Sneaking five minutes to myself in the bath this morning (while my husband dealt with the children's demands) I picked up Ruth Padel's 52 Ways of Looking at a Poem.

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I've had the book for a while and have already read part of it but don't remember if I ever finished it first time around! This is no bad reflection on the book. Once upon a time, I used to read every night and most weekends. But with two young children to look after, reading time is now precious and hard to come by. Not least because by the time I sit down in the evening, I'm usually too exhausted and my brain too tired to take anything in.

I'm also notorious for dipping in and out of poetry anthologies and how to books, unlike many novels, which I've always needed and wanted to read straight through. I don't know if anyone esle finds this, but I think there is a time and a place for most books that require any intellectual consideration/ work from the reader, as opposed to one's light, easy reads. Now seems to be the right point for me to read this, but I guess only time will tell...