Have you ever picked up a book and struggled to read more than a few pages at a time? Worse have you ever blatantly avoided reading a book? Well, that's where I am with A Gate at the Stairs
. I didn't finish. I can't and won't. Actually, I managed to read three ESPN magazines, a Martha Stewart Living, and two Working Mother magazines all to avoid this book on vacation.I have seen great reviews of this book, it came highly recommended so it seemed an easy choice for me and my over-zealous reading book buddy Whitney. And then came our fated email conversation:
Whitney: How you doing on it? I am halfway through and it's borderline painful.So there you have it. Neither of us finished the book.
Me: I don't think I can keep going... what if I just post about the failed book club book and we let you pick the next book since you clearly choose better than I do!?!
Whitney: Oh phew, I have been wanting to quit too but didn't want to fail you.
How about you? Have you read this book? Do you have a convincing plea that will keep me reading? Or should I add it to my donation pile?
Note: I feel shamed, like a sheepish seventh grader whose sub par book report clearly indicated a lack of understanding of even the main character.
Keep an eye out on my right side bar for the announcement of October's book!
I love this, and I also feel like an embarassed middle schooler. The book just needs to be returned to the library, it is giving me the stink-eye from my dresser, pretending that it will magically become excellent 70% of the way through.
ReplyDeleteThis is how I felt about reading the Hobbit. I got almost to the end, I forced myself to read it poolside everyday after work and it took months. With about 50 pages to go I just decided I didn't like it, I hadn't gotten into it like I thought I would and I didn't want to waste anymore time on it. So it might be a classic, but it just wasn't for me.
ReplyDeleteSo I haven't heard of it, but mayhaps I'll have to give it a chance to weigh in more heavily on this conversation. I've had books like this before, and I've just left them aside for a few weeks and then gone back to them. It worked (sort of). I mean, I finished them? I may not have liked them, but I finished!
ReplyDeleteDon't be ashamed. You're not the 7th grader, you're the teacher and you assigned the book, so you can make an executive decision and unassign it. Beauty of being a grown-up!
ReplyDelete