Managing expectations

Halfway into my first Sarah Waters -- and loving it and savoring the experience. A year ago, I don't think I had heard of her, but after reading one rave blog review after another, my interest was piqued.

Of course her 2009 Booker shortlisted The Little Stranger was on everyone's lips at the time.

At the same time, I discovered some discussion about the best order to read Sarah Waters' books in. It's not something I'd normally think about, unless the book is part of a series.

But people seemed to be suggesting that starting with Waters' first book and then working oneself up to the crescendo of Fingersmith seemed to be the best way of doing it. Otherwise there was a chance that high expectations would not be satisfied.

I don't usually have a problem with misplaced expectations involving books. This seems to be a big issue for some, and I hear these words mentioned with some frequency: 'It failed to live up to my expectations.'

This is a shame, but I suppose, in some cases, can't be helped. Or can it? Can expectations be kept to a manageable level to avoid disappointment?

Maybe this is partly why I tend to avoid reading brand spanking new books, so I can forget what people have said about them and go into them with a fresh mind. And I do try to limit the number of reviews I read about a book until after I've read it and reviewed it myself.

In other news:

I've got to get my head around writing about David Sedaris' audio narration of his essay collection Naked (excellent, by the way), and try to sum up what I loved so much about Swedish vampire novel Let the Right One In (it's been a while now since I read it).

I've also got two knitting projects on the go, and I feel a sudden chill in the air that spells autumn, long johns, wool blankets, and long evenings with a good book.

Do you feel a change in the season? Does it change your routine at all?