As The World Narrowed

This will be the last of my little mini-series on my reading experience during the Covid-19 years. My other two articles talked about the quality and quantity that I read during the pandemic. This article's aim, the same goes for the other two, not to be a pat on my back, or a attaboy for reading. Just my dissecting of my experience as a reader in the middle of a pandemic. While I am a "professional" when it comes to books and reading, there is a great deal I can learn and even more that I could read. Still, 2020 and 2021 have added PLENTY of books that I wouldn't have had on my Goodreads (add me if you dare) READ list.

Right off, I list Before The Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. As I wrote in my review, time travel does NOTHING for me as a plot device. The history major in me knows enough that everything has happened that happened and changing is will REALLY mess thing up. Still, this book's heart and lovability made me rethink my opinions. Time travel now stands on the same level as cats in my books. I don't really care for cats, but I loved my cat. Time travel isn't my favorite but I'd read Before The Coffee Gets Cold Again.

Next would easily be Where The Crawdad's Sing. I stay away on general principle anything Oprah recommends. Reece Wetherspoon, in small doses. Unless she is knocking on my door with a case of Budweiser, a Big Pal with Cheese, large Frenchy Fry, and Tea. Then we're talking...If you are not from the area serviced by Pal's Sudden Service, all but the Reese Wetherspoon and Buds will make since, but trust me, you'd answer the door too. I digress. Crawdads was uber popular with  groups of readers that I generally don't associate much with ie moms, grandmoms, and great grandmothers. Being Covid kept me at home longer than I intended, I gave it a chance, and wasn't completely put off. When you don't know if you are going to be stuck on an island that is your childhood home for a two weeks, two months or 2 years, you start reconsidering which of the books your mom has laying around you might think about reading.

All in all, like most years, I read what I wanted to read in 2020 and so far into 2021. Still I branched out into some uncharted territory and I am glad I did. Really I waded into more than I have listed here, and loved it. Jim Harrison is new to my favorite list, as well as Ron Rash and I am read to try some more Japanese fiction in the coming months as well. So, not only have a read more, appreciated what I read better, I have diversified my reading to include lots of books I might have otherwise passed. When the world is falling to shit around you and reading is where you find solace, you're apt to try anything. At least once.