How my Reading Habits Have Changed

I was out for coffee and cake with some friends today, and we got talking about books we read as children, especially for exams. I have always loved to read and my teachers all inspired and encouraged me in one way or another. Their own love of books was addictive, even as they waded through the curriculum which, I have to say, was not the most exciting!

I took English Lit as an A-level. We had Shakespeare, of course. I always loved the bard. For my O-levels, we studied Henry IV Part One, so it was great to continue with Part 2. We also studied Macbeth, which meant we also got to compare it with other tragedies like Othello, and Romeo and Juliet. I was never bored with Shakespeare, mainly because my friend Cathy and I loved unearthing the curse words and the “naughty” bits, but also because my teachers loved Shakespeare – and it showed.

Poetry was Gerard Manley Hopkins – or Snikpoh, as Cathy and I dubbed him. He was rather dry and despite waxing about creation was never dramatic enough for us. I have come to appreciate him more with age.

I had studied the Mayor of Casterbridge, by Thomas Hardy at age 16, so it was good to continue that with Tess of the D’Urbervilles.

Then we had two classics: Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte, and Emma by Jane Austen.

As a 17-year-old filled with raging hormones and suffering unrequited love, I wallowed in the relationship between Cathy and Heathcliff. The passion, the drama, the terrifying strength of feeling along with a Kate Bush soundtrack, spoke deeply to me and I loved it. In contrast, the petty mundane lives of Austen’s creations seemed oh so boring. I mean, why would anyone have a conniption because of a flash of an ankle?

I have a confession to make. Despite studying it for my A-level, and answering questions on the exam paper, I never actually read Emma. I read the introduction and scavenged a few quotes, but that was the extent of my work. I can only think that my other essays were of sufficient worth to warrant a pass despite my deficiency.

Fast forward almost fifty years and my views of both books have changed dramatically. None of the characters in Wuthering Heights have any redeeming qualities. They are either selfish and cruel, or weak and pathetic. In comparison, Austen’s dry wit and razor-sharp observations have completely won me over, to the point that I would now put her as one of my favourite authors.

And yes, I have since read Emma, and it is wonderful.

Some books that I read in my youth still resonate with me. I recently revisited Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea trilogy and still found it magical. Others, however, have lost something through the intervening years.

When I was young, I read a lot of horror, especially the Pan short story collections. Now, I won’t touch it. Not only do I see enough in the real world, but it also fuels my already active imagination giving me terrible nightmares. I’d rather read books that are uplifting and positive.

 Passionate romances have been consigned to a box marked ‘unrealistic’. I have a much more mature view of what love is now. Because of that, I am much more interested in good relationship development and reasonable timelines. Real, lasting love takes time and energy.

Every now and then, I’ll have a change of pace and read a classic. A while back, I tried Bleak House for the first time. I loved it! A mystery, several converging strands of plot, and a detective, Mr Bucket, who, I discovered, was the basis for many of our modern literary investigators.

My main fare continues to be fantasy, with an occasional sprinkling of sci-fi. I also enjoy a good murder mystery or a Regency Romance. But sometimes it is good to wander into the unknown and pick up something untried, whether it is a well-known classic or a debut indie author. You never know, you might just find your next favourite story.

And certainly, revisit those books that you once found boring. You never know how your tastes may have changed!

How have your reading habits changed over the years? Let me know in the comments.