Sunday, August 29, 2010

This book is taking too long.

I've been working on reading FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS for quite a few days now. I found it at the used bookstore and decided I had to have it. I always try to push myself to read more nonfiction than I naturally would and this is a book that inspired the second-best television show in the world, so of course I added it to my pile. Bonus points if you tell me in the comments what the best television show is.

And let me tell you, as much as I'm enjoying this book (especially seeing what parts of the book and the people in the book translated to the television show), it's incredibly slow reading. I know a week doesn't seem very long, but I'm hardly a third of the way through the book at this point and whenever I sit down to read I only get a few pages finished before I set it down again. It's not that the book is difficult to read or the sort of thing (like some nonfiction books) that you really have to think about and digest.

The book is slow, but mostly, I think, because after over a hundred pages (well past the 50 page mark) it still hasn't captivated me. The book explores the history of Odessa and their football team, going into the stories of the different players, the football obsession of the town, and issues of race that the town and high school face. It's definitely interesting stuff and I'm going to finish the book, but I have so many other books calling to me right now (not to mention my readings for school) that I'm actually putting this one on hold for a while. Until I really have some time that I can and want to dedicate to it.

My question for you: do you ever start reading a book only to save it for later if it's taking too long to read?

6 comments:

  1. I do that all the time! But quite often I never come back to it...

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  2. I tried reading that one...I didn't even get 100 pages in.
    I think that you have to be in the right mood for books. Recently I had to put down the second Stieg Larson book and Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta, both books that people really like, but I just wasn't ready to read them.
    Alison Can Read

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  3. Get Smart, of course.

    I got halfway through Anna Karenina, reached a looong discussion of the future of Russian agriculture, and put a bookmark in. It's been a year and I haven't touched it. But I will finish it... eventually.

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  4. haha I've been a follower for too long.

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  5. "I'm a grownup and I can read whatever I want. I can finish the books I want to finish and I can put down the books I want to put down."

    Copy and paste this on your desktop! :-)

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