Why does it feel so wrong to put a book on the discard pile (or in the trash) if you don’t want to finish it? No matter how appealing a book looks, or the synopsis on its jacket sounds when you acquire it, sometimes it just isn’t worth your time and energy to read all the way through. The book in the picture was like that for me. Widely acclaimed and made into a movie, it sure did sound intriguing. But it just wasn’t right for me. So full of angst! Maybe it resonated with a lot of women (sadly, in my opinion) but I’m NOT full of angst and didn’t enjoy feeling pulled down with her into the abyss.
One of the things that helped me with the mental transition of being ok to DNF (Did Not Finish) a book is that we have a fabulous used bookstore in town called The Bookworm. Every used paperback in the place is $1.50, every hardcover is $2. It’s kind of like renting books. I’m happy to pay that miniscule price to take books home and have them as long as I want or need them. The young woman who runs that store is so sweet and I want her to succeed so much I just donate all my books back to her. Eat Pray Love is only going into the trash for the photo op. It’s actually resting comfortably in the “Back To the Bookstore” pile.
Not every book is worth reading. Most of that weeding out process happens when you first encounter the volume. I’m pretty big on commitment though. If I bring a book home, we have a fairly serious relationship. It’s taken me 70 years to feel ok about starting to read a book, and then deciding I don’t want to finish it. This is happening more and more often, a practice I wish I’d learned earlier in life. And I’m also learning that there are indeed a handful of books so bad they should be tossed in the trash instead of exposing anyone else to them.
What control! What freedom! Life is good.
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