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It’s an abbreviated episode this week as Michael is winding down his sabbatical and spending time at home with 4-month-old Finn. Finn provided his own contribution to this week’s podcast, as you will hear. In an unplanned moment, Ann asks Michael how his plan of reading nothing but graphic novels is working out. If you have children of your own, you will likely not be surprised by Michael’s response.
We want to know: if you had a month off from work, with pay, how would you spend it? Would you plan to read more? Let us know, in the comments or via voicemail.
We do still have two books we can’t wait for you to read: Michael talks about Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian. Chris is a favorite at Books on the Nightstand (you may remember us talking about Skeletons at the Feast) and we love this book. It’s vintage Bohjalian, perfect for fans of his earlier books Midwives and The Double Bind.
I have been waiting to tell you about Things We Didn’t See Coming, a collection of connected stories by Steven Amsterdam. Last fall, I wrote a blog post titled, “What do you say when a book haunts you?”, and it was in response to my reading of this book. Over the few days I was reading this book, I could not stop thinking about the stories, the setting and what was happening between each story. It’s a unique collection of postapocalyptic stories, some may call it dystopic, but I think it’s much gentler than The Road.
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We encourage you to write down or print out the title information and shop at your local bookstore. Titles link to LibraryThing, a social networking site that allows you to catalog your home library. LibraryThing also links to various online purchasing options. Here are the books from this post:
Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian by Shaye Arehart Books hardcover
Things We Didn’t See Coming by Steven Amsterdam, Knopf hardcover
photo credit: Chillaxin' by DrewVigal
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What a coincidence! I’ve just finished reading The Road, found it depressing, and loved it. So thanks for the heads up Ann, about Things We Didn’t See Coming. Definitely sounds like a book I’d enjoy.
Hope you’re having a great sabbatical Michael.
PS: I’ve just finished undergrad studies, and while job-hunting, have been devouring books for the last couple of months, and loving every minute of it. Though if I were given a whole month’s worth of paid leave, I’d probably do some travelling. =)
Oh, MIchelle, I’m so glad you loved The Road! I’m envious of your ability to devour books right now, so please enjoy an extra read for me! Thanks!
I’m a full-time grad student and unemployed. I have found myself with a lot of time on my hands, so I have been able to read over twenty books in the last three months. If reading could earn a steady paycheck I’d be golden!
Ashley, that’s a nice fantasy!
Thank you for the opportunity to tell you about my “sabbatical.” In quotes because it was a working sabbatical on an island in Scotland, Iona. My husband and I were volunteers there last March and April. It was a sabbatical from television and the newspapers. I packed and read the following books: 19th Wife (borrowed from Tiffany via Michael), The Tale of Edgar Sawtelle, The Hour I First Believed (especially meaningful, as I am from CO, the site of the Columbine shootings), Snowflower and the Secret Fan (finally got around to reading that) and then I purchased and read My Name is Red, as we were visiting Istanbul before returning to the states. What I experienced was something I hadn’t felt since I was a young girl: the thrill of jumping into my warm bunk bed in our tiny room, out of the blustery north winds that blow across the island, and reading for an hour or two instead of watching meaningless programs on television. I must have read over 2,000 pages in those 6 weeks; I loved Edgar Sawtelle more than my book club friends back in CO, because, I think, when Edgar was on the run, in some desolate places, I could really relate, as I was in a rather desolate Hebridian island with no motor traffic and none of the conveniences of my life in Colorado. I now wonder why I don’t impose a moratorium on television and enjoy voracious reading even if at home.
Oh, Marilyn, that sounds like heaven!! Thank you for sharing with us. For a moment, I felt like I was there on that island under a cozy blanket with a great book!
Whenever my circumstances were/are closely circumscribed (over-protective parents who didn’t encourage much beyond school, home and Church; lack of money that discouraged traveling; my DH canceling my DirecTV; moving to an alliterate community…) my reading goes way up! If I were given a month-long paid sabbatical, I’d probably head to a major city: visit museums, zoos and aquariums, see plays, attend concerts and lectures, go to NFL games, go to bars, after hours clubs and restaurants and try all the “Specials” and things I’ve never tried before…If I were physically fit again, I’d go (downhill) skiing and swim in oceans… and before it was all over, I’d head to the bookstores and scores dozens of books so that when I had to “go back,” I’d have plenty to tide me over!
