The Year of Reading Dangerously

One of my presents this year was the book The year of reading dangerously. Andy Miller, an English Lit graduate (snap) and a writer tells us something i=of his life story and how, after having gotten out of the habit of reading, he set himself the task of reading fifty books in a year. This could be potentially boring even for us eng lit types but he uses variety and is very honest about how he gets on with the different books. He also includes fan letters on two favourites Michel Houellebecq and Douglas Adams. He has interesting sections on high brow and low brow culture and is helpful in reminding us that if we want to do anything it takes a bit of determination and that not all of us will enjoy all that is considered to be great literature. There is a tendency to be seeking salvation through reading, which is a form of idolatry.