Michael Henderson in his story Life's too short to read five novels a week in The Telegraph examines a claim by author, reviewer, Booker Prize judge Philip Hensher's claim that he has been reading at least five novels a day, every day, since he was five years old or 9880 novels, including Marcel Proust famous novel (yes, that one) in Italian, laying claim to the title of all-time-clever-clogs! He is 43.
Before that the man who read everything was novelist, critic, biographer and composer, Anthony Burgess (not counting Coleridge who was said to have devoured books at an alarming rate). The only other person alive who could still challenge Hansher for that title is, apparently, Clive James.
As an author Hensher has penned six novels (the latest, called The Northern Clemency, out this year), one book of short stories and one of essays. If that isn't enough, he contributes two newspaper columns each week, occasionally collaborates on other projects, and teaches creative writing at the University of Exeter. All this makes me feel so ashamed at my laziness.
I admit I am a slow reader, and I can't read more than one hour at a stretch -- I will have to get up, go for a walk, get a drink, eat something, and then come back to the book. It took me two weeks to finish reading Milan Kundera's The Curtain and JM Coetzee Diary of a Bad Year, but I was reading other books at the same time. But typically I take about two weeks to finish
a book unless it is one of those huge tomes, which I largely avoid these days anyway.
I was not always this slow a reader though I never could speed read and used to envy others who did. I have been reading since I was seven, not counting my pre-Enid Blyton years. I used to race through books when I was younger, to find out the ending more than anything else, but I
think I have slowed down considerably, mostly out of choice. Reading now is like sucking on a sweet, I want the flavour to last as long as possible and for the aftertaste to linger after that. I will reread passages, swish it around with my tongue one more time, look up from the book and simply stare at space for a while after a particularly striking passage. (I also toss books aside rather more quickly these days if the author takes too long to get to the point of his argument.)
The Telegraph
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i'm a horribly slow reader ... but i hope a good one!
ReplyDeleteHow you have described reading now is exactly how I read as well! I too, used to devour 5 Enid Blytons in a week when I was 6 onwards. Now, I might take a few weeks to finish a book. I savour it slowly and patiently in the quiet solitude of my room, usually an hour or two before sleep. And what a beautiful cherished moment that is. Just me, the feel of a page and print at the tips of my fingers. Almost like holding another's thoughts in my hands.
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