Makes sense to me. My idea of vacations have always been active, I think because I read so much at home when I was a kid. So while I dream of doing nothing but read, I rarely take the opportunity when I have it.
Oh to have a month off work! I would read half of every day. Books from my stacks of “to be read.” The other half of the day I would do home improvement projects (can’t be too sedentary or the pounds will creep on), alternating with outings to the park, art museum, and zoo.
My reading time has greatly increased since June 12 when TV went digital. The converter box is basically useless. We can tune in 4 static-filled channels and 2 of them are in Spanish. I discovered that between podcasts and books, I don’t miss the TV.
I’m sorry to laugh, but the description of your TV is priceless! I think I’d ditch the home improvement projects, tho!
Hi Ann and Michael,
If I had a month-long sabbatical …
The Fantasy
I would drop everything, fly to a beautiful island, where I could sit on a pristine white beach surrounded by palm trees and clear turquoise water. Fuscia, yellow, cerulian blue fish would be swimming just off the shore and there would be someone constantly refreshing my fruit-filled and umbrelled drink and bringing me all the fresh shrimp I can eat, while I sit comfortably yet elegantly posed in my tastefully stunning bikini, wearing fashonably large sunglasses and reading a novel which is impossible to put down. My husband is dozing in the lounge next to me and I don’t care where my cell phone is. Also, I have long legs and I can tan without freckling.
The Reality
I have a month off, I’m going to go somewhere, where should I go? I have to get some clothes first – and lose 10 lbs. I don’t have a bathing suit, but I have shorts and an over-sized t-shirt. I check out flights – I have to book in advance for a reasonable rate so maybe a road trip. I can read while my husband drives, but first we need to get new tires on the car and have the oil changed and then where should we go and where should we stay along the way and first I want to get the weeds pulled in the backyard, because I don’t want to come home to that and someone needs to call the kennel and find out how much to board the dog, and also, I need to go to the book store and get some books – 8 to 10 should be enough and I’ll also need a cute book bag and a new cute book light. I know, I’ll knit myself a new book bag but first I need to go to the yarn store and get some really fantastic wool yarn that I can felt into a stunning bag. And I’ll probably need a new knitting book or three.
Okay well maybe we can just go to San Diego for the weekend. It’s raining. And my daughter calls … “your grandchildren want to go with you” … I’d better pick up a copy of Goodnight Moon.
This is hysterical! Thank you Sheryl, for the reality check — which still doesn’t sound too bad!
I think if I had a month off with nothing else to do, I’d certainly read a lot but I’d also spend a lot of time at the movies- something I rarely seem to do these days, and I used to be as much of a cinephile as bibliophile. When I was a teenager my dream was to be a film critic! Anyway yes, about half and half reading and movies would be ideal. And since we’re talking fantasy world, I’d spend that month in Paris!
Marie, sounds good to me! Though I confess I find it hard to sit still through an entire movie these days, not helped by the fact that I never go to movies without the family.
On my sabbatical, I will read only when the weather is bad. Then I will read The Brothers K, one book by Stephen King and one book about Abraham Lincoln. One Nick Hornby that I haven’t read yet. Something about Buddhism, not that it will help. No classics except maybe Les Miserables. I’ll watch one episode of Mad Men just to get you off my back. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane to read aloud. If I get that much reading done, I’ll be pissed that the weather was so bad.
Ha! What about The Sparrow? When are you going to read that? (See, you’ll never get me off your back, because I’ll always think of one more thing you *must* do…).
I had forgotten about The Brothers K. What an amazing book. Might be time for a re-read.
I’m blessed to have a job where I wouldn’t need a month off in order to be able to to read a lot. I work from home, as a freelance writer and full-time caretaker for my elderly mother. This gives me a lot of downtime to read.