Finding Reading a Challenge During a Pandemic

Reviewed by Lori
I love reading.  I have always loved reading.  But reading during a pandemic has been more than a little bit challenging.   Between worries and distractions my mind is constantly somewhere else. 

I've found that I can't sustain my focus for more than a chapter or two.  I pick up a book, I put it down.  Then I struggle to remember what I just read, so I have to start all over again.  I've tried new books, old favourites, audio books, and ebooks.  The result is always the same, another book added to the "to be finished" pile. 

And it isn't like I don't have the time to read, I have scads of it.  But then I'm never alone and the moment I pick up a book to try again, someone and/or something needs my attention and whatever little time I had to myself has now blown away like dandelion seeds in a stiff breeze.  

You'd think given the situation, with multiple lockdowns and unending time at home, I would use reading as an escape - a way to get away without having to go anywhere.  But despite all of this, having the time, the books, and a perfectly good reason to read, I haven't been able to manage it.  

But, now that we're heading into summer, I'm finding myself relaxing a little more.  The weather is changing, there's a positive feeling in the air now that vaccines are available, and I'm finding myself wanting to pick up a book again.   

So, as I start getting back into the swing of things, I may change the format of my reviews a little.  I need to not feel overwhelmed, so they may be short and simple, but finishing anything these days for me is a big checkmark  in the win column.  

If anyone else out there feels like this, you are not alone.   If you've made it this far, you're doing great.  We'll do this one page at a time.  


Gif: No Claim





Comments

Post a Comment

Thank you for Reading!

Popular posts from this blog

Bluffton by Matt Phelan

Reviewed by Lori
Image
Title:  Bluffton: My Summers with Buster Author:  Matt Phelan Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 138305 Description:    Henry bonds with a young Buster Keaton over games of baseball while the latter summers locally with a troupe of vaudeville performers. Rubric Rating:   Level 3 - Laud It Why I Read It:  A growing interest in Graphic novels and a fascination with silent films. Notes:   I really liked this graphic novel.  The images are soft – softly coloured and softly focused.  This is the story of Henry Harrison and the summers that Buster Keaton and the Vaudeville troop come and stay at Bluffton.  While Henry is a fictional character Buster Keaton is not and the novel is based on his autobiography. The arrival of Buster brings excitement to Henry’s life.  They fill their summer days with baseball, pratfalls, and pranks. When Buster leaves for the show, Henry’s life returns to normal, helping his father at the har...
Read more

Cardturner by Louis Sachar

Reviewed by Lori
Image
Title: Cardturner Author: Louis Sachar Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 43908 Description: When his wealthy uncle, a champion bridge player who has lost his vision, asks seventeen-year-old Alton to be a cardturner for him, Alton has no idea how much he will ultimately learn from his eccentric relative.  Includes appendix by Syd Fox with information about bridge. Rubric Rating: Level 3 - Laud It Why I Read It: I really enjoyed the novel Holes and this book is by the same author. Lori's Notes: Alton's rich uncle, a champion bridge player, is blind and needs a cardturner for him to play.  A fantastic story about families and relationships, it weaves together the storylines of Alton and his uncle and first loves.  It does delve a little into the paranormal/ghostly but it wasn't distracting to the overall sense of the novel.  It also touches on the idea of how relationships change and change us.  I'm not a bridge player at all and had no idea how the game was p...
Read more

Echo Echo Reverso Poems about Greek Myths by Marilyn Singer

Reviewed by Lori
Image
Title:  Echo Echo Reverso Poems about Greek Myths Author:  Marilyn Singer Illustrator:  Josée Masse Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 112980 Description:  This collection of reversible poems helps readers gain new perspectives on ancient Greek myths. Curriculum Links:  Art: Mirror Images, Graphic Design Character Education: Courage Language Arts: Tales, Myths and Legends Reading: Poetry Social Studies: Early Civilizations Science: Earth and Space (Constellations and the Night Sky) Writing: Voice and Perspective Notes:  This is a lovely poetry book.  I was struck by the colourful illustrations that are designed as mirror images to highlight the myths in the poems.  I particularly like the art portrayed on the cover that is inverted and found with the first poem -  An Age of Marvellous Myths .  The poems are reversos - a poetry form the author has invented - the poem is read first top to bottom, it is then reprinted in...
Read more