Is reading a good book like being in love?
I have just finished the marvellous 'We Have Always Lived in the Castle' by Shirley Jackson. I have written a review of it, if you're interested to see if it's your sort of thing.
It was one of those books that I couldn't wait to find time to read, and when I couldn't be reading about it, I was thinking about it. Isn't that what falling in love is like? Nothing else matters but being with the book, you think about the book all the time, the book fills an emotional need. And is a bad book like a bad relationship; you carry on with it hoping it will get better, and though you are glad when it is finally over, you are still full of regret and disappointment?
Unlike a movie, or a piece of music, or artwork - which is a bit of a flash-bang-thank-you-mam sort of relationship, over in minutes or a couple of hours - the relationship that you have with a book happens over days and weeks and it changes and evolves over that time. You have a series of dates with a book, during which your anticipation or dread will peak and trough.
And your book comes on holiday with you, it comes to bed with you, you keep it in your bag and take it to work, to the Doctor's appointment, it comes visiting family with you. You like having your book with you, don't you, just in case you get a chance to spend some quality time with it.
Anyway, I haven't fallen in love for over 20years, having been with my partner for such time, so maybe I am talking bunkum! I will state however that the relationship that you have with a good book can be a very powerful one.
It was one of those books that I couldn't wait to find time to read, and when I couldn't be reading about it, I was thinking about it. Isn't that what falling in love is like? Nothing else matters but being with the book, you think about the book all the time, the book fills an emotional need. And is a bad book like a bad relationship; you carry on with it hoping it will get better, and though you are glad when it is finally over, you are still full of regret and disappointment?
Unlike a movie, or a piece of music, or artwork - which is a bit of a flash-bang-thank-you-mam sort of relationship, over in minutes or a couple of hours - the relationship that you have with a book happens over days and weeks and it changes and evolves over that time. You have a series of dates with a book, during which your anticipation or dread will peak and trough.
And your book comes on holiday with you, it comes to bed with you, you keep it in your bag and take it to work, to the Doctor's appointment, it comes visiting family with you. You like having your book with you, don't you, just in case you get a chance to spend some quality time with it.
Anyway, I haven't fallen in love for over 20years, having been with my partner for such time, so maybe I am talking bunkum! I will state however that the relationship that you have with a good book can be a very powerful one.
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