Bring on the Night

If your IQ is determined by how many books you read, I sure am one dumb fuck.

How come I have tons of books I want to read, but never get around to actually doing it? Recently (read: january) I bought 5 books about China, that all had great reviews. But I just can’t seem to get started.

Somehow I end up in one of three inevitable situations:

I don’t feel like reading

I don’t have the time because of other interests, work, family etc.

I finally have time and energy to read before bedtime, but wife related sounds tells me that I’d better get some sleep.

So, I would have loved to recommend these books, but I can’t say much about them since I still haven’t got around to reading them (click the books to read more at Amazon):

The Good Women of China : Hidden Voices

The Rape of Nanking

River Town : Two Years on the Yangtze

Wild Swans : Three Daughters of China

Mao : A Life

Well, actually I read about half of ‘Rape of Nanking’, and I think I have reached the “I get the point” mood. This book is so horrifically detailed and bloody that my brain just had enough after a little more than half way through. I am happy that I bought the book, but nevertheless, I don’t think I will open it and read the end. Being a book of facts, more than a linear story, I don’t think more reading is necessary to understand the tragedy of the Japanese invasion of Nanking.

Instead I have started reading ‘River Town’ by Peter Hessler, but always find myself in one of the 3 dead ends as previously mentioned. Sad, really, since the book seems extremely good from what I could learn by reading the first 25 pages.

I curse you television
I curse you computer
I curse you laziness
I curse…… myself

I hope that my wife soon can start Danish language school in the evenings. I have promised her to go with her, and wait outside class as the patient husband that I am. This way she will feel more secure, and on the plus side, I finally get time to read some books meanwhile.