In a conversation I had with a pastor in the Bellingham area this past week, I had a bit of an unsettling realization. We were talking about books that we are reading and have read recently. I couldn’t come up with anything.
I have never been the type of person doesn’t have an active book they are reading—or three. But that’s where I’m at right now.
Now, that doesn’t mean I’m not constantly reading. I have stacks of articles on linguistics and discourse analysis. I read my GNT everyday. I am engrossed in dozens of commentaries and monographs.
But all that reading applies to one thing: my thesis. I don’t think that I haven’t read something that isn’t biblical language related in at least a year. No systematic theology, no historical theology—except for translating passages from various individuals like Chrysostom—no pastoral theology, no fiction, no biographies … nothing really.
The sad fact, though, is that I can do nothing to remedy the situation. I have not the time or the energy to invest in anything but thesis writing … and of course procrastinating (i.e., blogging).
Once December comes, though, and I’ve finished learning German and finished researching PhD programs, and finished applying for said programs, I’ll sit down and read some fiction, or a biography, or really anything else.
ἐνθύμησις 
Boy, I’m really commenting on your blog a lot today!
I feel the same way. I’ve been in a linguistics rut this summer, trying to complete Wheelock’s, reading in my Homer reading group, studying Old English, now reading through Hosea and doing DSS textual criticism with my professor. I spent a week not reading anything in English. At the end I felt spiritually drained, like I had become a philological robot for the last week.
My remedy is Audible. Audiobooks may not be good for serious theology but there is a lot of good reading available in audio format, especially older public domain works and Great Courses series.
Audible is great. We decided though, that audio books from the library was better because it’s free. The problem is, however, that every bit of free time I would listen to an audio book (while biking to work), I’m listening to Pimsleur’s German course.
You would enjoy Michael and/or Jeff Shaara, I think.
Making a note to pick up a volume in the future!