Gasp! Cheaters, Taboos, and Literary Transgressions
I just broke a major personal taboo: I skipped and skimmed my way through a novel. Gasp! (Those of you with truly exotic piercings and kitchen appliance fetishes are rolling your eyes about now…) I’ve always been a reader, and I’ve felt it part of the Reader’s Code that if you start a book, you finish it. Period.
Skimming a book and then claiming to have “read” it strongly felt like cheating—clearly a transgression. How could I accurately describe exactly how awful a book was if I didn’t slog through the whole damn thing? (Hey, no one ever said that bibliophiles were a logical bunch… )
Tonight, surrounded by fantastic literary options (hooray for online reserves at the library!), I finally decided to screw my personal taboo and just cheat. I skipped about 150 pages of Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger and skimmed the last 100. I do not appear to have missed much. I am also proud to report that the universe has not, in fact, collapsed in on itself and the publishing world and my eighth-grade teacher seem not to have noticed.
So what’s the point? I’ve got two good ones:
1. There are way to many good things in the world to waste your time on the not-so-good. From the things you fill your home with to the things you fill your mind with, there’s almost limitless quality to be found. You’re free to choose the best and leave the rest to rot.
2. Most restrictions and limitations we put on ourselves are self-imposed. Our reasons for not doing what we really want often don’t stand up under scrutiny. It makes sense to keep the ones that benefit us while actively questioning the taboos that just seem to hold us back.
Is there something to be said for persevering through uncomfortable and awful situations? Heck yeah, there is. But those situations had better be well worth while. There’s little point in adding self-imposed commitments to your life just so you can feel like a gold-star student. Some of your taboos may just be more baggage to dump on the path to simplicity.
What are your personal taboos and quirks? Do any of them hold you back? Which ones benefit you? Please feel free to share your ideas in the comments.
Similar Posts:
- My Dirty Blogging Secret
- What’s the Point of Living Simply?
- The Wrath of Meta-Stuff
- The Crux of Confidence: The One Question You Must Be Able to Answer Affirmatively
- Less is More: How to Remove Mental Clutter
This post has 18 comments
October 22nd, 2009
Hi Sara, I used to feel the same way about reading, too…
I studied and then taught literature for a while and not to finish a book, or dare, to skim it, was totally taboo… And then to feel “finished” without reading every single word? Impossible!
But like you, I did eventually get beyond that, and your advice about books totally applies to life, too. Life is short, and not everything is worth our undivided attention… sometimes it’s better to just “skim” along, and keep going! Thanks for sharing this.
Cheers,
Miche
Miche | Serenity Hacker´s last blog ..There Is No Such Place As Stuck
October 22nd, 2009
No. 1 is so well said. I’ll be thinking about that ll day!
October 22nd, 2009
Nice post Sara!
From a slightly different perspective, I believe it is alright to simply have an impression of a literary piece derived from ’skimming’.
There are variables that allow literature to be either enticing, or perhaps a little boring. With this in mind, I think it is definitely ok to skim, or decide not to finish a book.
Persevering through traffic to get home, for example, is a must, although uncomfortable and often time stressful. So I say, “choose your battles.” If putting down a book you find absolutely torturous to endure, then do it.
I really enjoy your blog Sara. Thank you for sharing this post.
Kahnrad´s last blog ..Hang Up the Phone
October 22nd, 2009
Welcome to the skimming club! About a year ago I realized that I can skim a book if it’s not doing it for me. I can even decide to abandon it all together. I’ve tried to get my husband to come over to my side, but he insists on prodding through.
So now that you’ve brought it up, I’m going to have to think hard about other personal taboos I’m holding on to. I’m sure there are others.
Thanks for the delightful post.
Patty – Why Not Start Now?´s last blog ..Dark Magic and the $97 Book
October 22nd, 2009
Have you ever heard of the 50 page rule for reading books? It’s a basic way to keep yourself from joyless reading.
If you are under 50 years of age, you read the first 50 pages, and if uninterested, skip out. If you are over 50, you subtract your age from 100, and the remainder is your page limit.
October 22nd, 2009
It’s good to hear that others feel the same. I always used to toil the the end of a book that I wasn’t enjoying, in the hope that it would get better.
In more recent years, if I’m not enjoying it, I stop reading it and donate to charity- for someone else’s enjoyment.
This year as I am having a Year of Buying Nothing New, therefore my books are from the library or second hand from Goodwill or BetterWorld books, so I don’t feel so bad about not completing the book.
