Have you ever read pretty far into a book and then decided you couldn't bear to continue?
I've done that. Three times in a row, in fact.
Sometimes it's the author's style or tone that puts me off (Too many adverbs. Too many asides. Too many SAT words crammed together...what was she trying to prove?) Sometimes it's the subject matter that, despite my reading more than half of the 200 pages was too dreary or so-not-me (Sorry Francis Chan, two times over)
Once it was sheer number of typos that caused me to put a book aside in disgust. By the time I'd read the intro and the first page, I'd found 3. That's the danger of self-publishing, I guess.
It took me a while to let myself off the hook about finishing books I simply do not care to finish (I used to muscle through, no matter what). But still, three in a row (and the one I've just picked up may become the fourth) is a bit excessive. I've got to find something that I can finish before I give up on reading all together!
OK so maybe that was a little dramatic. Fat chance, me not reading. But still. It's kind of frustrating! Of course, I'm sure some of the dissatisfaction I'm finding with my book choices probably has something to do with my general angst as of late. Angst, though, has usually made me more likely to read and enjoy reading (a favorite escapism technique of mine). So this is new territory. It's not like I don't have a billion titles to choose from on my shelves. And then there's no small amount of books (22) from the library sitting at my house (I know. I know.) You'd think I could come up with something tolerable.
Alas.
Do me a favor? Recommend something GREAT to read! I need your help!
Well, it may or may not be something you're interested in, but right now I'm reading Boy Racer by Mark Cavendish and really enjoying it. He's a professional cyclist and an amazing sprinter (his nickname is the Manx Missile), but a bit controversal at times. It is part auto-biography, part insight into his experiences in the 2008 Tour de France, stage by stage.
ReplyDeleteIt would at least be very different from the books you've given up on!
haha, I must be a freak. I LOVE finding errors in published books. Whether it's inconsistency in the details in the plot or typos or bad grammar.
ReplyDeleteI am on a huge Henri Nouwen kick right now. Life of the Beloved or even better- The Only Necessary Thing- both are super fantastic. I'm also reading The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning- great thoughts, not as easy a read....
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