Comments | porfinn: Too many damn books

porfinn

Too many damn books

Jul 25, 2009 17:31

BBC believes most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here. How do your reading habits stack up? Instructions: Copy this into your NOTES. Look at the list and put an 'x' after those you have read. Tag other 'Book Nerds'..

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen X
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien X
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte X
4 Harry ( Read more... )

Comments 11

jon_leonard July 26 2009, 03:44:45 UTC

I'm a little surprised at your comment on Animal Farm: It's fairly short, and certainly more readable than 1984. The history that it mocks is pretty bleak, but it's presented with a perversely happier tone. And, of course, if you skip 1984 you won't get Charles Stross's short, "Big Brother Iron".

I seem to have only read 28 out of that list, though.

porfinn July 26 2009, 04:15:54 UTC

I have picked at Animal Farm a couple of times. I can't exactly explain why but it bothers me. I know that it is one of those things that I should read, but I just can't quite stomach it. I haven't had the same reaction to 1984, it just haven't grabbed me, so I end up pushing it around my shelves. Heck, I might have even finished 1984 once upon a time, but sometimes when I am under, what my system considers, intense stress my memory from those times can be swiss-cheesy.

There are many things on that list that I wish I hadn't bothered with. I think twenty-eight is about right. It just was very hot (and humid) today, and I wasn't getting any of my projects done. So I did this silly book list, which is about as useful as reading Catcher in the Rye or some of the Jane Austin and certainly more entertaining, to me at least.

jon_leonard July 26 2009, 06:46:50 UTC

Sounds like Animal Farm just isn't for you, then. If you've picked it up a few times and it didn't grab you, it won't. 1984 almost certainly won't work for you either.

How fortunate that we don't actually have to read all these books that people think are important. (Side note: I do wind up reading a lot of books my wife thinks are important.)

porfinn July 26 2009, 13:58:27 UTC

*chuckle* Your "assigned" reading is good for you. I skipped that part and just read to him the things I wanted him to read.

Oh yes! And most of what people seem to think is important to read isn't really, or doesn't seem to be. These days I would rather be doing than reading, but escaping into a book for a few minutes is a very handy tool that I am grateful to have.

maerdi July 27 2009, 22:46:26 UTC

Our lists are fairly similar, but I'm happy to see some of your amusing comments! I think they might save me from wasting time on a couple of these 'classics' (modern or otherwise). ;)

maerdi July 27 2009, 22:53:02 UTC

p.s. Since our tastes seem quite compatible, I thought I'd let you know that I was pleasantly surprised by Tess of the D’Urbervilles, and I really enjoy Bill Bryson for a lighthearted read. I haven't read Remains of the Day, but I loved Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go, so maybe I'll look into that one, too.

porfinn August 3 2009, 06:21:59 UTC

*chuckle* now I will have to check out Bill Bryson if both you and Jef Mallett like him (whenever I get around to growing up, it seems I want to marry the elementary school janitor)

porfinn July 29 2009, 01:30:42 UTC

Do! Read not. There is no read.

...or something like that. Climb. Dance. Jump. Travel. Read when you are too tired to do anything else, and then only bother with what you actually want to read, not what others think you should.

Or, so says the woman who has probably gotten rid of, easily, two hundred books this year and still has about eight bookshelves to contend with! (and who know how many books over at the other house).

That being said (a sardonic twist on her lips as she typed), I will look into the ones you suggested I might like, being a junkie I always need a new fix.

jcmdev0 July 29 2009, 01:01:30 UTC

I only made 32, which I guess is more than the expected 6. I still haven't been able to finish Ulysses. I think the furthest I've made it through is half way. They should put more science fiction on there and I'd be all set.

porfinn July 29 2009, 01:25:43 UTC

Let's see. You run, bike, climb things. You are doing the grad school thing. What am I missing? You drink beer :). There are infinitely more interesting and important things to be doing than reading books. I wish I had only read thirty two of these turkeys. But when I am stressed out I hide in books. I wish I went running instead.

What amuses me is the two people who have responded to this so far, are admirable because they fill up their time (or so it seems) with stuff I envy them for! My view-askew on this amuses me.

porfinn July 29 2009, 01:41:34 UTC

Correction, three people who have commented. Sorry, Jon (Leonard). I seem to recall you are more of a do-er and less of a reader too.