Some people are serial readers; they finish one book before they start another. That definitely does not describe me. Tonight I counted 15 books beside my bed that are in various stages of "being read," including just started, pick up from time to time, taking a break from, dip into randomly, very slowly finishing, may never finish, forcing myself to skim for a book group, will probably start over someday. Occasionally, I actually do finish a book and sometimes, very rarely, I read one book straight through, forsaking all others. A few of these "couldn't put it down" books in recent memory include The Kite Runner (a two-night read), Expecting Adam (downed on one airplane flight, crying all the way) and Peace Like a River. Here is my current partial reading list, in no particular order:
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (I thought this was going to be another read-straight-through book, but with about 50 pages left, I haven't been able to muster the courage to finish.)
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys
Captivating by Staci Eldredge
Sinners Welcome by Mary Karr (poetry)
Winter Morning Walks by Ted Kooser (poetry)
Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
Writing to Change the World by Mary Pipher
For the Time Being by Annie Dillard (dipping in for the second time)
Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan
The Impossible Will Take a Little While (essays)
Baby Signs: How to Talk with Your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk
Water for Elephants by Sarah Gruen (I started this book last night and I already know that it will be one of the rare books I read straight through.)
So what does this say about me? High intelligence? Poor attention span? Open minded? Scattered? I have come to terms with the fact that wrong or right, it's just the way I read! So, if there's a book in your pile you think I should add to mine, please let me know. The bigger the pile, the better.
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2 comments:
I used to read serially. I am no longer monogamous. Friends tease me about my multiple books at once. I am glad to find that we are kindred spirits in both how we read and what we read.
Currently going:
The Stuff of Thought by Steven Pinker (will have to go back before I get half-way through)
The Innocent by Harlan Coben (current guilty pleasure book)
Small Wonder by Kingsolver
Captivating
Organize Your Home (ever helpful)
Founding Fathers
Best American Short Stories 2006
May Swenson poetry
I have read Kite Runner, Peace Like a River, Harry Potter, Audacity of Hope, Saving Fish from Drowning, and Water for Elephants. I liked all.
I absolutely need that organizing book! Fan of Swenson, too. I love English majors. :)
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