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The Sunday Salon: Bookish Paralysis

The Sunday Salon.com Happy Sunday! I’m writing this post on my tablet, so I apologize for typos. I am not very good at typing on the on-screen keyboard yet, but I don’t feel lime turning on my computer yet today. I know, #firstworldproblems.

Anyway, I had a pretty slow reading week this week, mostly because work was crazy busy and I just couldn’t find the energy to read when I got home in the evening. I also didn’t get any reading or blogging done last weekend because I was home in the Twin Cities hanging out with my sister who was home on spring break. But late in the week, I finally managed to settle down a bit and finished both The Reconstructionist by Nick Arvin and House of Stone by Anthony Shadid.

The weather this week was gorgeous, especially for March in Minnesota, so I got to read outside, which was amazing. All the birds outside the window have made Hannah a bit nutty too. We’ve all got spring fever around here, it appears.

This week’s problem came after I finished both of those books — I could not figure out what to read next! I have so many great books on my bookshelves, and so many that I either want to read or have some sort of obligation to read, I just couldn’t make up my mind. I think I started and put aside four books before I finally made Boyfriend choose one for me, Devil in the Grove by Gilbert King. It’s a “searing, historical, Southern Gothic” (jacket copy) story about Thurgood Marshall battling for justice in the South just before arguing his most famous case, Brown v. Board of Education. I’m only about 40 pages in, but I’m already engrossed.

I’m hoping to get a lot read in that one today, plus catch up on the chores I didn’t do yesterday because I had to work for a big chunk of the day. I’m also excited that we’ll get to announce the winners of the Indie Lit Awards this week. I’m hoping to post my reviews of all the books this week, since we’ve been embargoed from taking about them before the announcement… I just have to, you know, write those reviews (well, three of them… I have two done).

So anyway, that’s the big news from from rural Minnesota this week. I have to cut this off now; typing on the tablet is starting to get annoying. Have a happy Sunday everyone — what are you reading today?

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • softdrink March 18, 2012, 8:32 am

    Work on the weekend? BOOOO! Hope you get to have some fun on your one day off.

    • Kim March 18, 2012, 1:23 pm

      It was a relatively interesting day. I got to talk to a fabric arts artist and go to a political convention, but obviously I’d have rather been at home reading or enjoying the beautiful weather. Luckily, I get to take a half day sometime later this week, so I’ll get to make up for it!

  • bermudaonion (Kathy) March 18, 2012, 9:37 am

    When you have so many good books to chose from, it is hard to pick a new book to read. I hope you have a great week!

    • Kim March 18, 2012, 1:24 pm

      It can be hard, but it’s a good problem to have, once I can settle down.

  • Jenny March 18, 2012, 1:10 pm

    Well, I…am chagrined I did not read this post before going to the library today. I adore Thurgood Marshall and wish he could be my grandfather, and I would have loved to get a book about his exploits prior to being seated on the Supreme Court. Can’t wait to hear your final verdict on that one!

    • Kim March 18, 2012, 1:25 pm

      It’s a really interesting book so far. Part of why I like it is that the author isn’t painting a totally flattering picture of Thurgood Marshall — it’s honest and unexpected because I’m so used to thinking of him as A Supreme Court Justice, you know?

  • Anastasia @ Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog March 18, 2012, 1:43 pm

    Oooo, a non-fiction (right?) Souther gothic book? That sounds neat!

    Right now I’m reading Burn Mark, which I talked a bit about yesterday. 😀

    • Kim March 25, 2012, 2:07 pm

      Yep, nonfiction Southern gothic. Super good!

  • Jessica @ Quirky Bookworm March 18, 2012, 4:12 pm

    I hate that bookish paralysis feeling! I suffered from it earlier this week…using Laura Ingalls Wilder to break out of it. Actually, I’m listening to Farmer Boy on audio as I type, and it’s making me SO hungry!

    • Kim March 25, 2012, 2:08 pm

      Sometimes picking a familiar book is a good way to break the cycle. I did love Laura Ingalls Wilder.

  • Suzanne March 18, 2012, 5:54 pm

    We’ve had great weather here in NW Illinois as well, though I wish we could have a spring instead of jumping right from winter to summer.

    Devil in the Groove sounds like an interesting book; I can’t wait to hear more about it.

    • Kim March 25, 2012, 2:08 pm

      I do miss spring a little bit. I think it’ll cool off soon though (just no more snow!).

  • Kailana March 18, 2012, 8:25 pm

    I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed lately… There is just so much that I want to read (or technically have to read) and it sort of hurts my head deciding…

    • Kim March 25, 2012, 2:09 pm

      Ugh, me too. I’ve always got a pile of about four books that I want to read RIGHT NOW.

  • Brooks March 18, 2012, 10:52 pm

    Sometimes I hate to finish a book because I know I’ll have to pick a new one soon and sometimes it can take me a while to settle into a new book. It once took me over a month of starting over a dozen books before I finally committed to a new book. It’s exhausting sometimes! There are so many great books, but I think we read books when we’re ready to read them. Sometimes that has to do with time and place and sometimes it’s all about maturity or life experience.

    Anyway, looking forward to the Indie Lit Awards!

    • Kim March 25, 2012, 2:10 pm

      Yes, absolutely. Sometimes I love finishing a book because of all the possibities it opens up. Sometimes I hate finishing a book because of how many choices there are to make.

  • Katie @ Doing Dewey March 18, 2012, 11:14 pm

    I was in the twin cities last week too 🙂 I’m at school at Iowa State and a bunch of us drove up for a conference.

    I’m currently reading All Creatures Great and Small, a pleasant, wholesome kind of book about the authors experiences as a vet. It’s sometimes very funny and has a wide variety of stories; I’m loving it so far 🙂

    • Kim March 25, 2012, 2:11 pm

      Neat, I hope you had a good time! That book sounds charming, I hope it’s still good.

  • Alyce March 19, 2012, 12:38 am

    You’re doing much better than me. I haven’t written up my reviews for the indie lit books that I read yet, just jotted down notes. I’ve been having that problem of not knowing which book to read lately too. There are so many books on my shelves that are supposed to be very good, but finding one I’m in the mood for is another story.

    • Kim March 25, 2012, 2:11 pm

      I wrote a bunch of them over the weekend before, but luckily I had good notes.

  • Care March 19, 2012, 7:54 am

    YAY for the Boyfriend picking the right book! 🙂

    • Kim March 25, 2012, 2:11 pm

      I know, he did a good job!

  • Jennygirl March 19, 2012, 11:17 am

    It’s too gorgeous to clean and do chores. As long as you have clean underwear and an outfit for work on monday, you’re good to go.
    Southern Gothic… sounds like a winner. have a great week Kim!

    • Kim March 25, 2012, 2:12 pm

      I like that attitude. It’s nice to simplify what really needs to be done 🙂

  • jenn aka the picky girl March 19, 2012, 8:54 pm

    Oooh, Devil in the Grove sounds so so interesting. Can’t wait to see your review!

    • Kim March 25, 2012, 2:12 pm

      It was awesome. So awesome, I’m not sure how to write a review just yet 🙂

  • Florinda March 19, 2012, 10:39 pm

    I’m glad we can FINALLY post the Indie Lit Awards reviews–mine are all done, so I have posts prepped for a week without much more writing to do! I feel like it’s been much too long since that’s happened. I’m looking forward to seeing what you have to say about the Nonfiction list!

    I know that paralysis thing. It seems to have replaced my old fear of running out of books to read–now I’m afraid to just pick one

    • Kim March 25, 2012, 2:12 pm

      I love having posts ready for the week when I head to bed on Sunday. It’s always such a nice feeling.