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’....
