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Infinite Country by Patricia Engel | Thoughts

   Published : 2021   ||    Format : print   ||    Location : Colombia ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆   What was it about the country that kept everyone hostage to its fantasy? The previous month, on its own soil, an American man went to his job at a plant and gunned down fourteen coworkers, and last spring alone there were four different school shootings. A nation at war with itself, yet people still spoke of it as some kind of paradise.. Thoughts : Infinite Country follows two characters - young Talia, who at the beginning of this book, escapes a girl’s reform school in North Colombia so that she can make her previously booked flight to the US. Before she can do that, she needs to travel many miles to reach her father and get her ticket to the rest of her family. As we follow Talia’s treacherous journey south, we learn about how she ended up in the reform school in the first place and why half her family resides in the US. Infinite Country tells the...

The Sunday Salon: Well, I'm back!

The Sunday 
Salon.com

After four weeks! I did consider blogging for each of the past three Sundays but, and I hate admitting this, the idea of blogging felt like a chore to me. I honestly didn't want to come on here, because it has been a cold and dreary winter so far (and my mood has pretty much followed the weather as well). I have been going through some stuff that made me very unmotivated to do anything useful at all, so I mostly watched TV and movies. I should have kept a count of all the movies I watched - pretty sure the number would shame me, because I don't really like watching TV. I didn't read a single page (at least not until the past few days), and since the husband was out of town, I was pretty much living like the worst kind of bachelor. Okay, not that bad - don't go about trying to imagine it.

Honestly, this long break from books and the blog has been good for me. I did wonder if I will ever come back to them. I wasn't feeling any of the magic and anticipation that books generally bring to me and that was a really bad sign. When I go through these ruts, I generally prod myself back to books, hoping that would end the phase, but I didn't really try hard this time at all. (Hence the longest break.) But one day last week, I got wondering about which book would get me out of this rut, and for some reason, Jenny's review of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe came to mind. I found the book in the catalog of my soon-to-expire Scribd membership and decided to give it a stab. Before I knew it, I was so deep into the book and very well engrossed as well. The magic was back.



Since then, I have finished that book as well as The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald. I am now halfway through Letters in the Attic by Bonnie Shimko. This has been my most prolific reading week this year. Funny that it happens right after a rut. Other than when I was reading graphic books, I don't think I've managed more than 1 book a week this year. I found the last two books also in my Scribd account (which expires next week since I hadn't been using it, but now I am milking it for all its worth). I knew very little about those last two books, which made them for great reading.

The husband is finally getting back this afternoon - more reason to celebrate. The dog is probably going to be the happiest. If she could send herself back to the kennel or report me to negligent pet owners association, she may have done that long back. After having so many people over for the past few months, it was probably disconcerting for her when they all left, very close to each other. I have two posts I want to blog about so I'll probably spend the morning getting those out of the way and then get lunch ready.

I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season so far! This is the only week that's a holiday in (almost?) every part of the world.

