Thursday, October 16, 2008

Booking Through Thursday


For yet another first, here is my first try at the famous Booking Through Thursday weekly meme. I'm having fun with these weekly posts - it's nice to be a part of the larger book blogging community.

Here's this week's question:

Avid readers know all too well how easy it is to acquire books — it’s the letting go that’s the difficult part. … During the past 20 years, in which books have played a significant role in both my personal and professional lives, I’ve certainly had my fair share of them (and some might say several others’ shares) in my library. Many were read and saved for posterity, others eventually, but still reluctantly, sent back out into the world.

But there is also a category of titles that I’ve clung to for years, as they survived numerous purges, frequent library donations and countless changes of residence. I’ve yet to read them, but am absolutely certain I will. And should. When, I’m not sure, as I’m constantly distracted by the recent, just published and soon to be published works.

So, the question is: “What tomes are waiting patiently on your shelves?

I can't help but laugh at this one. In case you didn't know, I have TOO MANY BOOKS at my house...and because I keep acquiring more, they just keep sitting there, staring at me, waiting for me to finally read them. So which ones have hung around the longest? Well, let's see:

Trans-sister Radio by Chris Bohjalian
- I've read a couple of his books, and they didn't really rock my world (Midwives, anyone?), but for some reason this one sticks around. I can't seem to get rid of it, but can't ever read it, either.

The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy - it's just S O O O O O big. Every time I think about reading it, I have to picture lugging it around in my bag for 2 weeks....my shoulders cry out in protest. And yet, I can't give it away.

A whole plethora of books by Robin Cook - a friend once gave me about 8 of Cook's thrillers - which was great! I love thrillers! Except I save them, to read when I am in a slump, or when I need something easy, or whatever - but then never actually pick them up. And still, I can't pass them off to someone else.

Just a sampling - I know there are a whole lot more that have been sitting there for years, patiently waiting. Maybe someone should start a challenge for Books that I keep Meaning to Read, but Don't....

11 comments:

Traci said...

I have quite a few Robin Cook's lying around, too. I'm actually not even sure if I've read anything by her, so I don't know why I have so many. I think they might've been my mother's at one time and somehow moved with me when I moved out. Of course, that was about 8 houses (and a dozen years) ago, so I obviuosly think I'll read them someday...

Anonymous said...

Actually, I do have a sort of challenge like that, for books you've always wanted to read but haven't yet gotten to! LOL. It's called the Raved-About Reads Challenge. For it, you create (and read) a list of books you've always heard others rave about, and always thought you should read yourself...but put of reading "until later". ;)

Feel free to join in! It's a perpetual/ongoing challenge, so there's no time limit... you just keep working at the list. ;)

MizB

Anonymous said...

I love Robin Cook. I once picked one of his books from the library and i read 4 in a row. But yes, after a certain time they get repetitive. So i make sure i read them in between other books.

SmilingSally said...

I've read several of Robin Cook's books. He writes in a manner that allows the reader to float through a book; not much thinking involved.

Anonymous said...

For me, all of Robin Cook's books are the same, so you can read one of them and say you've read them all.

Katherine said...

The Forsyte Saga is truly awesome. Yes, the size is daunting, and you'll need a larger bag to carry it around in for a while, but reading it is well worth it.

Bonnie said...

I have the same dilemna...TOO MANY BOOKS! I keep acquiring more as there are many more I want to read! My husband tells me we will need a new house to store all of my books soon!LOL!

Joanne ♦ The Book Zombie said...

I passed all my Robin Cook's onto a friend a few years back. I finally came to the conclusion that I would not re-read them so why not let someone else have them. But I still have too, too many books :)

Anonymous said...

Welcome to BTT! I also have WAY too many books sitting unread on my shelves. I couldn't list them out in my BTT post so instead I just posted 10 or so random ones from my shelf. :)

Anonymous said...

Elizabeth, I've only read The Double Bind by Bohjalian, which I really enjoyed. Midwives is on my list. You didn't like it?

Elizabeth said...

Traci, Violet, SmilingSal, BermudaOnion, Book Zombie - for me, Robin Cook, John Grisham, etc. are like cotton candy...the perfect bit of fluff in between heavier things. That's why they end up sticking around so long.

Mizb - See, I knew if I threw that out there, SOMEONE would have a challenge for me. I'm gonna check it out.)

Katherine - That's exactly what I've heard over and over again about the Forsyte Saga. Maybe I'll read it for MizB's challenge. =)

Redlady, Mango - My husband just every so often goes to Target and buys another bookshelf. I'm so lucky he tolerates my addiction!

Shana - it's not so much I didn't like Midwives....I just expected to like it a LOT more. I read another of his (Buffalo Soldiers, I think), and expected to like that one more than I did, too. For some reason I have REALLY high expectations for his books, and they never live up to the hype.