11 Comments

ok ok twist my arm. Tell Me How To Be!

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You won't regret it! I'll mail it this week.

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I do not share your appreciation for winter, Laura, but I will say, I find snowstorms weirdly conducive to hefty reads. Hefty as in dense or challenging, regardless of the book’s actual length. There’s just something about lifting my eyes up from the page and seeing a whirl of white outside that just, I don’t know, keeps me on the couch long enough to really get into that zone I need to be in, to really get into a difficult text.

Honestly though, even though I am Canadian and not lacking for snowstorms, it’s been awhile since I’ve attempted a super challenging read, definitely pre-pandemic. I’m inspired to, now though!

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I share your feelings about this, too. I think I'm more inclined to start challenging books in the winter, because to me it feels like a more introspective time, and I can settle into books in a different way than I do in the summer. And there is something very settling about snowstorms. For me anyway, they clear my mind a bit and I often get meditative during them. I'm glad you've been inspired--and thanks for sharing your thoughts!

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I don't have many strategies for getting through heft nonfiction other than making sure I'm in the mood for it, not being hard on myself when it takes a LONG time to get through, and also, sometimes I find it easier to listen to nonfiction than read it. I think I listen to more nonfiction than fiction, come to think of it. I'm actually listening to The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee at the moment, and I think I'm reading it so quickly (for me, anyway) because the narrator helps keep it interesting. Plus, I can do other things while I listen, which sometimes helps.

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I also love listening to nonfiction, and think it is a great strategy! (And I loved the audio of The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee.) I actually didn't used to read any nonfiction at all, and then I started listening to audiobooks 6 or 7 years ago, and that's how I started reading it, for which I am so grateful. I agree it helps when I can do other things while listening.

I do find that I don't always retain information in the same way when I listen. I'm thinking for some of my big nonfiction reads this year, I'll listen, but maybe go back and look at/mark up the print copies I have to help me remember as well.

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Choosing Family and (if I’m allowed two) Ghost Town! 🖤

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You got it! There are plenty of other books for others to choose from! I believe I have your mailing address and you have my Venmo, so go ahead and pay and I'll put these in the mail end of the week. Also: great choices! :-)

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Yay! 📚

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I’m so jealous! Choosing Family is on my TBR :)

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Oh no! I wish I had more than one copy to give away...

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