I haven’t picked up any book more complicated than the Chronicles of Narnia for over a month. Other than Doomsday Book, I haven’t read anything difficult or challenging this year. Well, not for pleasure, and I don’t think any of you want my review of Improving Patient Care: The Implementation of Change in Health Care. Almost all of my reading since January has been in the form of revisited childhood favourites. They were occasionally interspersed with Agatha Raisin audiobooks while I ran logistic regression analyses in SPSS and had literal palpitations about my thesis. I did reread several of the Narnia books over the past few weeks – they can be read cover-to-cover in an hour after collapsing into bed, after all – and they were exactly what I needed, so I will hopefully be doing a post about that experience soon.
Though my thesis isn’t actually submitted yet, it’s printed, bound, and sitting on my table waiting for me to hand it in tomorrow. I’ve delegated as many work responsibilities as possible until the end of next week, so I am entertaining/distracting myself by thinking about all the books I can read once I submit on Monday. There are books I have been daydreaming about revisiting or picking up for the first time. Fortunately, before the great PhD Panic of March, I had already booked a week of annual leave for the end of April. It’s perfect timing, because I probably won’t have a viva date at that point, so I can really and truly take the week off. I’m going to see Bill Bailey do standup with my dad and brother, and I’m going to see Hamilton in London (!). Here are some entirely-subject-to-change reading plans:
- Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. I read this for the first time a couple of years ago, and I really loved it. It made me want to move to Montana and become a cowboy, which is not an especially realistic career progression for me. It has such a compelling plot, it’s beautifully written, and it is impossible not to be moved by the friendships depicted. I’m very much looking forward to revisiting it.
- Everfair by Nisi Shawl. I wrote about this back when I was doing my SFvsFBingo TBR. It arrived mid-March, so I had to shelve it for the time being, and it’s been looking at me the whole time I’ve been writing. I’m so excited about finally picking it up.
- Dominion by CJ Sansom. I was actually reading this back in January, but in the end, I decided my brain was just too fried to actually take any of it in. I’m going to start it afresh. It was incredibly gripping, and I am so looking forward to being engrossed in a long, intense story.
- Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson. Look, you all know how I feel about Gilead. That’s actually why I’ve been so hesitant to pick up anything else by the author. I loved Gilead so so much, and I’m worried that if I read Housekeeping and it doesn’t hold the same beauty, it will somehow spoil Gilead for me. I know that’s silly, but it’s how I feel. However, I watched this lovely review by Climb the Stacks (one of my favourite booktubers and the only one I support on Patreon), and it has convinced me to give it a go.
- Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger. This is a library book, which I picked up on a whim last time I was there. It’s about a finishing school that offers classes in dress, dancing, assassination, etiquette, and spycraft. You know, for proper young ladies. I’ve flicked through it and it sounds just silly and delightful enough to be exactly what I want to read at the moment. One of the quotes on the cover calls it a “steampunk version of Harry Potter”, which I consider to be a ringing endorsement.
In short, I am so happy to be able to read for pleasure again. Almost the first thing I did once I’d dropped off my thesis at the printers was hole up in a coffee shop with a novel. I already feel less frazzled, and I haven’t even submitted the thing yet. I’m so looking forward to working my way through these books, or others, and starting to feel like myself again.
louloureads 
Congrats on getting your work done! Lonesome Dove sounds amazing. 🙂
Thanks! I think you would really like Lonesome Dove. I hesitate to compare *anything* to Gone With the Wind, obviously, but the scope of the novel, the emphasis on the countryside, and the very complex friendships and relationships remind me quite a lot of that.
SOLD.
(I do feel like I should warn you that lots of people say it takes AGES to get going, but I was completely gripped from the start).
Lou! I’m so proud of you! You took your month off and stuck with it. I remember the intense anxiety–almost feeling like I was going to die–when I wrote my theses (plural; I did a MA and MFA). I’m so glad you’re back.
I know what you mean about being scared to read another book by an author whose one book you loved. I’ve read Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. I want to read more, but I’m scared. Some people argue other books of hers are terrible, but there’s no consensus!
Also, does this mean I can move you out of my “on hiatus” category and back to an active status?? 😀
Yes, I’m back!
I can’t imagine having to write TWO theses. A couple of weeks ago, I had a panic attack for the first time since I was about 14 because I was so anxious – as someone who generally doesn’t suffer much with anxiety these days, the process of writing up about broke me. I don’t know what they can do to make it less awful, but they should definitely do *something*, because almost every postgrad student I’ve met has had a similar experience.
I am also really keen to read more Daphne du Maurier! I am planning to start with My Cousin Rachel, since I think that has the most broadly popular reviews other than Rebecca. I am nervous, though!
Please let me know how your thesis defense goes! My theses were both fiction, but you wouldn’t believe the writer’s block that can happen, and then all the stupid formatting rules for submitting the thing!
Congrats on the thesis! I forgot you loved Gilead. I was getting anxiety about you reading another one because I did not enjoy it, but hopefully it lives up to your expectations!
Congratulations on completing your thesis! Quite the milestone to hit.
Thanks! I’m so very glad it’s done!
I wanted to join the read-along for Lonesome Dove a few months ago but had a horribly ugly copy from the library so I didn’t (which is a very weird reason, but there you go). I keep seeing the paperback version and continue to NOT buy it but I think I need to bite the bullet and buy it one of these days. It sounds fantastic! Yay for completing your thesis! Enjoy all the books you get to read now. 🙂
Thanks! I do really recommend Lonesome Dove (obviously) – and I understand about wanting a nice copy to read. I picked up a book in the library the other day that I had been really wanting to read, but I didn’t like the font so I put it back!