Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Weekly Geeks - Why Haven't I Read This Yet?

I think just about every reader has a least one book that they've been meaning to read for awhile (months or even years) but, for one reason or another, they just haven't gotten around to it. Maybe it's a book a friend recommended last year, or a title you've flirted with in a bookstore on more than one occasion, or maybe it's a book that's sitting right there on your bookshelf, patiently waiting for you to pick it up -- but the thought is always there, in the back of your mind: Why haven't I read this yet?

This week, tell us about a book (or books) you have been meaning to read. What is it? How long have you wanted to read it? And, why haven't you read it yet?

I can think of a lot of books that fall into this category for me and most of them are classics. I have some (I'm sure) wonderful books sitting on my bookshelf (or more accurately, in boxes - we're moving on Monday) that have been loved for generations, but I haven't yet managed to read myself. I was just thinking about this as we were packing up. We're downsizing for the move and many books have landed themselves into the "I've loved it, now let someone else love it pile", then there were these books, the ones that I've had for years, not read, but can't get rid of. They follow me from place to place crying "read me!" but I haven'. Here's a list of some of these books:
1. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce. I fell in love with his book Dubliners and promptly bought this one, 15 years ago and still it sits on my shelf unopened
2. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens - This one has been with me for 17 years now, I've started it 2 or 3 times.
3. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas - I bought this for my original move across Canada, 7 years ago.
4. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe - Bought at the same time as the Three Musketeers
5. Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach - I took this off my parents shelf when I was 15, I turn 34 on my next birthday
6. East of Eden by John Steinbeck - I love, love, love the Grapes of Wrath, so my mom passed on her copy of East of Eden a couple of years back, the good news is this book is getting used this summer, but by my husband, not me - he's raving about it as he goes
All of these books intregue me, enough to keep them around. I will get around to reading them one day.

5 comments:

Missy B. said...

I read Jonathan Livingston Seagull a long time ago. Must not have made an impression on me because I don't remember much of it! :)

BTW this is the first time visiting your blog...I love your header!

Happy Reading!

Anonymous said...

I liked East of Eden a lot better than The Grapes of Wrath. You should definitely read that one!

pussreboots said...

Except for the first one on your list, I've read every single one. The Richard Bach book is my least favorite of the lot. It's fortunately very short.

Marg said...

I haven't read many of these books. I did love East of Eden though!

Stephanie said...

Many of those books are on my TBR list as well. I read A Tale of Two Cities, but did not really enjoy it. I loathed it a bit by the end.