I’m currently sick. It’s not a big deal. I just have a head cold. It’s more of a nuisance, just something that inhibits my sleep a bit (it turns out breathing greatly increases ones ability to sleep). I like to think of Winter head colds as my annual weight-loss program, as I instantly lose my appetite when I’m sick.
Unrelated: do those in climates that don’t really have temperature fluctuations in line with the seasons still get “Winter” illness?
Anyhow, the point of this post. Don’t read books when you are sick. Now, I don’t really believe that nor do I follow it. I’m currently reading an excellent novel by Drew Magary called The Postmortal. But I know the risks involved in reading while sick.
A few years ago I had more than a head cold. Strep throat most likely. It was the worst. I missed multiple days of work. It was miserable. But at least I had my trusty book to read. Only I didn’t finish it completely while I wasn’t feeling well. And I haven’t looked at it since. Because my mind associates that book with that feeling of being sick.
Anybody else have a book ruined by the circumstances of when you were reading it?
The Struggling Writer 
“Rant” by Chuck Palahniuk. I remember sitting in the bath coughing while reading it. With a fever.
You know, now that I think about it, I’m not sure whether that was honestly the last decent book he ever wrote or whether that experience turned me against his writing!
I embarrassingly haven’t read any Palahniuk yet. But yeah, fevers are the worst.
Thanks for commenting!
I don’t get too sick too often whether I’m in cold climate or in the desert. The climate doesn’t matter to me. But if I think about it, I have to say that it wouldn’t ruin my book reading experience to be sick. I read books for entertainment so entertainment is especially helpful when sick. So, that’s why I would have to say reading wouldn’t be ruined by being sick. I also don’t finish a book in one sitting so I think I would be better/recovered by the time I finished reading a book.
I remember reading “The Mysts of Avalon” while sick. What an utterly strange and surreal experience!
I’d imagine you could get some surreal reading experiences if you get a high enough fever.
That’s exactly what is was. A very high fever combined with the subway ride home. Never experienced that before, or afterwards.
Hmm, I’ve never had that issue. For me I can’t read when I’m sick because my clogged up nose seems to be connected to the part of my brain that processes what I’m reading also gets jammed up. Instead, I have to resort to watching reruns of my favorite sitcoms.
Do you know, I reckon it’d be great to read when having a fever… Particularly a strange novel!
As long as you finish it, maybe. Otherwise, for me at least, my brain associates the book with feeling bad.
I have been sick with the stomach virus for four days now and I’m currently glancing at my side table at the books I have been reading. I just can’t get the energy. I’m very upset about it. To answer your question.. yes, oh hell yes. I have movies that I can never watch again for that same reason too.