I already hear you say – book clubs – reading aloud – don’t do these alone.
I’ll argue you do.
You’re not in the other mind. You’re not seeing what the other is visualizing, no matter if you’re reading the same words or if they’re listening to you. No matter the author’s intention. Readers are different.
The reviewer in me reads differently, too. Here, too, I have multiple minds.
Under the title, reviewer, I’m reading for others. I’m keeping them in mind. Every conversation I’ve had about books come into play. I love reviewing, but trust me I need non-review reads. I need my escape. I don’t want to talk about these books, I just want to read and then say – you should read – without anything else.
And sometimes I don’t even want to do that. I want to keep them to myself so I don’t have to talk about them. I want to keep the reviewing voice away.
Reviewing I give a reason for my opinion.
Reading, nope, not justifying why I like or don’t.
Probably why I haven’t joined a book club. I’ve looked at a few and they don’t grab me. I want to read my choice and not what someone else thinks would be good. I don’t want to say why I think this or that book might be a good pick.
I don’t want the responsibility, no matter how small.
When I’m lucky, in my personal reads, there’s nothing more satisfying. If my personal reads fail…I’m not telling, I don’t have to.
Two faces of the same coin.