This kind of thing can happen to any reader and I admit that this is not the first time it's happened to me. It's rare that I give up on a book but I couldn't take her braggadocious personality and frankly, it seemed like she was the villain in her own life story. The last time I wanted to take a book and stomp on it, I was reading Margaret George's Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles which is over eight hundred pages long. I loved her other historical fiction and this one seemed like the perfect pick for a long Thanksgiving weekend with plenty (maybe a little too much) of family time and no television. There again, the main character made me so angry I couldn't finish the book. I kept thinking, "Mary, you're a queen, please take some initiative in your life and stop letting everyone trick you into stupid, nefarious plots!" Over five hundred pages in, I just couldn't empathize with this character and that was it. I was so frustrated with her inexplicable, self-destructive behavior that I had to let her go.
There is no shame in returning books and admitting that you had to move on from one because it had bogged you down. Like many things that can't be changed in life, just let it go. I returned Babe and a few other books that I felt had contributed to my slump. As soon as those books hit the bottom of the bin, I felt better. My mind was clear, my brain was hungry, a burden had been lifted from my shoulders and I was ready to move on. Now I have some books on my pile (and many more waiting for me) that fill me with the buzz of anticipation that I associate with the reading experience. Last night I started Reached by Ally Condie. This is the last book in an excellent trilogy which is comparable to the Hunger Games. This author spends more time developing the personal relationships of the characters and there aren't a bunch of kids killing each other off. It's a welcome break from Babe. Patiently waiting their turn are a few other books that have nothing to do with sports. First is Ellen Baker's Keeping the House because it's about Wisconsin and looks like a good match for my upcoming Thanksgiving read-a-thon. The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin is appealing because the setting is in the Pacific Northwest and I get a little homesick during the holidays. Also on stand-by is Millennium People by Ballard. I loved Empire of the Sun (book and movie) and am intrigued when an author comes out with something new after a long hiatus. Underneath Ballard is an annotated Pride and Prejudice. I adore Jane Austen and usually revisit at least one of her books every year. Recently I read a glowing review for Tina Fey's Bossypants on audio which inspired me to get that for the long car ride "up north". I hope it lives up to its hype.
Holiday time is upon us. The parades start next week. The decorations are draped all over the stores. Black Friday advertisements are everywhere. We must shop, bake, wrap, visit, clean for parties and write out cards. Don't forget to take a break from the madness and soothe your brain with a good book or book on CD. Believe me, you can't gear up for the holidays if start them out in a slump.
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