Over the many years I've been an avid reader and collector of books, I have had a wish that I could read all the classics and be impressed with what I have read; or as impressed as everyone else.
When I was in high school, we were assigned wonderful books such as 'Old Man and the Sea' by Ernest Hemmingway, 'A Patch of Blue' by Elizabeth Kata and 'To Kill A Mockingbird' by Harper Lee. However, I only read one of these book happily. The other two were either the one I chose not to pick or one I just couldn't get into because there was something about it that bothered me; so I put it down.
Since this time of set reading material, I have tried to read these same books again; and succeeded in doing so with Elizabeth Kata's book. It was as touching and wonderful as I remember when I was in high school. When I received Harper Lee's book in the mail, I hesitate - as I did in high school - because of the hype that surrounded this book. The same questions ran through my head: what happened if I don't like it? Will I get further this time than last time? And you know, I read less than I did in high school and felt it was worse than I remembered in the senior classes. I just couldn't get my head around its content and the way it was written. Was it me? Was I the problem? I hoped not.
Actually, it wasn't; and I'm not. I have read some great books that are hated by some of my friends for their own reasons. But on the same token, they've read their own choices of books where I've not liked them at all.
I do wish to like - and love - some genres of books more than others. I'd love to be able to read Mills & Boon novels; however I just feel physically repulsed by them. So, for a little bit of romance, I read their darker, more sullen cousin: Vampire Romance. It's a bite into romance and fantasy... and yet it's a lot of fun!
There's also Thrillers and Mysteries I'd love to be able to read too. However, I'm better off watching the films than reading the books; as I find the books too slow. But, I do love to read sci-fi by particular authors such as Ray Bradbury. His story stories and longer works are just brilliant!
Classics from the turn of the last Century are something that I have to be in the mood for; whether it be 'War of the Worlds' or 'Pride and Prejudice', these are books I really do have to get into a certain frame of mind to be able to read properly. I do enjoy reading anything by Oscar Wilde though; and would read 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' more than once.
Even more modern writers have me wanting to read them. I've been trying to get into John Irving and Jack Kerouac; with disastrous results for the latter author. I had about five of Kerouac's books, tried to read 'On The Road' and it took me eight months! I found his work so slow and boring, I really had to push myself to finish it. After I did, promised myself, I'd never force myself to read another boring book.
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