I've been reading along with Canada Reads Independently and picking up bits and pieces of Canada Also Reads, and somehow began to believe that the CBC's original Canada Reads was also a long-term, readerly discussion. I thought maybe it had already started, or would start soon, and go all spring. And that at some point in all that, I would get around to reading one book from all these lists, my sole attempted at a shared reading experience, Nikolski (I chose to read this one pretty much because Steven W. said I have to. (Never let it be said I don't read/obey my comments.)
Apparently, I've botched even that, because Canada Reads seems to have started yesterday and apparently will end on Friday, which strikes me as a rather compressed time-frame. So I started reading Nikolski yesterday and though I probably can't finish it in five days (I'm a little confused so far, and keep having to flip back to see who did what), I hope to have a good enough grasp on it experience an emotion (like happiness! or sadness, perhaps!) if it wins or loses the contest.
I don't know why I thought Canada Reads lasted months rather than days, and why I am so incredibly out of the loop that I don't even listen to the radio anymore. I also tried to pick up the phone last night and accidentally dropped it back into its cradle. The person did not call back, and I suddenly really regretted not having call display. Was it you?
I think a lifestyle rejig might be in order.
Yours, reading quickly!
RR
Rebecca Rosenblum...
is a writer and editor who likes a lot of stuff. This is a blog about that stuff, and also her writing. Rebecca is the writer-in-residence at Jean Vanier High School, and was a juror for The Journey Prize 21. Her work has been short-listed for the Journey Prize, the Danuta Gleed Award and the National Magazine Award. Her first book of short stories, Once, was published by Biblioasis and was one of Quill & Quire's 15 Books That Mattered in 2008. Rebecca's stories are occasionally seen in Canadian periodicals and her second collection, *The Big Dream,* is forthcoming from Biblioasis.
2 comments:
Don't feel bad -- I haven't even started Nikolski yet, despite the best intentions to do so that I've held since about, oh, 2006....
I do pat myself on the back for reading Century ... but I really find it hard to jump on the Canada [optional qualifier] Reads bandwagon, as I always have more reading to do than time to do it, without the dictates of group reads.
Re the telephone, anyone important will call back. It's probably a good idea to hang up on principle, actually.
That's my issue too--all these books look good, but I already have a sizeable personal list that also looks good.
I cannot make my peace with the missed call, or any missed call. On Valentine's Day, 1998, someone called for me while I was out, and my roommate said to call back later...which did not happen. I *still* wonder about that one.
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