The 8 Books I Can't Get Through

I don't know what's happening. Maybe I've killed a cell inside that's supposed to help me read. Maybe it's the weed? Just kidding. But, I wonder.

I haven't been able to get through a novel in a while now. I've picked up so many books in the last four months but have been incapable of committing to more than just a chapter or two of each one. I think I've read over the first couple chapters of Elizabeth Strout's Olive Kitteridge about five times. It's supposed to be an amazing book and it won a Pulitzer Prize too, for Heaven's sake! Still, I can't get passed those few pages. I'm not inspired to go on.

The same thing has happened with Chris Cleave's Little Bee. I'm up to chapter three and to be quite honest, if I were in college sitting in front of a quiz on the book, I'd fail. I don't even remember the main character's name. Everyone I know who has read the book has told me it's hard to put it down. I, however, find myself falling asleep. What's going on?

There have been more books. I'm sitting in front of six others, actually. This has never happened before. I've always been so committed when reading a novel. There has always been that yearning to go on and see what's coming next, even if the book happens to bore me to pieces. I linger on, hoping that maybe by the end I'll be captivated.

Paint it Black by Janet Fitch comes to mind. I was so excited when I purchased that book. I had just finished her previous novel White Oleander and so I expected another inspiring and moving piece of art. Unfortunately, I wasn't amused by the novel at all. I grew annoyed by the hapless and bitter protagonist. At some points I sympathized, but I grew angrier and angrier as I read on. Still, I maintained. I waited and I dedicated hour after hour until I approached that very last page. Was it all a waste of time? I thought so at first. After a while though, I realized that I did learn a few things. Ms. Fitch writes like no other author. Her words sing. Even if I hated the book, I felt something. Ultimately, that's the reason why some of us read, right?

Anyway, my point is, I used to be able to read even if I wasn't really into the material. I don't know why I can't jump into a book and join the author's world for a few hours anymore. I wonder if this has anything to do with age. Am I losing my marbles already? No. It can't be an age thing. There are older people who read all the time! So what is it? Am I thinking so much about my own life that escaping to some pretend one isn't possible? I think I'm just too distracted. There's so much going on these days. There's no free time or motivation frankly. The free time I do have, I end up going to sleep or watching movies. Movies are a lot easier to commit to it seems. There's less thinking involved. Am I right?

I wonder if it means anything that the last few novels I have been able to get through were part of a young adult vampire series. I went through those books like candy. Why was it a lot more fun to read those than it has been to read the 8 I've tried getting through lately? Was it the humor, or sex, or silly plot? Was it the flow and simplicity that comes with a young adult novel? Am I a lot dumber now than I have ever been? Maybe the books were just really good. Vampire stories are addicting. Whatever the reason, I've got to get to the bottom of all this. I refuse to stop reading. There's got to be an adult novel waiting for me, right? Or is a Dr. Suess story next?

I'm going to keep looking. I'm going to the bookstore tomorrow and I'll give this reading thing one last try. I miss reading and I think it's important to explore the written word. Novels are beautiful things. I can't give up on them. Let's see what happens.

So, tell me - anyone out there recommend a good novel? What are you reading?