Read it or Weep

To Read Or Not To Read August 8, 2008

Regardless of how a book comes into my life, I am always hopeful and excited when I open it. Will I like the book? If I don’t immediately, how long should I stay with it? The answer to this question varies by person. It’s always interesting to find out how other readers answer this question. As Donna confessed in an earlier posting, she always reads the ending first, to see if it has a happy ending. Another reader that I know reads the first 100 pages of a book before she decides to continue or stop. I have also heard of people reading just the first page or two before deciding whether to continue. I have to admit that sometimes that person is me. Most of the time I will stick with a new book for about two chapters. When quitting a book early I always run the risk of missing out on a great read. My best example of this is my first attempt to read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I couldn’t get into it, so I stopped. My good friend, Sharon, a former English teacher, admonished me a year later to try again. I did try again and needless to say, it blew me away. How had I almost missed this experience? After that, I realized I needed not to judge a book too quickly.

This summer I picked up The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen because I had enjoyed her first book, Garden Spells. The first chapter was a little strange but thank goodness I stayed with it because I loved it!

The next book I picked up was America, America by Ethan Canin. This book had me from the first page. The focus is on families and politics during the Nixon Era and the present time. It was such a thrill to love this story right from the start. I wish every book made my decision this easy. Whatever your personal barometer or formula for choosing a book, be willing to try a different approach. You just might find a treasure.

─Janet