Reading for Me

With the end of the semester, I found myself ready to dive back into some reading to kick the summer off in the right way. I decided that it was time to return to the world of Harry Bosch and see what was happening with my new favorite detective. Unfortunately, this installment in the Bosch series was challenging for me to read….but I’m not entirely certain why.

The story should have been enthralling to me. Bosch finds himself on administrative leave from the LAPD and takes a look at the archived murder book that contains the details of his mother’s unsolved murder many years ago. Clearly, Bosch is invested in seeing this case closed and is willing to go to any extreme necessary to find out the truth of what really happened. What I did not find as enjoyable was the exploration of Bosch’s inner struggle and the mandated visits to the psychologist to return to the police force. While those are typically themes that would be very interesting to me, in this case, I found them distracting from the case at hand.

The other BIG problem with this reading experience was hard to overlook. The Unger Library did not have a stand-alone copy of The Last Coyote. Instead, I read the novel from a large collection of the Bosch novels. It was impossible to find a way to hold the book at just the right angle without feeling as though I was putting undue pressure on my hands and wrists. Why do publishers think these massive volumes are good ideas for readers? My reading pace slowed significantly simply because I could not hold the book for long stretches of time. I think the physical discomfort put me in a bad mindset that carried over into my reading experience. Yes, I’m sure I could have found a copy of the e-book. I simply don’t enjoy reading on a digital device. Since I spend the majority of my work day with my iPad as an extension of my hand, I don’t find it relaxing to continue using it when I am trying to move into pleasure reading. I will occasionally read an e-book on the device, but it is typically something that I don’t want to admit that I’m reading or something that I don’t really care how long it takes me to work through.

Because of the extreme weight that accompanied The Last Coyote, I next reading adventures are in audio and paperback formats. I’m finding both of them enriching and a joy to read again. I may just have to pick up the digital version of the next Bosch novel to avoid spending any more time with this ENORMOUS book.

Posted in fiction, My Library Shelf, mystery, thriller