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| Hearsay: |
A challenge: instead of going out and buying more books you fully-intend-to but are-not-going-to read, why not examine your shelves for ones that slipped through the cracks and feel lonely and neglected. (I know from experience that this exercise can yield pleasant some surprises. I once found a Mars Bar behind a copy of Elizabeth Costello.) I’m sure this strategy won’t help the publishing industry, but it might boost the hospitality services industry with all the extra beer money you’ll have.
As I scanned my shelves, I found I had convincing arguments why I shouldn’t read each one of the orphans — or convincing to me anyway. I rejected a book called “English, August,” by Upamanyu Chatterjee because it is, after all, November. No to “The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists” by Robert Tressell because the book jacket says it’s about “the desperate lives of working people.” No to “The Unconsoled” by Kazuo Ishiguro because I heard it wasn’t nearly as good as “Remains of the Day” or “Never Let Me Go.”
Try it yourself and see how many pitiful excuses you can find for not reading a book you own.
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December 2nd, 2008 at 10:42 am
Great idea! ‘Against the day’ has been staring out at me accusingly for months from my shelves, taunting me about the fact that I just don’t have the stamina. It’s right too.
December 2nd, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Which was more pleasant – reading Elizabeth Costello or eating the Mars Bar?
December 2nd, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Need you ask?
December 2nd, 2008 at 5:32 pm
I’ve been refusing to read Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Eat, Pray, Love” because my mother got it for me after seeing it on Oprah, and because it seems to be the new bible of middle-aged women.
Another budget-book idea: I’m attending a party this weekend that involves a very competitive, somewhat drunken, Yankee-style used book swap. Did it last year and ended up with some good ones!
- Jim
Think blogging is hard? So do I.
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:34 pm
I don’t agree that Eat, Pray, Love falls under the “bible of middle-aged women” category. It’s not even about a middle aged woman.
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Though you undoubtedly savor the rich taste of peanuts smothered in delicious chocolate, I wasn’t sure how you felt about Coetzee. So I just had to ask.