On Unusual Reading Habits
My sister Annie is one of the most voracious readers I know. This has always been somewhat surprising to me, given that most of my friends who are heavy readers are also writers, whereas my sister Annie has zero interest in participating in the literary arts.
Annie is also unusual in that when she reads a book, she reads the last chapter first, before she procedes to the front of the book to read the rest. She claims that knowing the ending has never detered her from reading the rest of the book. (Incidently, she also sneaks peaks at Christmas presents before Christmas, and eats the middle of the Oreo before the chocolate cookies.)
I have always admired both my sister's reading habits and her ability to read books her own way. As for me, reading the end of a book is simply against the rules. I don't know if reading the end first would affect my emotional response. But I have too much respect the art of writing suspense to even give it a try. (Or perhaps I'm simply a coward.)
Annie is also unusual in that when she reads a book, she reads the last chapter first, before she procedes to the front of the book to read the rest. She claims that knowing the ending has never detered her from reading the rest of the book. (Incidently, she also sneaks peaks at Christmas presents before Christmas, and eats the middle of the Oreo before the chocolate cookies.)
I have always admired both my sister's reading habits and her ability to read books her own way. As for me, reading the end of a book is simply against the rules. I don't know if reading the end first would affect my emotional response. But I have too much respect the art of writing suspense to even give it a try. (Or perhaps I'm simply a coward.)
Labels: Book Lovers
posted by bigdumbjim at 11:42
3 Comments:
It's not every book, Jim... only those whose suspense is SO GOOD that I have to read the end! It's usually a few chapters in. And I like to do it to see how they GET there.
So, thank you for the Wasp Factory. I read it on the flight home from Christmas. I still believe that Eric doesn't even really exist. I think he's only a manifestation of the psychosis Frank has undergone in her life... What do you think?
*/ me sits back and ponders the Lit Blog... it might just pop up one day. I do have a lot of books to review... :-)
Happy New Year!
Later, dude.
Thanks for clearing that up. I tend to lean on the side of exaggeration when it comes to telling stories about other people. Guess that's why I'm a writer.
Regarding Frank: My recollection of that book is only that it was very macabre, and that I enjoyed the fact that nothing good happened in it.
Oh and you should definitely start that lit blog! You do read a lot. (As is evidenced by the giant stack of paperbacks you gave me sitting on my desk...)
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