Sunday, June 22, 2008

SuNdAY sALon-books that read themselves

The Sunday Salon.com

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This week I finished up The Kite Runner, and I read A Separate Star: Selected Writings of Helen Hunt Jackson. I am almost done with The History of Tractors in Ukrainian, i will finish that today. I also had a book splurge, didn't you know it was national book splurge day!?! Ha, well....no it wasn't but I think it should have been. Maybe I will invent that day. Oh, and I did dandy remodel to my page, come stop by...I think you'll like it. I but in buttons along the top, and switched some things around. But, let's get on to reading, right!?

In reading many books, as I do, I find it interesting that some books for me read themselves and some don't. I know that must sound weird, but I know you will know what I mean in a second. There are books that every time you have a chance you grab, they attract you, they keep you and hold you and you don't want out. There are others that you need to make yourself finish, that you would almost rather wash the dishes instead of read, books that don't have you and do not keep you right there with them. I like to refer to the first type of books as books that read themselves, it is obviously not that they actually read themselves, but that it is so easy to be drawn into them that it seems as though they do.

What about you, do you have books that you feel this way about? Do you know the feeling of putting off a book and folding laundry and watching a brainless show in order to avoid? Maybe this is just me, I know that I am in a world of readers, and maybe I am not as loyal as you all....but I have a feeling some of you, many of you can really relate. To me Kite Runner read itself this week, it was incredible. What is it about a book that makes it a book that reads itself? Is it intrigue, interest in the characters, or what? Which of your recent reads have been captivating enough to you that they have read themselves?


6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I know what you're saying. I had one of those books yesterday--I Have Lived a Thousand Years--and the Kite Runner was like that for me, too. I adore that kind of book.

Thanks for commenting on my blog; I'll add those books to my TBR list.

Anonymous said...

I agree we need a national book splurge day!!:) I loved loved the Kite Runner too. I haven't seen the movie yet though. They are never as good as the book.

bethany (dreadlock girl) said...

smallworld reads- Oh, i will have to try I have Lived a Thousand Years!! Thanks for the recommendation!

tracy- yes, we should! I want to see the movie...I guess I tend to just view them as completely separate works based on the same story. Movies and books to me are both wonderful in their own ways...i really want to see the movie. i understand that many people don't so that they don't ruin their memory of the book, I can understand that too.

Literary Feline said...

I am all in favor of a National Book Splurge Day! Maybe all the bookstores can have major sales to encourage participation.

I do know what you mean about a book reading itself as opposed to a book you have to remind yourself to read. I run into both situations myself.

Karen Harrington said...

I know exactly what you mean about books that read themselves. I love how you articulated that. For me, those are the books I miss after I've read the last page and I know I'll have to read three or four more books before finding another that pulls me in again.

wisteria said...

When I read "Shades of Gray", by Jessica James I experienced the kind of book you talk about.

I felt it read itself and the world stopped for that period of time. I had no control over my mind as I helplessly as if by some magic trick I would relive scenes again and again. I remember daydreaming at traffic lights, in the grocery stores and walking my dogs.

You could say this type of book is alive and you willingly become a part of each page because you can't turn it down.

I totally know what you mean!!