Monday, February 8, 2010

Musing Monday...Just Rest Over Here Awhile Little Book...I'll Be Right Back

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post, from Rebecca at Just one more page, is about a random book.

I’ve seen several bloggers mention reading multiple books this week. Do you frequently read more than one book at a time? Do you try to limit this to a certain number? Do you have different books for different purposes/topics?


Well, I would like to say that I only read one book at a time, because it sounds like the adult, mature thing to do. But I can't really. And I don't have the very acceptable excuse of having a book of poetry or essays that I am sort of reading on the side. You are not necessarily meant to read a book of poetry straight through are you? I don't think so. But novels...no, you can't use that excuse, so I just have to admit it.

For me, rather than having a couple of active books, maybe a book on the bedside and a book at work and a book next to my recliner, I tend to have an active book and a couple of inactive, sidelined books. Orphan books if you will.
Have you ever heard the quote, from JFK, that “Victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan.” Well, I feel like that about some of these inactive books. The big, popular best sellers have lots of people but some books are all alone...and I don't want to leave then all alone. So just sit over here, my little sidelined tomes, and I will come back to you.
Soon.
Really...

It may be a book I started and could not get into, or one I just did not feel like reading at the moment when I picked it up. And so it joins the inactive mini-pile. A pile that will be revisited at a near future day. Because, as I recently discussed in a comment on a blog elsewhere, I hate to give up on a book and as long as it is in the 'inactive' pile, I have not given up on it. You are not an orphan, just sort of sent off to boarding school for awhile.

As is true of many a reader of books, of many a person who loves books and has received countless hours of pleasure from reading, I greatly admire the people that have given me those books...the authors. I have said it before, but authors are my rock stars. I can only imagine all the work and love, yes, love that they have poured into their writing and to read a few pages and dismiss the book just seems so wrong. It's like telling someone their baby is ugly.
Granted, there are bad books, poorly written books, out there but usually, I blame myself rather than the book. That I just not in the mood for it at the moment...and so it goes in the inactive pile. That I don't want something so serious...light...real life...fantasy...whatever...at the moment, so I will come back to it. Right after I finish this great book that I am reading.

Really, I will! Really....
Maybe.




16 comments:

  1. I can have up to four books going without confusion: an audio with my kids, a hard book with my kids, an audio for me, a hard book for me. Just to fill in any dead space, you know. The only path I haven't traveled is an audio for my husband and I. After all, we rarely are alone except when sleeping.

    I feel the same way with books. Someone poured their soul into it, so I hate to give up on them. I try really hard to push my way through.

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  2. I can read one book and listen to one book, but that's about it for me.

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  3. I hate to abandon a book too ... which I why I just read one at a time so nothing distracts me from what I'm reading -- no matter how bad it is!!!

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  4. hahaha I feel bad for those poor ugly babies being sent off to boarding school!

    I can understand what you're saying though, I don't really like giving up on a book wither, which is why I have my own mini inactive pile.

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  5. I'm always in a couple of books at a time, but a really good book, one that I just can't put down, will get finished first. Lucky book!

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  6. boarding school books...unpopular stepchildren books...poor things...

    Sandy, four active books might send me off the deep end.

    Kathy...I wish I could grow to love the audio book, I really do.

    jenners, you are right but I am very undisciplined.

    Wacky, you are right. if I get a really great book, the others are put aside and it's all about he great book.

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  7. I've got quite a few on the inactive pile, that I do get to eventually!

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  8. LOL, you sound just like me! I'm trying to rein it in but it's so hard. I mean, all those books, right? Seriously I think I need to give up reading multiple books at a time for Lent or something! :-)

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  9. I pretty much just read one book at a time.

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  10. Nise, so do I...depending on how you define "eventually".

    Marie..the real sacrifice at Lent would to give up all reading! :-0

    Lenore...so do I...sort of.

    Lori, one book...how dull...lol

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  11. I like how you described a book as somebody's baby. I just participated in the Woolf in Winter reading group and had such a struggle reading both of the books I tried--perhaps I owe Ms. Woolf an apology for saying her child is difficult :)

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  12. authors are indeed rockstars. i like your allusions to ugly babies and such.

    it is so appropriate...

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  13. I guess every author thinks their "baby" is the most beautiful in the world. Even when they are not.

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  14. Great post! I can just read one book and listen to one audio.

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  15. I ususally have one main book that I am reading and one piece of ligh fluffy reading that I occasionally pick up and read a few pages or a chapter. Anything beyond that is too much for this old brain.

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