Weekend Reading

I'm taking a brief hiatus from my "Great Friday" series (while I ponder up more great book-loving nick nacks) to bring you a great collection of essays on weekend reading today.

To celebrate this week's launch of HarperWeekend (which will be republishing previous titles and aiming them toward the "cottage and armchair crowd"), Canada's The Globe and Mail ran an article called "The Art of Weekend Reading," featuring four writers from the new Harper imprint on the joys of weekend reading.

The picture on the Globe and Mail article alone makes me want to run away to a secluded pier at dawn somewhere. But beyond that, these writers make important distinctions between reading for work vs. reading for ourselves; the need to escape to a new environment in order to truly appreciate a new book; the importance of indulging in interrupted days of literary devourings.

I recommend all four essays, but I particularly enjoyed Martin Walker's, which includes the following sentiment:
"There's something about the doubled syllables that murmurs comfort and promises long lazy hours stretching out into wide acres of self-indulgence. It's a time for easy chairs and kicked-off shoes, for hammocks and eyeshades and books that nuzzle their way into your affections like furry puppies. It's a safe bet that most peoples' favourite books were first encountered on a weekend afternoon."
Spot on, Walker.

2 comments

  1. The best place to read is by the water, so I always want to go to a pier to read!

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  2. Just hopped by to say hello. I'm now a new follower :)

    It's nice to find a book blogger with who discusses the publishing industry along with books.

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