I don’t read.
Sometime after law school, a few years after law school in fact, I answered the door to a newspaper vendor. He wanted to sign me up for a subscription that had lapsed. I looked at him and said simply, “I don’t read.” He gave me a pitting look, thanked me for my time, and walked away. It wasn’t until after I closed the door that I realized what I’d said.
The truth is, sometime during law school, I stopped reading for pleasure. I think it happened somewhere between picking up my first syllabus and reading 500 pages for my first class. Yeah, that’s probably where it happened. I guess when I was required to read hundreds or thousands of pages each week, the desire to read anything else drained from my body.
It’s not that I was an avid reader before law school, but I enjoyed reading. I enjoyed the idea of reading. But, since I entered law school (10 years ago!!!!!!!!!! oh shit, I just had a little meltdown), the thought of reading is intertwined with late nights, failing eyesight, hours of outlining, and memorization. And, although I enjoy outlining and memorization more than the average duck, it’s not something I want to do at night before I go to bed.
Recently, I’ve mentioned this phenomenon to friends from law school. It seems I’m not alone. Maybe we should start a support group for lawyers who can no longer read for pleasure. We’re a sad bunch. At least I enjoyed law school. I feel sorry for all my classmates who suffered through 3 years of torture, only to find that they are now deprived of the pleasure of reading.
There is one notable exception for me. For whatever reason, both during law school and pretty much every day since then, I’ve been obsessed with Harry Potter. I refused to read the books until after the third one had come out – the hype troubled the non-conformist in me. Once I started, though, I couldn’t stop. I can’t tell you why. But it means that I’ve read each of the books probably 10 times. My ex, Leigh, who is also a lawyer, has probably read the series 3+ times. At least I’m not alone.
So here’s the Public Service Announcement:
If you are considering entering law school, you should know that law school will very possibly sap your desire to read for fun. It also has the potential to create a powerful obsession with a boy wizard.
Someday I hope to be able to pick up a book and make it more than 50 pages through. Maybe I’ll try the Twilight series…
6 comments
You should try the Twilight series. I fought the urge to read them for months when everybody else was freakin’ out. I am so not into vampires and werewolves. So I finally borrowed them and ended up reading them all in a week because I couldn’t put them down!
Of course I refuse to read Harry Potter or watch any of the movies because I am not into wizards and such nonense.
So let’s make a deal…you read Twilight and I will read Harry Potter.
It’s true. Someone told me once that law school was like reading War & Peace before breakfast. Each day. I didn’t believe them. I was wrong. Ten years later, I am just now starting to enjoy reading again.
Ok, lets be honest, the HP series is AWESOME! In fact, I also avoided the books and movies, until the 3rd book came out. I was going to have a long flight and needed something quick and easy to read. The X bought me the 3rd book. I gave him a look like.. YOU ARE KIDDING ME.. a kids book, could you be more insulting?
Little did I know, I would become an addict to the books, read them over and over again! Own the movies, and hate them, because they didnt follow the book perfectly. Yet when flipping through chans. on the TV, if I see that any of the movies are on. I must stop and watch.. NO MATTER what is on!
I didnt go to law school, but I found all the years I spent reading for school I lost all desire to read for pleasure. Now that I dont have to read for anyone but myself, I love reading!
As for a series or collection of books. I like Phillipia Gregory serious of King Henry the 8th. I have nearly all the books and you are welcome to borrow them. I never thought in a million years it would pull me in. I am by no means.. into books of that sort. But, wow.. addicting. In about 3 months, I read her 5+ books, along with a few other authors who wrote during that time frame. I was addicted like Harry Potter.
Side note.. perhaps you should have a Harry Potter Party! Get all your friends who are fans, join up, and dress up.. why not.. right? Possibly for Halloween.. :o)
Happy Reading!
~Heather
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When I was about 30, I had to decide between law school or a Ph.D. in English. I chose the latter, and it still took away all my time for reading fun things. I was reading a book a night, but it was usually 18th century satire or 16th century plays, not the novels I wanted to read. The day I took my last exam, I went home and hid under the covers with COSMO.