Hello, WriteByNighters,
With the unofficial end of summer fast approaching and autumn on its heels, my thoughts turn to changing leaves, Halloween candy, and flaming pumpkins hurled through wooden bridges by headless horsemen.
In October and November, I tend to read lots of old-school American Gothic: Irving, Brockden Brown, Esther Forbes' witchy novels, Hawthorne. It just seems to fit the mood and the colors. And it got me to wondering:
Do our reading habits change with the seasons?
In this week's post, "Seasonal Reading Habits & You," I make some guesses about the kinds of books I tend to read in different seasons, and then consult my reading list to find out how off base I was.
The answer? Fairly. Fairly off base.
For example, I claimed that I've never read a long novel in summer. Because who has the time, right?
Well, I do. I have the time. After looking at my list, it turns out I read Don
Quixote across June and July of 2012. Not only is that a long novel, it's the longest novel I've read since I started keeping track.
But for the most part, my theories hold up: I read lots of short fiction in
the summer -- bursts of reading between fun outdoor events -- lots of American Gothic in the fall, and, for whatever reason, lots of Toni Morrison in March.
So how about you?
Do you keep a list of books you've read, and if so, what does that list tell you about your seasonal reading habits?
What's your favorite season for reading? Do you prefer reading while tanning in the sun, or reading with a cup of hot tea and a blanket while watching snow fall?
And let's recommend to each other some books for the fall. Because like it or not, it's coming.
