Lessons learnt in 2009

If I had to summarise the lessons learnt in what has been a frustrating year of reading they would be the following:

Avoid getting bogged down in large books. The weeks spent on Bolano’s 2666 and Mantel’s Wolf Hall did not necessarily feel as rewarding as they could have done if they have been six different books.

Avoid getting dragged into the pressure of reading certain books by a deadline. For instance the idea of reading the David Peace books the red riding quartet before the programme went off the air was foolhardy.

Don’t be afraid to leave books that are really not that enjoyable. Life is so short that to get stuck in a novel that is not providing any satisfaction seems to be a mistake.

Finally, I should read to enjoy it.