Bedtime Reading | Arts & Culture| Smithsonian Magazine

You can stick with your favorite authors, of course, but even there you must pick and choose. Charles Dickens is too dense for bedtime reading. John Updike is ... JournalofArnoldBennett WikimediaCommons Severalyearsago,Istartedtakingabooktobedeverynight.ItwasonlyamatteroftimebeforeIcouldn'tgotosleepwithoutone.ButIdiscoveredearlyonthatnotanyoldbookwilldo. Badandboringbooksareout,obviously,aswellasopinionatedtomeswithirritatingattitudes.Whygotobedwithabookyoudon'tlike?Youcanstickwithyourfavoriteauthors,ofcourse,buteventhereyoumustpickandchoose.CharlesDickensistoodenseforbedtimereading.JohnUpdikeistoodemanding,andRaymondCarvertoosad. Atfirst,Iwasshamelesslypromiscuous,pickingupabookhere,abookthere.Butafterafewone-nightstandswithJayMcInerneyandDavidFosterWallace,nottomentionabriefflingwithJohnGrisham,Ibegantoyearnforstabilityandcommitment.IwantedabookIcoulddependon,onethatwouldlast.Ifinallyfounditathome,justwaitingtobediscoveredinaback-hallbookcase.ItwastheJournalofArnoldBennett. Exciting?Ofcoursenot.It'seasy,episodic,entertaining,richindetail;abookthatcanbepickeduporputdownatanypoint.MargaretDrabble,whowroteabiographyofBennett,describedhimassomeonewhowouldbeanidealfriend,andreadinghisjournal,youfeelthat.Youlikehim,youenjoyhiscompany.Andthejournal(1,030pagesinitsabridgedversion)isalwaysthere,readytooblige. Itbeginsin1896whenBennettwasayoungmaninLondon,anassistanteditorwithliteraryambitions,andendsin1928,threeyearsbeforehisdeath,whenhewasoneofthemostsuccessfulauthorsofhistime.Workisathemethatrunsthroughout.In1896,herecordedaconversationwithamanwhowonderedwhetherheorBennettwasthemoreenergetic."Igetupatsix,gooutforawalk...."Hisprogramcontinued,alternatingworkandexercise,until11p.m."Well,"Bennettsaid,"that'sverygoodindeed.Howlonghaveyoubeendoingthat?""Oh!"theothermansaid."I'mgoingtostartinthemorning!" Andthis,in1928."Terrificday.ThebestIhavedoneforyears.Nearly5000words.IdinedattheSavoy.Themillionaireownerofanumberofnewspaperscameuptome....HesaidhewantedsomereallygoodstufffornewspaperX.IsaidIhadtoomuchtodo.HesaidheworkedharderthanIdid.Isaid:'Youdon't!''Don't?'saidhe.'Don't,'saidI....Igazedathim.Hiseyefell." Bennettwritesabouttravel,books,literarylife,goodtimesandbad,friendsunknownandfamous.Hedescribesthefatwomanhesawatarestaurant,whowastheinspirationforhismasterpiece,TheOldWives'Tale.Heexplainstheinnerworkingsofluxuryhotels,oceanlinersandplayproduction.Thereisnoshortageofwonderfullittlemoments. Liketheonein1917,whenBennettmet,atadinnerparty,"theultra-blondeDanishdancerKarinaandherhusbandCaptainJanssen....KarinaranoverJansseninherautoandbrokebothhislegs,andthenmarriedhim.HelooksafterKarinasocompletelythatheevencutsoutleatherforhershoes.Sheisveryprettyandagreeable.Isatnexttoherandenjoyedit." Bennettwashimselfabedtimereader.AnentrydatedMay23,1926,onDreiser'sAnAmericanTragedy:"Themerewritingissimplybloody—careless,clumsy,terrible.Butthereispower,andheholdsyou....Thebookquitewokemeuplastnight,justasIwasgoingofftosleep." Attheendofmanyayearheaddsuphiswork.OnDecember31,1907,forinstance,thelistincludedtwocowrittennovels,sevenshortstoriesandthe"firstpartofTheOldWives'Tale.About46newspaperarticles.Andmyjournal.Alsomyplay,CupidandCommonSense,andscenarioofanewhumorousnovel....Grandtotal:375,000words." Justreadingsuchalistproducesawarmfeelingofgentleweariness.Goodnight,Arnold. Books RecommendedVideos PostaComment MostPopular This17-Year-OldDesignedaMotorThatCouldPotentiallyTransformtheElectricCarIndustry The80-YearMysteryofL-8,theU.S.Navy's'GhostBlimp' TheIncredibleStoryoftheIcebergThatSanktheTitanic WhyAretheCapitolStonesinRockCreekPark? WhyWasBenjaminFranklin’sBasementFilledWithSkeletons?