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4.0 out of 5 stars
She reminds me what I love most about reading!, Jul 18 2004
It's not that I thought I was the only one, but when people ask me why I have so many books that I haven't read, then I buy more, I answer, "I'm saving them." They scratch their heads in confusion, not understanding why I have so many books in the first place. They just don't get it. But, Sara gets it.Sara Nelson has been an editor and a reporter who has a library the size of my room. She is also a voracious reader. She looks for books that fit her "mood." She wanders around her library in her nightgown knowing exactly where every book is. (Like I do.) She talks about how she wasn't always that way. She used to go to the "Multiplex" and go dancing. "So when did my life change? Looking back, I can see the early warning signs of readaholism, like when my mother gave me Marjorie Morningstar when I was thirteen and I pulled an all-nighter reading--and weeping over--the Herman Wouk novel." (Mine was around the same time, but not as grown up. Judy Blume's "Are you there God, it's me Margaret?" Doomed to turn any outdoor loving girl into an indoor one.) Basically, she decided to read a book a week, and write how she felt about it. Now, this is not a book full of lists (which to me, is not a fun book to read, but more to make notes from.) This is a book that takes what she reads and she connects it to personal experience. She read books about baseball when her son was interested in baseball. She read books about Japanese Americans during WWII (because her husband is.) It makes so much sense. When I was in a bad place in a past relationship, I bought relationship books. When I was single, I bought single girl empowerment books. Now that I just want to enjoy books, I buy literature and chick-lit. Sometimes, we want to read what we know, or what we are experiencing at the time. She talks about books that are overhyped, ones that really are not that great, but people talk about how great they are, and everyone wants to read them. The book is like a celebrity: the more exposure it has, the more famous it gets, no matter how much talent is there. She talked about how when you are an adult, it's ok to STOP reading if you aren't into it. (I recently received similar advice from another reviewer who said that her mom told her she should read to her age, and stop if you don't enjoy it.) Does that work with me? If the book is really bad, which doesn't happen that often, I have stopped. But, sometimes I trudge through, hoping it will get better. But, why waste your time with something you don't enjoy? Were we taught that we had to finish the whole thing, because in school, we read it whether we liked it or not? Maybe you can try it a few years later. I got to chapter 13 in Brave New World when I was in the 12th grade. I couldn't finish. I was done. I faked my tests, and somehow made it through. 10 years later, I tried it again, and finished it. Not only did I finish it, I enjoyed it. Basically, there is a lot more to this book than "Read this, don't read that." She digs deeper, and inspires me to read some more! I hope that she writes about a 2nd year of passionate reading. I will be sure to pick it up.
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