The Book Bench over at the New Yorker is quickly becoming on of my favorite blogs. The writing is always insightful and well informed. It makes me feel like I don’t have to be embarrassed to be such a book hound. It assures me that there are more of us out there. That we’re everywhere.
Today’s post by Meredith Blake is especially encouraging of my unhealthy habit of devouring books. In her post Rethinking the Beach Read, she explores the idea that certain types of books are better read in certain situations. I can’t agree more. I love her explanation of just what a beach read is, “The beach read is sometimes a happy accident, but it’s just as often a strategic decision: you’ve got time off, and you want to spend it reading just the right book.” Or, the pity she feels for an airport book, “There’s a whiff of loneliness and desperation to the airport book, like reading the back of the cereal box when you’re stuck without the morning paper.”
I know “beach read” is a subjective term; it means different things to different people. I know folks for whom the latest HTML5 book is their ideal beach read. Those poor souls. Some of us have never considered that a book might be more enjoyable in a certain situation. Though any book would be more enjoyable when read on the beach, I think my trip to Hawaii is going to be accompanied by a re-read of Cannery Row.
What’s your next Beach Read?
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