Kate's Blog

Follow me if you will as I try to navigate through the ups and downs of my world.

I'm writing this blog to help me make sense of all that has happened - from my diagnosis with non-Hodgkins lymphoma while pregnant with my third child in May 2008
, through to my reflections on chaotic family life as I try to pick up the pieces of my life again.


The kids are so small, and I'm working hard to keep us all safe and to stay in remission.

Stay with me - it won't be all doom and gloom I promise!



Thursday 10 February 2011

Blackberrys and Freedom

How can upgrading your phone (to a Blackberry - whoo whoo) be so incredibly difficult? I've spent a very frustrating morning - yes MORNING! - conversing with Vodafone. I did take Hattie to the park to feed the ducks when it all got too much.

I've got my writing class tonight, so I must go to prepare the tea for later. Will the babysitter manage to give the kids tea when I walk out of the door at 4.45? I hope so.....

And now, although I have LOTS to do, Hattie's asleep and I think I'll make a cup of tea and read Jonathan Franzen's "Freedom". I've been reading it since Christmas at about the rate of a bloody page a night, just as I'm dropping off. It's a very frustrating way to read indeed. Actually, despite the rave reviews I'm not sure how much I'm enjoying it. While it certainly doesn't help any book to be read so slowly, I am finding it a rather charmless read. Considering I love reading like nothing else and considering I have so little time to do it, it's frustrating to read a book which doesn't delight. On the other hand I'm three quarters of the way through it - stopping now would be frustrating too. Has anyone else read it? What did you think of it?

3 comments:

triles said...

Hi Kate,
I'm not normally a very fast reader, but I sped through Freedom. The writing really flowed for me. I actually quite enjoyed it, but I completely understand what you're saying about a book when it stretches out too long. It's hard to have much empathy for the main characters, but they are so thoroughly developed, I found them intriguing. Well, there you have it, for what it's worth. Good luck finishing, or if not, I hope the next book is exactly what you're looking for.

Jenner said...

I haven't read it, but I understand your frustration. I always see a book through to the end. I read quick fast, but only get a chance when I can sneak in a bath at night. God, I do love to read though.

Rebecca S. said...

For the reasons above (little time to read, so I'd prefer to enjoy the book I'm reading) I left the book club last year.