Let me explain. I have friends that when they buy a book, they instantly go to the back and read the last word or the last paragraph. My friend tells me this is her way of ensuring that she will enjoy the book. But for me, the thought of knowing the ending before you ever read the beginning disturbs me just a little.
So, I read the middle. I find out the page count, and go straight to the middle of the book, and read a couple of paragraphs, and sometimes if it captures me a whole page or two. This way I know some of what the book is about, but I haven’t ruined the ending, because for me and for maybe some of you, the ending is the best part. But I like reading the middle. I know I’m holding a gem in my hands as I carry it up to the register to pay for it. The anticipation I feel knowing a little bit more about the characters then what the back page told me carries me home with renewed eagerness to escape into another place or time for at least twelve hours of reading bliss.
Just the thought of finding a book that intrigues me, and adding it to my collection of lovelies has me thinking about leaving the comfort of my home during a snowstorm. Then I can come back home, wrap myself up in a blanket in front of a blazing fire and read until the sun comes up. Hmmm, ten minutes of driving in the cold for a whole night worth of warmth, and pleasure. I think it’s worth it.
So does anyone else have some confessions to make? Are you a middle reader or an end reader? Or do you really just judge a book by its cover.
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I am a random sentence reader...I just flip open the book and read a sentence here, and a sentence there. (I especially like to do this with those cheesy romance novels at the checkout line at the store...I don't ever buy them, but I have read some pretty hilarious lines. HA HA)
ReplyDeleteI actually take the square root of 3/4 of the pages, then up to the nearest prime number and then divide that by pi.
ReplyDeleteIt tends to put me somewhere in the first couple of chapters.
I do all three!! I judge by the cover, middle and end!! But with me, I can re-read a book and still feel anticipation in the end becuase some weird side of me thinks that "maybe, just MAYBE" it's going to end differently! ;) I do the same with movies, I am never sure if Michael J. Fox will make it to the clock tower in time in "Back to the Future" -- it's weird, i know...
ReplyDeleteI actually read the chapter titles, if they peak my interest i start reading from the begining. On the same side though I am known for skipping a chapter just because the chapter title sounded boring.
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