Since I finished grad school I have tried to rededicate myself to the hobby of reading for pleasure. I've always loved to read, but I'll be honest in saying that it was a little challenging to remind my brain that all reading wasn't exhausting and demanding. When I got over the damage higher ed had done to me, I started reading everything I could find, including, finally, the Harry Potter series. For the record, I loved it.
A few weeks ago, I encountered one of these "100 Books Everyone Should Read" lists on Facebook and felt wildly unread. After sifting through the list and deciding that making a dent in it would be one of my summer goals I started the first book on my list- Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre.
Like practicing yoga, reading the Bronte sisters is something that I thought I would never do. Turns out, you totally aren't done evolving when you are 22, 25, or 28 - I'm a little under halfway through with Jane Eyre, and I'm loving it. I don't really know why, yet. But I do. Who knew?
Most of my reading is accomplished on my commute, and while I feel a little bit nerdy (or undergrad-y) reading "classic lit" in such a public space, I like to see (and judge) what other people are reading on the train, too. From text books, to Manga, to Russian lit, to John Grisham - Its fun to look at the book, look at the person, wonder why he or she is reading said book and if he or she likes it. I wonder what people think of me and Jane Eyre (or, before Jane, me and random paleoanthropology books). The sad part of this game, however, is that people are all using Kindles/Nooks/iPads these days so their texts are a mystery.
I have more to say about the Kindle/Nook/iPad - but that's for a different post.
