had and hadn't read) during lockdown. Since March 2020 I've read 265 books and 60 in the last year.
That's all very relatable (I'm a Gen X dude too). I'm always happy to see other people reading in public, but it doesn't happen all that often. I really like the comparison of literary fiction to music because the two have always been connected for me. Agree books can be hit-and-miss, even the most revered, but I *usually* try to push through them anyway. Then again, sometimes a book that I struggled with will hit different when I pick it back up again.
30 makes me feel like a slacker, too. I remember one particularly strange Canadian December when I had just moved back after a year or so, didn't have anyone's contacts any more, had dropped my laptop upon arrival, and had a few weeks to kill before the school semester started back up. So of course I went to the library. What followed was a strange dream-like existence, where for a few weeks, I lived a rhythm of read, sleep, eat. I lived in basement suite with only one tiny little window. In the PNW grey. I lost track any normal circadian schedule. I estimate I read around 20 books in 3 weeks. It was a beautiful time.
Twenty books in three solitary weeks seems like heaven to me! Is there one book that remains a favorite from that feverish period? I ask because I had a real intense moment with "Cryptonomicon" by Neal Stephenson in the early 2000s. I can still remember what it felt like to read for the sole purpose of escaping my own thoughts. I have an intense connection with that book to this day.
I read 60+ last year but it goes up and down. When I'm involved in a project that involves research I read a lot of books but finish few of them because I'm taking what I need. I've been reading more poetry lately which means shorter books.
Dude! 60+ (or anything close to that) is impressive. 🙌 I definitely hear you on the research reading—lots of skimming involved until I find what I need. BTW: I thought of you in Santa Cruz over the weekend when I came across a book called "Barred For Life" (about the history and importance of Black Flag's logo). I'm guessing you've already read it tho...
Yes, I have it and know a couple people in it!
I had a feeling...
I have always read books, not just school assignments, but just as a regular activity. In fact, I know zero about video games because I was usually in a corner with a book in hand. I have always found joy in books about music (just finished Jesperson's), and have been enjoying cozy mysteries as a mindless escape lately. I can add this: one thing I do enjoy is rereading the classics assigned in high school. With age comes a different perspective on characters, plots, just the general details that you may have ignored to get through the assignment.
I have always loved that about you! Us readers have to stick together—especially lovers of music books (I loved the Jesperson book, specifically because it was good to get his take on all the Replacements books I've read). And I agree about re-reading classics later in life. I usually re-read most of Vonnegut's books every few years. I re-read A Christmas Carol over the holidays. Think I might need to go back and re-read The Great Gatsby too...
Why thank you! I did The Great Gatsby a couple of years ago, and recently (as in two days ago) finished Great Expectations. I'm debating on what to read next. Perhaps another Greg Salem book? Yes, that was a hint.
Hmmmmmm
Ready to preorder. Just let me know!
Yes, Lawrence Weschler's book on/with the artist Robert Irwin, "Seeing Is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees". Whatever fiction I read, I barely recall except for this cloying novel about a guy who, in a period of life disillusionment, starts going to yoga and fully falls into the lifestyle and meets the love of his life there and then proceeds to have a typically tumultuous relationship and then she dies and he's left to process his grief. I think he gives up yoga. Also remember a few books on Swedish Death Metal, and Black Metal and some book on a kidnapping and killing of tourists by Islamic terror cell in The Khyber Pass (I think), just prior to September 11. Books rule like that, you can just go all over the place.
Funnily, I recall exactly the time period of my life when I read Stephenson's "Snow Crash", and also have a deep connection to it, for the same reason—to just get lost in someone else's imagination.
Fav quote: "Books rule like that, you can just go all over the place."
Weschler’s BOGGS: A COMEDY OF VALUES is quite entertaining as well!
I'll give it a read! He also wrote a book w/ David Hockney that starts out as Hockney's response to an argument that Irwin presented in "Seeing..." but then turns into something else about technology and The Renaissance, which Hockney turned into another book, and a documentary. I saw Weschler give a talk once, and it had me spinning with questions that I've now unfortunately forgotten.
