While I was on the train, I read The Age of Innocence, by Edith Wharton.
I don't read as often as I'd like. It takes effort to read, especially the classics. But whenever I make the effort, I'm glad, because I am exposed to Great Thoughts beyond my little world. (It's kind of like exercising. I never want to do it, but often I enjoy it, and I'm always glad I did it.)
I have collected some lists of the "100 greatest books," and am planning to read as many of these as I can before I die. I figure I have about 60 years, more or less.
A couple of weeks ago, I took all my spare change to CoinStar, and cashed it all in for a gift certificate from Amazon.com. I had $57 in pennies, nickels, dimes, and one quarter (I save my quarters for laundry, but one got away). I'm going to spend this on books (mostly used, probably, to make it go farther).
I also have a collection of pictures of women reading. Most of these come from The Reading Woman calendar. Every time I finish a book, I'm going to take one of these pictures and frame it, so that I have visual images that remind me that reading is something I value.
I easily sink into mere absorption of what other minds have done, and I should like a whole life for that alone.
~ George Eliot, in J.W. Cross, ed., George Eliot's Life as Related in Her Letters and Journals (1884)
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1 comment:
I loved reading this entry, Sarah. I have a long list in the back of my day planner of books I intend to read, and a much longer list of books that I actually HAVE read. I write them down when I start them and check them off when I finish them. I did this for all of 2007 and it was so interesting to see what I'd read that I intend to continue the practice.
I am generally reading four books at once, and since I could happily read novels until my eyeballs fall out, I try to make sure that one of the four is always non-fiction or a classic. I am just finishing a hilarious travel memoir, and my next book is Fahrenheit 451, which I think counts as at least a semi-classic.
I love hearing what other people read, and I may give "Age of Innocence" a whirl.
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