Books I'm Ashamed to Admit I Haven't Read
There are so many books out there that I'm completely ashamed to admit that I haven't read yet. Certainly there are some classics that as, ahem, an almost English teacher I just pretend to have read, like:
and 
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That's right. I've never read any of these, and frankly, I don't plan to (unless I end up having to teach them), but I can talk about them like I have. If I learned anything while getting my BA in English it was how to talk about shit I haven't actually read. There are actually a few classics I'd love to read, but just never have. I love Pride and Prejudice, for example, and am completely ashamed to admit that it is the only Jane Austen book I've ever actually read.
Then there are the books that every body raves about, that I just don't get. There are a couple of recent books that everybody in the blogsphere seems to adore that I just couldn't get through. Especially these:
Everybody and their mother was, like: These are the best book ever! I tried to read both, twice, and just couldn't get through either one. Of course, there's a feeling of: Is there something wrong with me? Why do I not love these books like all of my friends?
Then there are the books that I really want to read that have been withering away in my TBR pile that I just cannot find the time to read, no matter how badly I want to, like:
This list doesn't even put a dent into the books that I'm embarrassed to admit that I haven't read, but just looking at it makes me sad, so I'm going to stop there. I'm going to go hide now. Are there any books you are ashamed to admit you haven't read yet? I know I can't possibly be alone on this...
Don't feel bad about not reading what everyone else loves. Everyone has different tastes. From your list of books I have read 3. They are: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour. It was just meh for me. If I Stay is awesome (but I think Where She Went is even better!) And Wuthering Heights, but I only read it after watching 3 or 4 versions of the film. I thought what made it a difficult read was the POV used.
ReplyDeleteI know, but sometimes I can't help wonder about my taste when EVERYBODY else loves a book. Lol. I actually own If I Stay; I guess I should bump it up my TBR. I know all about WH. The story just isn't appealing to me. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteFor starters, of course you're not alone! I find that with the classics, in particular, there are so many that I haven't read yet. At least you got through Pride & Prejudice. I haven't even done that one! And then there are the popular contemporary books, which aren't really my thing. I tend to shy away from crying books (i.e. - The Fault in Our Stars & The Book Thief) because I can't handle emotion like that. I think the beauty of reading is that we all can interpret the meaning (or lack thereof) in books in very different ways which will also result in very different reading experiences. This is what I try to remind myself every time I dislike a super popular book, anyway.
ReplyDeleteSo yeah, you're definitely not alone in this!
I tend to stay away from crying books, too. I did read TFiOS...and totally cried...but for the most part, I like happier books. Agreed that reading is so cool because everybody is going to identify with different aspects of a book. Thanks, Nikki!
DeleteI haven't read any of those either and ten of them are on my TBR! So you are definitely not alone.
ReplyDeleteHa ha! I know I'm not, but it is always nice to hear! Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteMy list could top yours…easily. *coughsharrypottercoughs* Meh. Don't feel bad. We can't read them all. :)
ReplyDeleteUm, that does make me feel better, Joy. Lol. I know we can't read them all, but wouldn't it be awesome if we could...at least all the ones we really want to. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteAhhh The Book Thief is on my list too! I really want to read it before the movie comes out but I just somehow can't find the time to start it.
ReplyDeleteAshley @ The Quiet Concert
I really want to read it before the movie, too. Everybody seems to love it. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteThe gifs for this were perfect! We had to read THE SCARLET LETTER when I was in high school. It was okay. It wasn't necessarily my favorite but I did actually read the whole thing, as compared to other classics were were forced to read. It seems like we both have a talent for talking BS about a book we haven't read :) I didn't read ELEANOR & PARK either. It just didn't seem interesting to me...like at all. Sigh, oh well. Oh, and I haven't read Percy Jackson yet either and when I tell people this they are all "OHHH EM GEEE, how have you not read this yet?!?!" I do really like the movies though. And I probably like them just because of Logan Lerman.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I think talking bs is about all I really learned in college. Lol. That and my social security number (have you seen Reality Bites?). Logan Lerman is such an awesome actor. I still need to watch the second PJ movie, but I loved him in Perks of Being a Wallflower. So good.
DeleteHahahaha, are you kidding? THIS is the one thing that drives me straight into depression mode! Wanna know why? You can go to any library in this entire world and I BET you even if I only tried to read every book in there that I really want to read, I would still not be able to finish them all before I die! So, yeah, thinking about all the books I haven't read yet that sound SO good does drive me crazy. It is an awful feeling! I kind of think it is like that thing about the chicken and the egg and which was here first. It is a problem we will never find the solution to! Heck, even looking at my TBR makes me doubt myself sometimes :D As for books I'm missing out on - the Graceling Trilogy which is on my TBR shelf already. But nope, no chance I'm going through three plus 500 pages books right now... :( Same goes for basically every classic out there - I always tell myself I want to read more of them - and I really do - but then I just end up never touching them! I really want to get to Daughter of Smoke and Bone and the sequel, too! Like, really, really badly, because those books are supposed to be beyond amazing! Maybe we could read them together some time? Like a Read-a-Long? Tell me if you're interested :)
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I can give Daughter a third go. I just don't think it's the book for me. Size definitely matters when I'm picking up a book, too. I rarely pick anything over 400 pages up these days. I just don't have the attention span necessary at this point in my life. Thanks for stopping by and letting me know I'm not the only one who stresses over this!
DeleteDude, a large source of daily anxiety for me is my TBR pile. It is the problem of too many choices. Also, I have a shelf just for books I 'really, really want to read.' You think I ever pick a book off of that shelf? Hardly ever. It's like I'm saving them for some super special future time that doesn't exist. Stresssssss.....
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I'm not alone! It is a total case of just too many damn books. My shelves are over-flowing and I cannot stop requesting books from EW and NG. I try to stay away, but it's like my crack. I rarely ever read a book off of my own bookshelf. It's like I believe that there will come a time when I will stop living near a library or stop getting ARCs, but like you said, that future time doesn't exist. And I totally know it! Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteDude, I haven't read Moby Dick or The Scarlet Letter either, though I did enjoy Wuthering Heights. Sorry you didn't like DoSaB...it's one of my favorite series, but I understand your issues with E&P. I just didn't get what all the fuss was about. (Though, I think I rated it fairly high for some weird reason.) If I Stay and Amy & Roger are MUST READS, though. I did them both on audio and they were both fantastic. I still have to read Going Bovine, though...I love Libba Bray, but I just haven't made time for that one. :(
ReplyDeleteI really just don't have any interest in the classics I mentioned. I know exactly how their stories work out and it doesn't interest me in the least. Everyone love DoSaB! I seriously don't know what is wrong with me. Lol. I do plan on reading Amy & Roger. I've heard it's really good. I should see if I can get the audio for Going Bovine. I've been listening to books on my commute. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteI completely understand! Some books just don't catch my interest like others', and of course there is the whole classics thing (the only one of those three I've read is The Scarlet Letter and don't worry, you're not missing anything there). I was just saying on another post that not everyone can connect to everything out there!
ReplyDeleteI know that you can't connect with every book, but I hate it when I don't enjoy what everybody else seems to love. It doesn't, however, bother me at all to love things that my friends hate. Lol. I know all about the Scarlet Letter. I could probably write a paper about it if I had to. Such is the life of a lazy English graduate. Thanks for stopping by!
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