Nina Sankovitch decides to read a book a day for a year. Tolstoy and the Purple Chair tells Nina’s story of how 365 books helped her deal with a personal tragedy. When I first picked up this book, I thought it was a little thin to be an account of 365 books, but Nina weaves the books into her personal and family narrative. I liked Nina’s thoughts on reading John D. MacDonald while her parents preferred Ross Macdonald. If you want to see the entire list of the 365 books Nina read, you can go to her website at: www.readallday.org. GRADE: B
I’m afraid this is one of those books that would make me gnash my teeth. She apparently has nothing else to do but sit in a purple chair all day and read. Not meaning to be catty, but I’m having trouble with the idea that she actually READ a book EVERY day. I like to read; I make time for it everyday and I consider myself a pretty fast reader–but, if she actually read a book a day, how long were those books? If I start reading first thing in the morning and have no other plans/chores/errands (a very rare situation), I can finish one of Simenon’s Maigret novels in a day, but almost all other books take at least two days to complete.
If you take a look at the list of the 365 books Nina read, Deb, you’ll see most of them were short. No WAR & PEACE or Dickens doorstoppers.
I used to go to her website, I think it was her, to see what she read. I can’t imagine doing this either, but I am very distractible unfortunately.
Yes, Nina used to post her “book of the day” on her website, Patti. Now, she’s promoting her book tour.
Deb, there was a week in the mid-1970’s when I was reading 2-3 Erle Stanley Gardner books a day, so that can be done. Sustaining it over an entire year, let alone reading one book each and every day, is a different story. The most books I ever read in a year was 330, back in college, and a lot of them were plays, many of them one-acters by Eugene O’Neill. If it’s an individual book in separate covers I would count it as a book, no matter how short it is, but I think I’ll have to look at the book to judge for myself.
That said, I have read at least one short story a day for over 15 years. Some years I’ve managed every day, most years there will be 1-3 days I miss due to illness, headache or travel, but I always double up the next day. This brings home how unlikely it would be to read a book a day. Does she carry over one book to the next day? What if it’s an 800 page book?
I think Nina’s “book a day” rules were flexible, Jeff. And the books she chose weren’t long ones.
Well, based on a quick look at her list I do see a fair amount of short books that I recognize, certainly readable in a day. But I also see others that are longer or by more ‘difficult’ authors which make me wonder.
Jeff-that’s exactly what I mean. Even an avid reader like you, with a commitment to at least one short story a day, admits that there are days when you just can’t reach your goal and have to double-up the next day–and we’re talking about short stories there. I guess the issue I’m grappling with is less about WHETHER it’s possible to read a book a day, but the exact logistics: How does she support herself (well, by writing a book about her reading, obviously); who does her housework; is she married: does she have kids; if so, when does she have any family time. These are the questions that I ask myself.
Also, it seems a bit of a stunt book to me–sort of like JULIE & JULIA–where someone gets an idea to do something everyday for a year and then write a book about it.
According to Nina’s book, she has a husband (who supports her) and four sons, Deb. She was a “stay-at-home Mom” when she started this year-long reading project. Several times in TOLSTOY AND THE PURPLE CHAIR Nina is frantically reading late at night to finish her book for the day. You’re right about TOLSTOY AND THE PURPLE CHAIR being in the class of JULIE & JULIA. It is a bit of a stunt. But I can see Nina’s book being a Book Club hit.
For people like me (and George) who like lists, especially book lists, it’s obviously a must read.
Yes, it is like JULIE AND JULIA. Frankly, I thought Julie was a bit of a whiner. She was no Julia Child.
The movie version of JULIE & JULIA toned down that whining quite a bit, Jeff.
Perhaps I can squeeze a book deal out of my commitment to comment on at least one blog post per day!
I’d read your blog-a-day book, Deb.
Since my goal every year – rarely attained – is total 2 books per week, this seems ridiculously silly. Maybe if she was a speed-reading invalid who only has to slow down while eating, maybe, I’d say it would be possible. It’s a stunt to be sure, since you say she “decided” to do it. Of course I could read 365 books in a year, but only if they were short children’s picture books. Goodnight Moon, Make Way for Ducklings, Where the Wild Things Are and the like. I didn’t look at the list. Was she reading kids books? Otherwise, even if she read them, how could they sink in? I want a day or so between books for them to settle in my mind, to get the full flavor.
TOLSTOY AND THE PURPLE CHAIR captures the marathon aspects of Nina’s “I’m going to read a book every day,” Rick. If you check out her book list on her website, you’ll see that she did read some substantial books. She also read some fluff.