Book/reading drought.

[DoItTooJulia]

I've been on maternity leave since November and I haven't really read much, despite really looking forward to the time off as I am usually such a bookworm!

I bought the Booker shortlist to read and have read a couple, but didn't really enjoy any. I tried Hilary Mantel, but didn't get through it.

Part of me wonders if its the baby brain syndrome stopping me, or whether I have just not got a good couple if books to hook me back in?

Anyone recommend anything good?

I love Atwood, Kingsolver, Orwell. I have enjoyed Julian Barnes, but not all of them. I loved the American Wife by CurtisSittingfeld, I enjoyed The Seamstress, Snowflower and the Secret Fan, The Life of Pi, Birdsong. I enjoy Isabelle Allende and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Help!

www.amazon.co.uk/Stolen-ebook/dp/B00CMFTKZW/ref=zg_bs_digital-text_f_9 this - and it is free on the kindle today

Thanks katy I've just downloaded that

Julia I read a lot of books when I was b'feeding during the night, but it tailed off when my DC became toddlers (and I've read a lot more newspapers online since I've had an iPad). However, I'm on the "50 book challenge" thread and that has motivated me to read novels again, whether paper copies or on my kindle.

I think your interests change when you have older DC too, because their demands take up so much of your time (and headspace) too.

I just downloaded that, great!

I think that's it greenhill, headspace. I have an 8 year old ds too, so I am pretty busy and my headspace can cope with mumsnet, news, a couple of random blogs and that's about it!

But I want to be lost in a book!

YY completely understand where you are coming from julia I normally manage MN, news and a browse through Amazon in a day.

I have Hilary Mantel on the go, a crime novel and have been half heartedly flicking through The Spectator, but it is too hot to concentrate on any of them...

If you've been off reading for a while, personally I don't think that Hilary M is going to be the best place to start. Her writing is very wearing imo.

Short and gripping is the way forward!

Yes, remus HM has to be read in long chunks, so you are immersed in it. I'm dipping in and out of Bring Up The Bodies and it isn't working as well as Wolf Hall did, because I read that over a weekend.

I was halfway through wolf hall when I had to go to hospital for an induction. I haven't picked it up since and that was almost 9 months ago.

I wasn't enjoying it. I didn't warm to any of the Thomas's at all!

Based on a MN recommendation I have just read a couple of Dorothy Whipple books. They are lovelywritten in the 30s/40. Hard to explain the tone reallyjust gentle tales of domestic life in that period but with quite strong plot lines. Not too deep but very intelligently written.