I love this exchange so much. Exactly what I hoped for.
Weschler was a guest on Alta Book Club last month, discussing DJ Waldie’s HOLY LAND: A SUBURBAN MEMOIR (which I need to read). They highly recommended Weschler’s Substack, called Wondercabinet…
Definitely now subscribed, had no idea
It's weird, but I don't even remember how or why I became a "reader". I know I had to read stuff starting in grade school, but have no memory of when the spark, uh, sparked. I only have time to read a handful of books a year, maybe half a dozen. But I plan on trying to do better than that starting this year. Less putzing around online, & more time with my nose stuck in a book. I just finished "MCU", about the history/making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( I've always loved "behind the scenes in the movie industry" books ). And I juuuuuuuuust started "Whatever Happened To Slade?" about the glam rock legends. I'll be interested in seeing what you think of the DLR book eventually - the idea of it intrigues me.
There definitely are people who were born natural readers, I just wasn't one of them. Needed a peer to make it "cool" for me.
I'm sure the DLR book will be funny, ridiculous and insightful to varying degrees. I really like the author, Darren P., who is a big supporter of other writers. I'm sure my review will end up on here at some point. Stay tuned...
And now I want to read that Slade book—thanks for the rec!
This rings very true for me. So much of what you wrote I can identify with. And our books are strikingly similar. Why do I read books? With fiction, I enjoy painting the canvas in my head and nonfiction, it kind of depends, but more than likely subject of interest. Admitedly, I am more likely to put down a non-fiction book if it doesn't hook me. And man, oh man, walking a good bookstore is easily just as much fun as a record store.
Having gotten to know you over the last few years, I’m not surprised that our reading history overlaps. (The Replacements Matrix?!) I still have personal hang ups about giving up on a book, but I do it slightly more often these days than ever before.
Last year I read 109 books. One way I got this far is to not limit myself with time. If I only have 5 minutes, I use it. I am an urban fantasy kind of girl but I also just read around. I take suggestions and sometimes just read whatever is cheap or free. I very much need my escapism. I can recommend the Murderbot series by Martha Wells for some great fun. Solitary by Albert Woodfox. Wolfsong by TJ Klune. Right now I'm reading Deep Delta Justice and it is horrible a n d engrossing. I also just started Grass by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim. It's a tough one. Thank you for your post about reading. Not only do I love to read, I also love to read about reading.
109?!?!?! WHOA 🙌 Reading about reading is a favorite rabbit hole of mine too. And I will definitely check out the Murderbot series by Martha Wells. Thanks for the recommendation and the insightful comment.
Seconding the Murderbot rec.
I only discovered Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson this year—and I was like, this was out there this whole time? There’s so much to read. That’s why I read books—not sure how many, not too fast, several at once. Great article! I enjoyed it. Jen
Glad you dug it! I've tried the several books at once thing and can't really do it. And Ramona looks amazing. Thanks for the rec and the kind words!
I'd be a 50+ a year man. Some music books but mostly fiction. Crime has been a constant, SF (mostly pulp-era stuff) & horror were a thing in my teens and have both come back in a big way in the last 10-15 (20?) years (Michael Moorcock and Philip Jose Farmer are my fave SF writers - I love the fact that they're both superfans of the history of the genre and their work is often an expression of that fandom), along with a love of '60s/'70s/'80s 'Men's Adventure' novels - pulp thrillers basically. The transgressive nature of all that stuff appeals to me I think. Last year or so I've developed a fascination for a couple of London writers Iain Sinclair and Peter Ackroyd, who I came to via Michael Moorcock and Alan Moore., and which has coincided with a fascination with obscure London history (and no I don't live in London - I'm in Melbourne Australia). I've always avoided the classics (other than Poe and Wells, although I see them as the original genre writers really) but I can see this new fascination is leading me to Dickens. I read to explore new worlds and to find glimmers of new (to me) or previously unexplored truths...
I have a few friends in the hardboiled crime community who love all that '60s/'70s/'80s pulp stuff too—mostly, I'd guess, for the same transgressive reasons.
