We are a family of readers, in fact I learned a word this week: Tsundoku, which is the act of buying books and piling up more than you will ever read in a lifetime. We are those people: books, books and more books. And the trouble is that we do read them, piles and piles of them are actually read. I try to pass books on, I try not to have more books than book cases… try, but don’t always succeed. If you relate to this then you will understand why I am so excited to be part of Anne Bogel’s launch team for her new book, I’d Rather be Reading…
I’d Rather Be Reading
Can we talk about the book first… because a book called “I’d Rather Be Reading” literally sparked joy for me before I even knew what it was about. I knew I had to read it. I only got it the day before yesterday, in possibly the busiest week of the year, and what can I say, all my good sleep training was tossed out the window for “just one more chapter,” all in the good cause of reading. Each chapter is an essay on something terribly bookish… and throughout it I had to have a little smile to myself and say… “that’s me!!!” This book just inspired me to read a whole lot more… reading is indeed a lifestyle rather than a habit.
First things first, I have to say that I loved that she lived right next door to a library for years and the fact that my kids have grown up two blocks from the library and we gather up seventy books each week, like the book starved family we actually aren’t, just made me think how lucky we are. (Won’t mention that our library just closed until next year… for renovations… gasp). I related to this book all the way through… the connection to other book lovers just got better and better.
The book is a collection of twenty one essays that each stand alone and all sorts of book loving topics are covered. Books that Found you, Bookworm Problems, How to Organise your Bookshelves and so many more. I laughed out loud through the chapter called Bossy Books… we have all been there… books we think our kids should read (that they never will because we said so), books that our friends say we should read… Of all the chapters, the chapter on organising books is the one that is launching me into a great book clean out… it is time to unjam some of the books on our shelves and a good re-ordering around the house might get the piles of books, that we love, off the floor and onto the shelves… and the books on the shelves, that we don’t actually love, out of the door. But my favourite, favourite essay has to be the one called Bookworm Problems, I laughed till my family asked what was wrong with me. I tried to keep it to just a genteel smile, as I read my way through the book, since it is a very genteel book, but the chapter on Bookworm Problems cracked my façade, it is a laugh out loud one – because Bookworm Problems are real folks and you are not alone in them.
I love this book, it was easy reading all the way, and such a fun way to engage with readers… this book is wonderfully giftable and is the perfect addition to any book lover’s collection.
Let’s Meet Anne Bogel
So I follow the lovely author, Anne Bogel on her website the Modern Mrs Darcy… just the title should tell you that it is all about books and reading, and book lists and book ideas and well books. I avidly watch her e-book deals, because she magically finds books that I really want to read. Otherwise, I don’t listen to tons of podcasts, I have my few favourites and those I listen to without missing a beat… if you are a book lover you will love her chatty podcast: What Should I Read Next? Where she talks with folks about books, books they are reading right now, books they have loved and books they haven’t loved … and all the while tons of book ideas… and your “I must read that list” will grow and grow. And if you go and listen to this bonus episode, you will hear chapter 1, which is an essay entitled “Confess your Literary Sins…” And we all have those. The book we know we should have read, but haven’t or the book we should have loved, but we just didn’t. And so many more…
Book Launch News
The book launches on the 4 September 2018… and if you dash over to the book’s very own website and preorder then you get a whole ton of real live loveliness to go with your book: Including a FREE digital download of the audio version read by Anne, as well as access to Anne’s new class “7 Ways to Get More Out of Your Reading Life”, live on August 2 as well as beautiful digital artwork from the book. It is all lovely, you really want to stop by and take a peek, over here.
The Book Tour…
Follow the hashtag #Idratherbereading on instagram and twitter to find out more about the book… follow the blog tour… this book is a hit and it is going to be just lovely to meet all the readers of this world, who have signed up to blog about this bookish bestseller… fun reading ahead… trust me, you are going to love it!!!