I can’t read serious books anymore

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That’s me. I don’t want to think about anything profound or be depressed- I read for fun and want light fluff

Same. I'm 51 and prone to depression. I'll read some more "serious" contemporary literature but there are definitely unpleasant themes/plot elements that I try to avoid.

[Anonymous]

Me, too, OP. I have enough stresses and real life issues to deal with. Reading is my escape. I don't want to read anything heavy. Fluff historical romance novels are great. The erotica ones are even better. DH is a recipient of my reading those. lol

[Anonymous]

45F here and I actually thought I'd written this thread because I posted something similar last month.

I think some of it is just wanting to read to escape.

But I also think that what's being lauded as top literary fiction is a bunch of try hards who care more about playing with the form than good stories and good writing.

I genuinely think that what we're being told are the best books just aren't the best books.

[Anonymous]

I read to get information OR to be transported into a romantic adventure! I don't need to read to know about the evil that exists on earth -- I'm well aware!

[Anonymous]

So what is the way back to serious reading?

I love history, and there are so many books I want to read, but my attention span has been degraded.

Will improving my reading stamina be as straightforward as improving physical stamina seems to be? And where do I find a good personal reading trainer?!

[Anonymous]

I stopped reading serious (or violent) books when I had PPA, and never looked back. I don't need more stress and sadness in my life: when I'm reading, it's a rest and an escape, so I want something happy. Same for TV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:45F here and I actually thought I'd written this thread because I posted something similar last month.

I think some of it is just wanting to read to escape.

But I also think that what's being lauded as top literary fiction is a bunch of try hards who care more about playing with the form than good stories and good writing.

I genuinely think that what we're being told are the best books just aren't the best books.

I agree with this!

[Anonymous]

I also miss having someone to talk to about with books. I have an English minor and having someone to point out the stuff in books I may have missed or providing things like the historical context was nice. I looked into some of the free online seminars but with work and kids you just don't have time for that anymore.

I also used to regularly stay up all night reading in college. I read The Collector in one go because I couldn't put it down. Today I can't sleep in on Saturday after doing that.

[Anonymous]

I'm sure some people think the genre fiction I read is fluff, but historical mysteries and historical romances have taught me more history that sticks in my head than other kinds of books.

England's Vagrancy Act of 1824? Don't even get me started.

Anthony Comstock? My god, if you told me I'd have a least-favorite postmaster general, I'd think you were nuts.

France's extortion after Haiti's Revolution and the US's role? I will never, ever bank with CitiBank.

The East India Company? ARGH!

Seriously, though, don't let anyone tell you what you're reading isn't worthy.

[Anonymous]

Listen to them. Especially the classics. I just finished War and Peace

[Anonymous]

I totally get it. It's why the NYT best books of the 2000s enraged me. Nearly every book was depressing or about oppression of some sort.

I'm in a bind as I want lighter fare but I find that I don't like most of the popular books out there.

[Anonymous]

OP I had a similar shift from literary fiction, which started to feel like hard work (it can be) and I got completely hooked with detective stories, particularly by Anthony Horowitz. I'd never read any crime / detective stuff before but was hooked. Part of the reason was some of these books really made me laugh out loud and that is just irreplaceable. And they are clever plots but not challenging mentally.

I think its partly that you go to a book for a break from everything else and if it is "hard work" its not a break, unless you really want to punish yourself.

Romance is similar, mostly this genre is feel good - it's not going to devastate you but give you an escape.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sure some people think the genre fiction I read is fluff, but historical mysteries and historical romances have taught me more history that sticks in my head than other kinds of books.

England's Vagrancy Act of 1824? Don't even get me started.

Anthony Comstock? My god, if you told me I'd have a least-favorite postmaster general, I'd think you were nuts.

France's extortion after Haiti's Revolution and the US's role? I will never, ever bank with CitiBank.

The East India Company? ARGH!

Seriously, though, don't let anyone tell you what you're reading isn't worthy.

The problem with some historical fiction (Like Phillipa Gregory) is they just make shit up. Gregory's particularly bad about this.

[Anonymous]

It's not you. Most modern literary fiction is awful. There has been a lot written about this; if you're a white man, e.g., you can't get published. The big publishers and the reviewers have built a cabal that recycles only women / BIPOC authors who write about social justice-type issues, and a lot of what passes for "serious" writing is just YA fiction with bigger words. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow was a great example of this--a terrible book, essentially YA, with a character list that could have been AI-generated for intersectional relevance. Go back to anything serious written between 1920 and 2000; there is a huge well of amazing writing that will make you realize that modern "literature" is a barren wasteland.

[Anonymous]

Same here. 44 y/o. With so much going on in the world, I really just want to escape when I read.

I'm going to start a thread with book recos!