There are times when I want to have read a book without devoting the time and trouble to reading it. Does that make sense? My current example is ‘Stephen Fry in America’. I would like to understand a little bit more about each of the States but instead of imbibing the whole book page by page I want to guzzle it down in one go and only take ten seconds doing so.
Often when I reach this stage with a book – usually about three chapters into it – the volume sits on my bedside table gradually working its way down the pile until it drops off and gets, metaphorically speaking, swept under the carpet. During that period I guess I am hoping that some sort of osmosis will allow the contents to slip into my brain as I sleep.
Another example that I have on the go at the moment is ‘Buried Treasure – Travels through the jewel box’ by Victoria Finlay. I would like to know all the facts it contains but am not sure I can summon up the will to read its 482 pages of small print. Escapist fiction seems a much easier and more sensible option to lull me to sleep so I think this may be another that works its way below Bernard Cornwell’s ‘Sharpe’s Enemy’ and Peter Tremayne’s ‘The Council of the Cursed’....
I know that feeling! There was a report last week, on World Book Day, about the famous volumes people only say they've read. Personally the list of books I've started but failed to finish makes longer reading.
ReplyDelete