Booking Through Thursday: Gathering Dust on the Shelf
Okay-here was an interesting article by Christopher Schoppa in the Washington Post.
Avid readers know all too well how easy it is to acquire books - it’s the letting go that’s the difficult part. … During the past 20 years, in which books have played a significant role in both my personal and professional lives, I’ve certainly had my fair share of them (and some might say several others’ shares) in my library. Many were read and saved for posterity, others eventually, but still reluctantly, sent back out into the world.
But there is also a category of titles that I’ve clung to for years, as they survived numerous purges, frequent library donations and countless changes of residence. I’ve yet to read them, but am absolutely certain I will. And should. When, I’m not sure, as I’m constantly distracted by the recent, just published and soon to be published works.
So, the question is this: “What tomes are waiting patiently on your shelves?“
This is a pretty easy question, as there are three books I can think of off the top of my head that have been on my shelf for a long time (these have been on the shelf since 2003), and probably aren't going anywhere anytime soon:
-Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: Actually, I'm hoping to get this one read by the end of the year, as my best friend has insisted I need to read it and read it now. Well, now isn't a good time, but it's on the shortlist.
-Les Miserables by Victor Hugo: I was going to do a group read of this with some friends, and I just never got around to it. In the end, I think it fell through, but I do intend to read it someday. Really. I swear.
-War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy: I got this for Christmas in 2003 (I think), and it's one I'm probably going to finally get around to in the next year or so. My friend Amanda doesn't think I'll be able to read it in a six-month period, and that sounds like a challenge to me. So probably sometime early in 2008, I'm going to try and get her to put a little wager on it, and we'll see who comes out victorious (it'll be me if I have to kill myself doing it!).
What about you? Which books have been sitting on your shelf waiting for a rainy day?