And I love the historical London rabbit hole you've gone down. Dickens' London is certainly fascinating. I re-read A Christmas Carol over the holidays and could see myself pushing further in that direction.
I agree with you on Poe and Wells being genre fiction originators. Thanks for stopping by!
Yep, Victorian London is an endless source of fascination. Sherlock Holmes and Jack the Ripper! The really appealing thing about London is there is millennia of history going back to Roman days and even before, all piled on top of each other, layer after layer. I recently read about Vikings sailing up the Thames (which did happen) - what an image that is.
You mean the Sex Pistols, right?! 🤣
I’ve been a nearly-nonstop reader since before I can remember, long before I fell in love with music or started writing myself. Every year I vow to cool the reading a bit for my eyes’ sake, but by the end of summer I’ve usually read 100+ books because of the local libraries’ tempting summer reading programs. (Can’t resist their incentives!) Rheostatics bassist Dave Bidini has several books I love, including TROPIC OF HOCKEY (which is more music-centric than you would think) and ON A COLD ROAD. Former Milk ‘n’ Cookies bassist Sal Maida has written a great memoir and co-edited two music guides. I’ve recently enjoyed Steve Turner’s MUD RIDE, Gina Schock’s MADE IN HOLLYWOOD, Chris Stamey’s A SPY IN THE HOUSE OF LOUD (which features truly happy Alex Chilton stories, I was shocked and delighted!), and Bobby Gillespie’s TENEMENT KID. (Ugh, I know I’m forgetting some other favorites, but I do blog about them from time to time if anyone’s interested.) My two all-time music memoir picks are Micky Dolenz’s I’M A BELIEVER and David Lee Roth’s CRAZY FROM THE HEAT. I also read a ton of manga, and books about food and art. That said, I’ll read almost anything except very gory or disturbing horror. I’ve also enjoyed S.W. and Paul Myers’ books, written separately or together!
Late-breaking addition to the above favorite music book list: THE STORY OF THE BEE GEES: CHILDREN OF THE WORLD by Bob Stanley (St. Etienne founder/keyboardist). It's beautifully researched, and the most riveting book I've read in ages. (There's also a great quote where Barry says that he and his brothers were like the Bronte sisters growing up. Stanley makes a spellbinding case for that argument.)
YES! Been meaning to read that. Adding to my teetering TBR pile.
I've been a reader my whole life. My parents tell the tale of when I was three - it seemed like I was reading a book, but they thought I was just memorizing it. So, my dad was tasked with buying something they knew I'd never read on his way home from work one night and they put me to the test. I passed! Starting reading The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe with my mom by age 5 and never looked back.
These days I try to read as many books as I can - got to 46 last year and 47 the year before. If I cut out reading comics, that number would definitely be higher, but I like reading them too. I try to read a variety of genres and writers and have even started reading romance within the last 5 years or so.
If you like thrillers, I recommend Gregg Hurtwitz's Orphan X series - book #8 is due out imminently. Just finished Duane Swierczynski's California Bear too. I'm eagerly anticipating Kelly Link's first novel, The Book of Love, which is out next week. I have a humongous TBR stack piled behind me as a type and way too many books checked out from the library.
Reading and music are essential to me.
Oh man! California Bear is definitely on my radar. DS is a great writer. I was lucky to do a few book events with him and Eric Beetner around LA a few years ago.
I don't remember a time when I couldn't read - certainly began before school. Came from a family of working class readers. As a young adult I didn't go to college but put myself through my own autodidact regimen of reading all the classics. I particularly loved 19th century Russian authors and 20th century Americans. Reading Jack Kerouac's Desolation Angels (about his time working the firebreaks in California and just becoming famous for On The Road) convinced me to quit my small town radio job when I was 18 and get back to the city. When I got into the academic gig novel reading fell off for a bit but then I rediscovered it while finishing my PhD. For the past twenty five years or so I always read novels at bedtime. I love science fiction and detective novels but branch out all the time into other genres. I started keeping a list (because I couldn't remember what I had and hadn't read) during lockdown. Since March 2020 I've read 265 books and 60 in the last year.
60! That's really impressive. I love that you're a lifelong reader, but I probably could have guessed that.