Insane?

Insane?  What might draw me to that conclusion about somebody?  How about this – Lauren Baratz-Logsted, besides raising her daughter and enjoying married life, besides finishing writing at least two novels this past year, also decided to read, on average, one book per day for the calendar year 2005.  That’s right, 365 books.  And people look at me like I’m a dog that just showed them a card trick when I mention I might read 60 books this year. 

Lauren was kind enough to take a small break in her reading, writing, raising, and enjoying schedule to answer a few questions about her madness.

Dan:

Did you decide to read a book per day on average before the year even started, or at some point during the year when you realized you were on that sort of a pace?

Lauren:

I made the decision on December 31, 2004, somewhere between the second and third - or fourth? - glass of Merlot. I've always made resolutions. But I suddenly had the inspiration that my usual one to lose the last 10 or 20 pounds was probably futile. So I settled on two resolutions to take its place: 1) to be a less snarky person; 2) to read 365 books in a single calendar year. I wanted to do the latter because I thought it would help me define my future as a writer by concentratedly studying what I love, admire, hate in other peoples' work and quickly learned it was the easier of the two resolutions to keep.

Dan:

How often did you think about bailing out of the idea?

Lauren:

Only once, about midway through, at the end of June. I had an "I'm sick of books" moment, but it thankfully passed within the day.

Dan:

How did you decide what books to read? 

Lauren:

Not very discriminately. I would just go to the bookstore or the library and grab an armful of stuff for the week, or resort to my BEA stash and the many unread volumes in my basement. I've always been a big reader - 100-250 books a year since the age of 10 - and I'm happiest when I'm reading widely. So if you look at my list, you'll find lit-fic, YA, chick-lit, mystery, short story collections and all manner of nonfiction. Sometimes you could say I deliberately cheated, by selecting extra-short books. On the other hand, I've read some doorstoppers and, with only one book left to read to make my quota but with busy days ahead, have selected the 775-page Short Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald just to make it a horse race.

Dan:

What book was the nicest surprise for you in terms of your enjoyment?  Conversely, what book dragged you kicking and screaming to the end of it?

Lauren:

This last one, the Fitzgerald. I've always been a huge fan but never read his short pieces so comprehensively and each story is a revelation. He was a genius, not recognized as such in his lifetime, and the volume's editor Matthew J. Bruccoli provides a wonderful quote in the preface that serves as a cautionary note to all writers too big for their britches while offering hope to those who have been ignored: "Literary history," Mr. Bruccoli writes, "demonstrates that critical reception is an inaccurate forecast of permanent merit." He goes on to say, "The writings that turn out to be literature are frequently ignored or savaged at the time of their initial publication." As for your second question, in keeping with a lame attempt to fulfill my first resolution - to be less snarky - I'll decline to comment.

Dan:

I understand you're writing a book about the experience - when can we expect to see that out?

Lauren:

As soon as my agent starts shopping it, I hope! :) It's called THE 365-BOOK YEAR: DIARY OF AN ANUS INSANITUS and serves as a reading and writing memoir, since I also wrote a few books this year. If it's never pubbed, I'd be happy to give you your own copy to laugh at.

Comments

[nbm]

For Lauren's sake, I hope that's "annus" and not "anus."

[mapletree7]

Damn! I've only been reading 5 books a week at my blog. I've been one-upped.

[Lauren Baratz-Logsted]

NBM, in light of that "anus", clearly, I have graver problems than Dan thought.

There's always next year, Mapletree!