Daytime Reading

Former Virginia neighbor Gina sent me an interesting opinion article “defending” daytime reading–as it is apparently often seen today as being lazy or unproductive since it distracts from “more important” activities. Thus, daytime reading is seen to be a forbidden treat. Or, I suppose, an act of rebellion.

Turns out there are now “silent reading” parties where one can go to read while listening to especially chosen music. And there are Zoom reading parties online. There are small charges for these events of course. And…many of these seem, LOL, to be at night.

I read. Every day. In the daylight. My mother used to say that I would read the back of the cereal boxes at breakfast if I didn’t have anything else to read at hand. Not that she would have allowed me to read at the breakfast table –or any other meal table–anyway.

In the mornings now I read online those whom I follow to keep abreast of what’s going on in the culture. So, that may seem more like work–but it is also a deep passion for me as my background is Cultural Studies.

At my noon “dinner,” and after I’ve done whatever chores or errands I need to do, I read from whatever book of fiction I have on hand. My nearby library has a kiosk that is always filled with books one can buy for $1–books chosen around changing and timely themes. I like to get a few of those at a time–ones that look interesting for one reason or another–as then I don’t have to worry about returning them by a “times up” deadline. I usually “play them forward” or return them to the library, and I’ve found some authors I like this way and often go on to read or listen to (audio books) other books by those authors. I especially like to read a bit longer while I enjoy my dessert fruit and espresso. Having my dinner on the porch just combines all of these pleasures.

When I get well into a book, I will often take time on the couch later in the day to read further or finish a book. That is a joy. I don’t feel guilty. But I am retired–I do realize that fact. Nevertheless, I have aways read a lot–every day.

I picked up a book by Jan Karon from the library kiosk a bit ago and very much enjoyed it–an Episcopalian minister’s life in a small East Coast mountain town who goes to a coastal parish for a 6-month interim appointment before retirement (with wife and pets). This book, A New Song, turned out to be a kind of “quiet” book and is midway in a series of about 14 books. I enjoyed the humor, the values on display, and the plot. So I got hold of the first book in the series, which I have just started. I’ll see…what develops.

Gina wrote in her note that her book club is now reading The Last Castle (Denise Kieran) which is a history of the Biltmore estate in Asheville, NC. Next up in this book club is The Women (Kristin Hannah). Book clubs are great for reading good books–for the most part.

Today is VERY stormy with gale winds off and on and flash flood warnings from the national weather system. So, I will stay put, and I’m sure there will be fiction reading. And, sewing later in the day.