I should not worry so much, because reading slumps come and go. But every time one comes, I worry that it won't ever go. What if I've permanently lost my ability to concentrate? This is certainly possible, in this age of ever-distracting social media.
When I wrote about falling into a reading slump a few weeks ago, I included 10 tips on how to haul yourself out of that hole. But readers, as always, had a lot of other suggestions.
Many people suggested specific authors and titles to drag me away from the abyss. Light crime by Mary Higgins Clark and Stuart Woods, one person suggested on Twitter. Anne Tyler's "Vinegar Girl," said another. (At the start of the pandemic I re-read almost every Anne Tyler novel there is. "Vinegar Girl" is her modernized take on Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew" and is indeed worth re-reading.)
Someone suggested the novels of Laurie Colwin, which are great reads and have been recently re-released by Harper Perennial and Vintage. Colwin wrote in the 1980s, and I read her novels back then; she died unexpectedly in 1992 and was greatly, greatly mourned.
Several people suggested re-reading something by a beloved writer. One person had a wonderful list: Charles Baxter, Toni Morrison, Ethan Canin, Russell Banks and Ernest J. Gaines, and I agree that those authors are hard to resist.
Someone else recommended the mysteries of Agatha Christie, which reminded me that, years ago, when a close family member was dying, I did exactly that; I did not have the capacity to read anything difficult, and Christie's books were the perfect balm. I don't have them anymore. Maybe it's time to buy them again?
There were other suggestions.
"Take the book outside. There are so many distractions and things 'to do' in the house, especially when working from home," suggested Carmen Rossi, who just moved to Minneapolis from Puerto Rico and likely will not be following that advice come January. (But it is excellent advice for now.)
Audiobooks and e-books, said many.
"You can go for a walk, garden, paint — so many things are better while listening to a good book," said Tamara Meium of Jackson, Minn., adding, "I must say, though, the narrator makes all the difference. A great one comes to mind: 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.' It's wonderful. Rich voices."
Sandie Hollister of Vancouver, Wash., uses Zoom to great effect, chatting with sisters and cousins monthly about what they are reading, which always gives her good ideas.
Sheila Wilensky of Minneapolis said that as a former bookstore owner, she feels my pain. (And I appreciate that.) "Add every enticing title that a friend raves about to your library reserve list," she said. "Have a few titles going at the same time. Read what you feel like when an urge hits you."
Meanwhile, Jan Albertson's delightful suggestion was completely unexpected.
"Go buy a ukulele, and a beginner book, and learn to play the ukulele," said Albertson, who lives in Anoka and plays in two groups. "There are ukulele clubs sprouting up all over the country! The uke has such a happy, friendly sound, even when the player is a beginner!"
I love this idea (but I'm probably not going to do it).
I think my favorite answer, though, came from R. Newell Searle, himself a writer. "Don't read anything until you feel the hunger of curiosity," he wrote. And that might be just right.
Laurie Hertzel is the senior editor for books at the Star Tribune. books@startribune.com
