I have been keeping track of the books that I have read for many years. Eleven years, to be exact. Some of the books are listed on the left sidebar of my blog; the others are listed in the "Books Read" tab.
I read a large variety of books, true crime, mystery, young adult (Harry Potter for example), romance (just not Harlequin, I never got into those), historic fiction, historic non-fiction, and so on. . . . I read a lot about a lot of different things.
I just finished a book, Educated: a memoir, by Tara Westover.
I don't think I have ever been so disturbed by a book in my entire life.
I don't know if I could even recommend it to someone as being a book that they should read.
I have read true crime novels that detailed, in very graphic language, crimes that were committed. . . but even those books did not disturb me as much as this one did.
There are a couple of friends that I have that also like to read and I had told one of them about the book. . . . and when she asked me what disturbed me so much I really could not describe it. The closest I came to being able to explain the effect the book had on me was to say that I did not feel any emotion from the author.
Yes, she wrote that she cried, or felt pain, or anguish. . . . .but the way she wrote, using the words she chose, did not, at least to me, convey that there was any emotions going on it in the background.
It was also disconcerting that no one. . . .not a single person. . . (at least as she has written) ever tried to stop or intervene in what was happening in her family.
In reading this I felt like I was seeing the beginnings of a cult. . . . and you were either in or you were out. . . . and if you were in you could do anything because no one would say anything about it and the story would be told differently so often that no one would ever be able to tell what the "real truth" had been.
Completing the book was never in question; I have made a conscious decision to complete any book that I start no matter how poorly written, boring or nonsensical. If fact, there was a book "Secrets of the Temple" that was about the Federal Reserve and how they control money that took me 5 years to read because the macro- and micro-economics discussed were so dry, boring and hard to get through. But, there were a lot of other books that I read also during that time while I just kept plodding through it.
However, now that I have read it I wish that perhaps I hadn't.
In peace and pieces,
Sherry
This content was originally posted on the quilt blog Books, Hooks, Sticks, etc. (www.bookshookssticksetc.blogspot.com). If you are reading this on any site other than the original or quilterblogs.com it is WITHOUT my permission and the content has been stolen.
I read a large variety of books, true crime, mystery, young adult (Harry Potter for example), romance (just not Harlequin, I never got into those), historic fiction, historic non-fiction, and so on. . . . I read a lot about a lot of different things.
I just finished a book, Educated: a memoir, by Tara Westover.
I don't think I have ever been so disturbed by a book in my entire life.
I don't know if I could even recommend it to someone as being a book that they should read.
I have read true crime novels that detailed, in very graphic language, crimes that were committed. . . but even those books did not disturb me as much as this one did.
There are a couple of friends that I have that also like to read and I had told one of them about the book. . . . and when she asked me what disturbed me so much I really could not describe it. The closest I came to being able to explain the effect the book had on me was to say that I did not feel any emotion from the author.
Yes, she wrote that she cried, or felt pain, or anguish. . . . .but the way she wrote, using the words she chose, did not, at least to me, convey that there was any emotions going on it in the background.
It was also disconcerting that no one. . . .not a single person. . . (at least as she has written) ever tried to stop or intervene in what was happening in her family.
In reading this I felt like I was seeing the beginnings of a cult. . . . and you were either in or you were out. . . . and if you were in you could do anything because no one would say anything about it and the story would be told differently so often that no one would ever be able to tell what the "real truth" had been.
Completing the book was never in question; I have made a conscious decision to complete any book that I start no matter how poorly written, boring or nonsensical. If fact, there was a book "Secrets of the Temple" that was about the Federal Reserve and how they control money that took me 5 years to read because the macro- and micro-economics discussed were so dry, boring and hard to get through. But, there were a lot of other books that I read also during that time while I just kept plodding through it.
However, now that I have read it I wish that perhaps I hadn't.
In peace and pieces,
Sherry
This content was originally posted on the quilt blog Books, Hooks, Sticks, etc. (www.bookshookssticksetc.blogspot.com). If you are reading this on any site other than the original or quilterblogs.com it is WITHOUT my permission and the content has been stolen.
2 comments:
I was taught to always finish a book - whether I wanted to or not. Then I tried to get through a couple that bothered me - and I gave myself permission to never finish one again - unless I wanted to. If you need permission to do the same - you have mine - LOL - ;))
I'm a librarian so, of course, a reader. I have started many books that I simply chose to put away. Perhaps to pick up another time, most likely not. Back when I was teaching and trying to persuade students to read, I told them that it's possible to return a book unread. I didn't give them permission to not read, I simply gave them permission to choose carefully what they would read to the end.
Your post makes my point. By forcing yourself to finish the book, you've become emotionally invested (as we do with most books) in something disturbing. I read The Hajj by Leon Uris that was worse than watching a horror movie. It still haunts me. I should have put it down, but I had enjoyed Exodus another book by the author. Anyway I understand your misgivings. I hope Educated doesn't become your The Hajj.
Post a Comment