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Saturday, July 7, 2007

Small Victory - Reading Fiction!


I did it! I'm reading for fun again! I haven't been able to read for fun ever since I started homeschooling. I am now reading Mary Poppins and enjoying it (not aloud). I will read it aloud later to dd but I'm just enjoying it on my own right now.

I've been a little paralyzed with pleasure reading for the last year and half, I felt like I had a "mission from God" (BB) and I had better not waste time reading fluff when I could be reading to learn (about everything). Plus, after reading The Well-Educated Mind and How To Read a Book, I wanted to be a 'serious reader' and read the Great Books.

Before homeschooling, I would read about 450 books a year: mystery thrillers, contemporary fiction, relational fiction, Christian fiction, etc. I had out read many of my favorite authors and had checked out way too many of the books available at our local library. It was easier to point out the books I hadn't read vs. the books the I had. But those books were indulgences, they really didn't do anything for me but allow me to escape to another world and get wrapped up into a story.

Hopefully Mary Poppins will be a new beginning in this bookworm's life. I pray that I will be able to achieve some balance between fiction and non-fiction, even if I have to read children's fiction in order to feel justified in reading fiction again.

 

6 comments:

Julie said...

I know exactly what you mean. I hardly ever venture over to the fiction side of the library anymore, Im too busy browsing the non fiction side. When I do pick up a fiction book, Im so starved for just plain enjoyment I finish it that day. LOL

Anonymous said...

Good for you! I definitely make time for pleasure reading. It is vital for me.
Melissa

Barb said...

I find that my tastes change and I don't really like adult fiction very much anymore. I enjoy reading children's fiction since I know I won't get into any "colorful" situations in those.

I throw in some classics every now and then but I read a lot of my favorites over and over again.....funny how the story always ends up the same every time you read a book. :)

Barb

Anonymous said...

I've been reading so many homeschooling books lately also! I need to read more fun books definitely. I finally sat down to finish 1776 which I started last summer, not exactly fluffy reading, but for now it's just for me and it works!

Anonymous said...

Thanks Jessica! You're help as always is appreciated. I love the house rules they are so simple with the scripture attached. I especially love the one that says "The first answer is the answer; do not nag". My boys struggle with this so when I saw that one I said whoohoo! Maybe I have some future lawyers in my house. :) You know I have never read Mary Poppins (although it's my favorite childhood movie) I'm going to have to pick it up. I hear it's a very different character in the book. :)

Anna said...

Wow! I thought I read a lot! 450 books a year is more than one a day! Impressive. :)