Tuesday 19 May 2020

My Problem Reading In The Time Of Corona And Will The Anthony Burgess Plan Solve It?


Hello there. Hope you're feeling well.

In this time of Corona that we live in all aspects of our lives have been affected in different ways. For me as a reader I must admit that I've actually read less books during this period. Don't forget that unlike wife and daughter I've been key workering which means that I have exactly the same freetime as I had before. I have lockdown plus day release.

But, as I've previously mentioned, whilst the workload (though rising) is not on pre lockdown levels the pressure seems to have increased. So when I do have free time I don't so much curl up to a good bank but to a blanket instead. I just feel so tired. As I've mentioned before I sleep far more frequently and deeply than pre lockdown. Wife and daughter think that's just laziness. But they're wrong. Laziness would be just sitting in front of the TV but they are the ones whilst staying at home who watch far more television than I do. Indeed there is just one, and I repeat that, one programme recorded on the digibox that's for me.

As I think I've also mentioned before apart from going through the back catalogue of Inspector Montalbano there has not been one programme we've watched together as a family. The dissenting voice being me (I mean what man would seriously watch The Crown). I just would rather have a nap.

But back to reading. Another factor in my slowness in reading this year has been the closure of libraries. I miss the thrill of the surprising discovery. I sort of had a pattern developing this year of e-book, library book and a paper purchase. With one of the triumvirate missing there seems to be something lacking.

So temporarily I'm going to replace the library with reading (and in some cases rereading all the published writings of a particular author and (unspoiler alert) that writer will be Anthony Burgess.

Why him? Well he wrote prodigiously so there's a large body of work to plough through. He also wrote on varied subjects. Also He could never be accused of being boring.

I also intend to read the books as much as possible in chronological order something I've never bothered to do with any writer before. I've ordered a used copy of the The Malayan Trilogy which as an added advantage, just turns out to be a Penguin paperback to add to my collection.

Will it stop me wanting to go to sleep? I doubt it. But otherwise it might just give the impetus my reading life needs right now.

Until the next time.

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