I used to love reading as a kid. Before smartphones existed, I’d finish a book nearly every day. I mostly enjoyed non-fiction; autobiographies and educational books, with a much needed dose of humour.
But i had an appreciation for all kinds of books. Young adult fiction like The Hunger Games were great for keeping my attention, but I occasionally read the likes of 1984 or Game of Thrones.
Besides the obvious distraction of phones and social media, I feel like fiction gets too bogged down in the details. I can read Wikipedia articles for hours, but one sentence like “he put on his coat. It was an old coat, and a grey coat, not one that he would usually wear”, just bores me instantly.
I’m not sure how to describe it. Is it nihilism and being edgy, or do I just want to know the summary of the story right away?
One book that I read a bit of recently and loved was “Azincourt” by Bernard Cornwell. But I still could not help but be distracted by the lack of urgency compared to movies or video games.
The first sentence begins with a shocking revelation of the main character’s motives, followed by a few pages that cover his dull life up until now.
I wonder is it just the stigma of reading so-called “less advanced” books like “Skulduggery Pleasant” or “Goodnight Mr Tom”. Maybe I shouldn’t be trying to read Ulysses or other books that are more designed for those who have read far more than I have and would appreciate the details more?
I love world building and lore, but I just don’t want to read an entire page devoted to someone trying to get out of bed. I’d appreciate some advice on how I can get back into enjoying fiction again. Thanks.
(Apologies if there are some grammatical errors in this post. My head is currently fried from COVID).
by bluegelpen