So this week, I wanted to look at a habit of mine that is both helpful and a hindrance. I read a lot of books, and several times, I will be reading more than one book at a time. Usually this means, I start one book, then start another, and possibly a third, before finishing the third, then one of the others I'm part of the way through. Sometimes this works just fine. Other times, I'm not sure how much I remember or where I stopped. (BAD HABIT WARNING: I DON'T USE BOOKMARKS!! BAD JADA!)
Most of the time I have a reason - for instance, needing to switch to read the book club book of the month before the meeting. Or, I buy a new book I've been waiting for, and jump right into it. Or the more likely scenario - I get bored. This isn't always the case. I've done this to books that are very good books. Books I liked when I finished them. So what makes me put the book down? Usually confusion, or the dreaded middle. Everyone knows the middle of books, even good books, can drag a bit. It's the Middle, it's meant to drag. It's the "LORD OF CHAOS" of the book. It's the part of the movie where you go, "if you'd just speak to each other, the movie would be over by now!" It's past the exciting beginning, where you are meeting or greeting characters, and absorbing a setting. It's not the conflict resolution (and usually interesting and quick) ending.
I also have, what I've casually coined, an ADD addictive personality. I don't really have ADD, but my addictive personality means just this: I tend to get obsessed about certain things very easily - and sometimes those "addictions" change rapidly. I think this "addictive personality" is addicted to new books. Doesn't matter if I finish the book. But of course, it does matter. Reading a book means finishing the book, unless I find that impossible. (There have been a few, and it's usually writing style.) But sometimes it's nice to have something "I can't control" to blame for my quirks.
So, does anyone else read more than one book at a time? Or am I the only one?
And, ironically that leads me to the TBR pile. TBR stands for "To Be Read." This is the pile of book that one buys at a bookstore, planning to read, and sit while you finish reading others - because one can buy more books faster than one can read them. Currently I have about 50 books in the pile, but I'm only reading about 3 right now (2 + next month's book club book.) Do you have more books or less? Are you good, and don't buy books until you are need of new things to read? Or do you stock pile in case of an emergency? (Book buying money all taken up by unexpected expenses.)
*For anyone who does not know, the sixth book of the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (finished by Brandon Sanderson). Lord of Chaos is several times quoted as being the longest book of the series (even though it's not), and the hardest to get through.
1 comment:
my TBR consists of a bunch of books i got on sale and havent been bored enough to read. its interesting how owning a book for me will delay the reading process, especially if i have no outside influence pressing on me to read it.
influences include:
library book, so i have to read it and return it.
a friend wants to discuss it with me
everyone else keeps talking about the book and making injokes, so i read it to be in the loop.
borrowed it from someone i'm trying not to piss off so i want to return it in a timely manner.
a movie is coming/came out about it or its part of pop culture lore (warcraft novels)
competition to read it. in any form.
my TBR pile is particularly large since moving in with matt and jackie, of new titles and old ones that i remember from my teen-hood library and would love to curl up with again to relive fond memories.
its weird, but i have this nice fat TBR pile with plenty of books i never read, but lately i've been rereading favorites over and over again. i blame the generaql anxiety in my life, which tends to elevate small misgivings into barriers for action. in this case, i'd rather read something familiar and loved than take a chance on upsetting myself with a bad read. this is probably a metaphor for something. i should talk to the therapist about it /ramble.
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