On Losing And Regaining Excitement For Books You Didn’t Read Quickly Enough, Or An Ode To N M Kelby
Posted 9th December 2024
Category: Chit-Chat Genres: N/A
1 Comment
I mentioned in my last reading life post that I was working on the idea of soon adding to my reading list books I’d let fall by the way side; I think it would be a bit silly to focus too much on new books and not use the list as an opportunity to read some books I really should have already read.
I know I’m not the only one to have this happen – you acquire a book in whatever way, are very excited about it, and then all often have other books to read first or you decide to wait a bit before reading it, and then because you haven’t capitalised on that initial excitement you lose at least some measure of interest in the idea of reading it. The book is no longer new and shiny. The honeymoon period is over.
(It was quite damning writing that because it made me think of the times I have read a book when it was still exciting and how – as long as the book is at least an average read – it categorically is a better experience to read when the iron is hot.)
So I guess my main question was, can that excitement be regained, reconstructed?
I think it depends on seeing it as a new start, effectively wiping the excitement slate clean, or perhaps alternatively, leaning in to why you were excited originally… so long as your excitement extended beyond ‘new book!’ Certainly you have to let go of any guilt or feelings of burden you might have over not having read the book already. I think the only big issue with achieving this would be if you received the book with an effectively time-limited period in which to read it – say a review copy you didn’t get to (I used to get a fair number of unsolicited books). But it’s not impossible even then.
I’ve a particular book in mind as I write this: N M Kelby’s White Truffles In Winter. I acquired it so long ago I had to check my archives to find out whether I’d bought it or been sent it for review… I got it in August 2013 only three years into blogging and when I was yet to always declare whether I’d purchased or received a book. So I haven’t a clue.
It was so long ago I had it on my (albeit later abandoned) Long Awaited list… in 2019. It was so long ago the author isn’t on social media or to be found online at all – for whatever reason she hasn’t published anything since. (I will avoid making any theories here!)
I remember being taken by the title, cover, and the thought that it might be a perfect choice for Christmas, which I think is understandable. I left it for longer than I’d planned and then found out the title didn’t much reflect the contents; it was simply one of the first of those books with a title that worked as a marketing tactic – oh it did indeed!
I think of it now and then but the magic of before is gone; I wonder if I have to do something else in regards to that loss, perhaps just accept that it’s long gone and just read the book regardless.
I’d like to know from you all: what do you do about books you’ve left unread for too long? Do you get to reading many of them later? If so, how has the experience of reading them been?
Episode 111: Elaine Chiew (The Light Between Us)
Charlie and Elaine Chiew discuss early 20th century Singaporean photography and its influences on Elaine’s novel in depth, which involves looking at social issues and the history of the qipao. We also dive into the time travel aspects and the use of Chinese spirit-mediums.
If you’re unable to use the media player above, this page has various other options for listening as well as the transcript.
1 Comment
December 9, 2024, 6:01 pm
Oh this happens to me a lot! I used to have a whole stack of books I hadn’t read, and now that I’m travelling a lot and reading on my Kindle, it’s even worse. It’s so easy to hit the Buy button and end up with dozens or hundreds of books on my Kindle, but then I scroll through the grainy black-and-white thumbnails and can’t remember why I bought it or even what it’s about! And sometimes, like your experience with White Truffles in Winter, I start reading but don’t feel enthusiastic when I discover what the book’s really about. I don’t have any good strategies for dealing with this, except to remark that sometimes I rediscover a long-neglected book and really enjoy it. So that gives me motivation to try out others from the dusty corners of my Kindle!