On the sidebar I’ve listed some books that I’m currently reading. This isn’t quite accurate as I have more books that I’ve started but stopped – not abandoned, as I do want to carry on reading them. I just haven’t got round to it yet. I thought that if I list them here it might give me that little push to start them again or at least put them in line to be read next. These are:
Dead Language, by Peter Rushforth.
I started this ages ago (it was a Christmas present in 2006!). I’d read and enjoyed Pinkerton’s Sister and this was Peter Rushforth’s next novel – he died in 2005 before it was published. I stopped reading it because of its size – it’s too heavy to read in bed and it’s very long.
Author, Author by David Lodge
I bought this at the library sale because I’ve read and enjoyed other books by David Lodge. I was waiting to read this after I’d read The Year of Henry James, David Lodge’s account of writing Author, Author.
W. Somerset Maugham Collection
This is a library book I borrowed after reading The Moon and Sixpence. I’ve started Cakes and Ale. Again the reason I stopped reading is the size and weight of the book. I’ve been able to renew it a few times.
Miss Ranskill Comes Home by Barbara Euphan Todd
I’ve borrowed this from the library after Tara wrote that she’d enjoyed it. I’d just read Todd’s Mr Blossom’s Shop, but I think this will be a bit different. I’ve only read the first few pages. I keep renewing this; fortunately no one else has reserved it. Then again if they had I’d probably have made more of an effort to carry on reading it
The Innocent Man by John Grisham
This is the true story of Ron Williamson who was sentenced to death for a murder he did not commit. Again I’ve only started it but I don’t feel quite in the right frame of mind just now to carry on reading it.
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
I feel really bad about this one, as I’ve read a big chunk of it. I was reading it in bed but the font is so small I was finding it hard to read. So I took it downstairs and then got involved in reading other books. I must put this to the top of the pile to read next.
There are more books I’ve started but I can’t list them now as it’s nearly time for Heroes, which is another reason I’m not reading these books.
BooksPlease 
The Innocent Man by John Grisham is a book I’ve been thinking of buying so when you get around to reading it I’ll be interested to see what you think. Or maybe I can tell you what I think if I buy it first 🙂
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Maybe you really don’t want to read them. :<) And that’s okay. I know that the books I’m not compelled to go to whenever I have a moment, are books I’m probably not that interested in. I’m a big fan of that your age minus 50 is how many pages to give a book a try before quitting. That amount is getting less and less for me. :<)
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I hear you on Heroes…unfortunately, we don’t have cable or satellite and we’ll wait until it comes out on DVD, I guess…or my sister tapes it for us.
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I’m always ‘stalling’ books, so to speak. But then I forget what was happening, or start confusing them with other books I’m reading. I try to stick to one or two books at a time, but sometimes whatever you’re reading isn’t grabbing you.
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Jacquie, I’ve read reviews of The Innocent Man both praising and criticising it – I wonder where you and I will stand.
Nan, you may be right and yet I really wanted to read all these books when I first got them. I’m intrigued by your equation – what happens if you’re under 50 …? :>) When I’m in a bookshop or library if the first page doesn’t appeal the book stays on the shelf!
Unfinished Person (love your name!) Heroes was great last night. I hope you get to see it.
Raych I do just the same. I think my attention span is getting shorter:>)
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Oh, your sidebar disappeared until I clicked on ‘comments’… odd…
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I find that if I put down a book, I never seem to get back to it. And if on the off chance I do, I have to start all over! 🙂
Lezlie
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I have a few like this myself. Started, put down, and not terribly compelled to pick up at the moment. Some of these will be finished, others will eventually go back on the shelf, bookmark still in place. Regarding Nan’s rule, if you’re under 50, then you give it 50 pages is what I’ve read in the past! It’s a good rule, I think, though sometimes I don’t even need that many pages.
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I found your list very comforting, as I sometimes look rather guiltily at the “stalled books” pile. It’s now the size the TBR pile used to be before the book buying compulsion got quite so serious. I stalled on one today, in fact, but since I’ve read about 50 pages since I first thought I might not like it, I think I have given it long enough!
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I tried to delete my mistaken comment but couldn’t. :<) It is 100 minus your age. Duh!! And Tara’s right about if you are younger than 50. These are Nancy Pearl’s words:
“Believe me, nobody is going to get any points in heaven by slogging their way through a book they aren’t enjoying but think they ought to read. I live by what I call ‘the rule of fifty,’ which acknowledges that time is short and the world of books is immense. If you’re fifty years old or younger, give every book about fifty pages before you decide to commit yourself to reading it, or give it up. If you’re over fifty, which is when time gets even shorter, subtract your age from 100. The result is the number of pages you should read before deciding.”
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Simon, that is odd – I can see my sidebar – I hope everyone else can too!
Lezlie, I hate having to re-read a book I’ve started, but sadly this often happens to me.
Tara thanks for the explanation. Isn’t it strange how a book can seem so compelling at first? The right book at the right time seems to be the answer.
Geranium Cat, ah, I’m so glad I’m not the only one!
Nan, now I understand!! Life is too short to waste time reading a book that’s not enjoyable.
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I’ve been dragging the mass market edition of Les Mis with me to work everyday. I read it on the bus. It does take up space in my bookbag, but I’m afraid if I just planned on reading it at home I would never pick it up. I’m working on the Marius section and it is pretty good, but a bit slower than the first two sections. I’m hoping it will pick up again soon, but I plan on just pressing on. It may take me all summer (or longer), but I do want to finish it!! I also have a few languishing books on my night stand. I do want to finish them all, but…I’d really like to read Pinkerton’s Sister by the way, but I’m a bit afraid of it–long and I wonder if I will get all the literary references, and is his writing style hard??
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