Comments

Ti Reed said…
Four weeks seems like a long time to be away from blogging but it sure goes by fast, doesn't it? I had to stop reading because of migraines and some eye issues. It killed me because all year long I looked forward to this time off so that I could read and it didn't happen. Oh well. I watched a ton of shows and some movies and I've just been catching up on sleep. Exciting, huh?
Athira / Aths said…
I know what you mean! Fall/Winter is when I start reading more. Less outdoorsy stuff, more indoorsy stuff, you know. And it killed me that I let the best part of the month drowned in movies. I did watch some good movies, but some days, I was just watching because I didn't want to do anything else. I hope your eye issues go away soon and you are able to read more, at least before the holidays end.
Trish said…
Sending you lots and lots of hugs for whatever is keeping you down. It's certainly hard to feel motivated when the mood strikes. No shame in watching lots of TV/movies and eating cereal and ice cream for dinner (ok, that last one is all me). ;) Glad your hubby will be home!! Hope you have a beautiful week and that the sun comes out for a bit.
I actually know what you mean about the dreary days here this winter. It's been a downer, that's for sure, here too. I've been watching movies over my Christmas break and probably will watch a few more when I have a few days off later this week, I'm not really up for reading either. As for your "bachelorhood," I imagine you probably were knitting. :)
Athira / Aths said…
I haven't tried cereal and icecream - wow, I am definitely going to do that one day. I don't know if icecream will work with me for breakfast, but I am all for trying that any other time. Fabulous idea!!
Athira / Aths said…
I wish I were knitting - because that would at least make me feel more productive. Unfortunately, all I did was eat, sleep, watch TV, let the dishes pile up until max capacity, then do it all over again. Yeah, very unproductive.
bermudaonion(Kathy) said…
It hasn't been that cold here but we haven't seen much sunshine so it makes for very glum days. I haven't been reading much either so I know exactly where you're coming from. It's good to have you back!
Athira / Aths said…
Thank you! I am all for some sunshine. It would at least make the cold days more bearable.
Diane D said…
We are happy you are back, and if it makes you feel any better me and many other bloggers have experienced the December blogging slump. Hope the New Year brings the reading motivation back for both of us.
biblioglobal said…
I definitely tend to turn into a slug when I'm on my own and living bachelor-style. Good that your husband is back and that you're enjoying your reading!
iliana said…
I find it so hard to get back to the blog after long breaks. It's not that I don't want to so much but like I don't even know where to start! Sorry you were in a reading rut and dealing with other stuff but hopefully all is getting back to normal. Hope you are enjoying the holiday season!
moon said…
Great to see you back...and its ok to cut some slack sometimes..as long as you do get back..
JoAnn @ Lakeside Musing said…
Welcome back... glad things are looking up!
Mystica said…
Welcome back. Enjoy hubby time as well during this holiday period
Sam_TinyLibrary said…
Blogging should never be a chore, so I'm glad you took the time out and didn't pressure yourself. Hope you are enjoying being reunited with your husband!
I was going to do a ton of reading this week, plus chores, but so far I have done very little of either of those things. I have a new huge bag of library books now, though. Starting tomorrow: ALL READING ALL THE TIME. (And some chores.)
Gwen said…
The bit about your dog has me laughing. The roommate has been gone a lot and just this morning, the cat sat right outside my door and started howling until I came out. I've been negligent too I guess. Seriously though, I thought cats were supposed to be all independent and stuff?!
Vasilly said…
I enjoyed The Bookshop when I read it years ago. It's good to get your reading mojo back. :-)

Happy New Year!
literaryfeline said…
Happy New Year, Athira! I am glad you were able to find your way back to reading. That happens to me too sometimes. I go through a rut and then suddenly I can't get enough of books. Sometimes it's just mood and other times it's finding the right book.


Seven weeks off work and I feel like I haven't done even half of what I hoped with the time. It's my fault for expecting to be able to do more. I'm almost sad to be going back to work, but at the same time ready to get back to my regular routine.


Wishing you well and I hope you have a great rest of the week.
Athira / Aths said…
Thank you! I hope the new year turns out to be much better too!
Athira / Aths said…
I am glad to hear that I am not alone in living like a slug when I am left to my own devices. I certainly much prefer having my husband around.
Athira / Aths said…
II usually don't know either how to get back to blogging after a long break. What post do you publish first? Yet another "sorry I've been away" or a review? But luckily for me this time, I came back right when the end of the year posts go up. So I have some fodder for the blog. But most times, I am not this lucky.
Athira / Aths said…
Thank you! I am glad too.
Athira / Aths said…
Thanks! The husband is certainly not hearing the end of the 'don't ever do this again' speech. LOL!
Athira / Aths said…
I have to keep reminding myself that blogging is a hobby and not my work. It's hard sometimes, especially when you've been doing it for long. But I'm glad I didn't feel too bad about taking the break and instead welcomed it.
Athira / Aths said…
I know what you mean! I had such big goals of reading mostly during this week, but I've been at the same book for three days. I *hope* to finish it today!
Athira / Aths said…
Yeah, aren't cats independent? Or maybe the cat doesn't want you to feel too alone and is trying to give you company, haha.
Athira / Aths said…
The Bookshop was really good. I wish that ending didn't happen though. I kept hoping that there was one more page left in the book that will change the ending.
Athira / Aths said…
I sometimes feel that I do better reading when I am on a regular routine. Because I know what to do when and so on. During holidays, I feel like there is a lot of time to read, so I can do other things too. In the end, I do the other things more.
Nishita said…
Happy New Year to you Athira. The covers on these books you feature look so fabulous, I'm sure they"ll get you out of the slump in no time at all.
Athira / Aths said…
They definitely did! Sometimes, you just need some books out of your comfort zone to help with the ruts.