I read 27 books in a year because I’m a normal human being
by Paul
Some of you may well remember when our ex-colleague James (hi James!) read 52 books in a year. Well, I didn’t do that so reading 27 books in a year isn’t a boast it’s just the amount that I read, the amount I felt happy with. It wasn’t a slog, I didn’t push myself in any way and I only read what I wanted. What I did make sure, however, is that I didn’t pay for a single one of them — in your face AMAZON!
So how did you manage that? I hear none of you ask…but will answer anyway.
Borrowbox — it’s a free app brought to you by your public library and contains loads of free ebooks and audiobooks; honestly it’s fantastic.
Manchester Public Library Collection here in the Library — you’ll have seen our collection of curated books on the Ground Floor by the self-issue machines.
Our own Man Met Uni Library Collection — we have loads of non-academic books for your non-academic enjoyment, we even have academic books for your non-academic enjoyment and non-academic books for your academic enjoyment. Our newest fiction material is situated on Second Floor West at 823.92. We also have a new book display on the same floor for your browsing pleasure.
A free ebook from a Pringles can — note to self and wider public — never read a book offered for free on the side of any starch-based snackette — even if it’s a hyperbolic paraboloid.
As for reading the 27, it wasn’t all plain sailing. I don’t know where you guys stand on book abandonment but my opinion is that life is too short to read a bad book, get rid and read another — there are chuffing loads of them knocking about.
I abandoned a Borrowbox book about a man who pretended he wasn’t in when someone knocked on his door, the stranger let himself in and subsequently a party started while the owner hid under the bed. It was dreadful and I discarded it just after the halfway point. Although I felt immediately liberated, I still wonder how the story concluded.
I did have to grind it out through the September/October period, some pretty average books, one after another but then I went through a golden age at the back end of October and November.
Looking back, I seem to have been more successful in my choice of non-fiction; I really enjoyed ‘Leave the Capital: a history of Manchester music in 13 recordings’ from our own collection and ‘How not to be a Boy’ from our MPL collection as well as ‘Long Road from Jarrow’ by Stuart Maconie’.
I suppose it’s a bit more difficult choosing fiction. I like to read the blurb on the back cover but then I also like to start a book with no preconception as to its content so what I tend to do is select a book from its blurb but then put it aside thus forgetting anything about it. I also like this stratagem because if the book turns out to be a bad one I can blame ‘past me’ and ‘present me’ gets off the hook.
I am going to whisper this next part quietly so as not to make the library gods choke on their pearls: I prefer ebooks. They are just far more convenient. Out and about I always have my phone with me and, although when purchasing a new coat whether it can house a paperback is still a consideration, it is slipping down the list of priorities. Whilst at home, I don’t have to think about where I last left my book and, most crucially, whilst reading on my side in bed I no longer have to play odd page tennis by turning over every other page before getting pins and needles.
And because folk always love lists here’s my top 3 books from last year’s reading adventure:
Top 3 of 2019
Leonard and Hungry Paul — Ronan Hession (our own collection)
Beartown — Fredrick Backman (Borrowbox)
A Boy in the Water: a memoir — Tom Gregory (Borrowbox)
So I had plenty of fun and it didn’t cost me a penny! And if you need some inspiration on what to read next or want more info on reading for pleasure check out our Love to Read pages, including a list of dystopian fiction which seemed to sum up the feelings of a nation on Twitter just after the election result. You may also wish to inspire us with your choice of the next book giveaway for our 2020/21 cohort, email or contact us via twitter.
As Hungry Paul would say, ‘You may wish to note the above”.
Cheers