It is my life I am spending when I read a book, so it has to be worthy of the time!
Non Consumer Girl´s last blog ..The Simplicity of Walking……
October 22nd, 2009
I’ve never re-read a book. Ever!
October 22nd, 2009
I just read about someone’s 50 page rule: if they’re not gripped by a novel after the first 50 pages, they put it aside and find something else to read. I think I’m going to adopt that rule.
October 23rd, 2009
I am one of those bibliophiles who cannot bear to skim through a book. Id rather skim through one paragraph on a certain boring page
one thing you missed out: Sometimes skimming through a book is better than waiting to read the whole thing. Once the wait period starts, or a book is too boring, it just lies on the side and doesnt get read at all.
October 23rd, 2009
I skim books all the time.
It isn’t until the 2nd or even 3rd reading, that I really capture every word.
It’s nice. Kind of like re-discovering the book, and new ideas, each time I read it
The Everyday Minimalist´s last blog ..Minimalist Hotels
October 23rd, 2009
I used to feel the same way about books – it felt like cheating if I didn’t finish one. It wasn’t until I started reading a particularly depressing book (where everyone was getting deathly ill) that I said “Enough! Stop reading!” and that’s what I did. It didn’t feel taboo – it felt like I saved however many hours of my life that I would’ve wasted reading something that I thought was awful.
Being a music enthusiast (or audiophile) I purchase lots of CDs and feel guilty when I have ones that I don’t listen to. I started listening to these CDs, and realized what I waste of time it was. If I didn’t like them, I didn’t like them! So I weeded through my collection, sold the ones I could and donated the rest. And now I’m left with the best!
Christine´s last blog ..Items That You No Longer Need or Want – Where Should They Go?
October 24th, 2009
I read to page 37. if I don’t like it by then I start something else. so many good books,,,so little time.
October 26th, 2009
You’re a better person than I am. If I don’t really want to read a whole book, if it’s just not working for me, I simply do not read the book.
Funny that you should mention Her Fearful Symmetry. I waited weeks and finally got it from the library. (I loved Time Traveler’s Wife).
Started it three times and just could not get into it. (Not in the mood for such a death focused theme.)
Of course, to be honest, I accidentally opened to the wrong page and read a major spoiler. That also contributed to me saying: Bye-Bye
As for personal taboos. Hmmm. Lying is a big thing for me. Especially when it comes to family. People who lie…they are verboten in my life. (and lying includes omission)Reminds me of Project Runway’s “one day you’re in, the next day you’re out.”
You can’t trust people who lie and being able to trust someone is essential to a relationship. (Obviously this can’t apply at work, since one is still forced to work with liars.)
As for real “taboos” I can’t even think of any. By the time you reach a certain age in life, you become more flexible simply because it takes more energy to NOT be more flexible. You may have “rules” but they’re not quite as firm and fixed.
But then, one also shapes one’s life (where one can) to better reflect what works and what doesn’t.
I’m really interested to hear about taboos, but so far no one has posted on it.
October 27th, 2009
I’m one for the 50 page rule, though, I can usually make up my mind by page 25. My husband, however, will read every last word… even if its killing him. He also rereads books… over and over again. I can not bring myself to reread a book… there is too much else out there yet to be discovered!
Christine Simiriglia´s last blog ..10 Tips to Improve Your Money Situation
October 27th, 2009
The two points you make are incredibly accurate and apply to everyone and especially those hoping to simplify and reclaim their life from all the ’stuff’ we tend to carry around with us. Thank you for the great post… i will definitely be taking a closer look at my own personal taboos… including never allowing myself to skim through a book… every!
October 29th, 2009
Stella–Yes! I’m not the only one who couldn’t make it through the book. When a major character thinks hanging out in a desk drawer is a great way to pass the time, you know you’re in trouble. I did find it worthwhile to skip to the end to see what happened. Liked The Time Traveller’s Wife *way* better, even with all the annoying baby punk references…
October 30th, 2009
I used to be the same way. I thought I had to soak in each word, but after starting my blog and reviewing books I didn’t have the time to read every word. I started skimming sections that repeated or felt less important. In the end I realized that I really didn’t miss that much. I still got the main message of the book.
It’s funny how we put these self imposed rules on ourselves and forget that we are allowed to break them.
November 5th, 2009
I have gone beyond skimming through the books/movie/articles/music I do not care for, I just leave in middle of it. It feels so free now.
Believe me I love reading, but not every book is worth reading in my simple life.
Zengirl´s last blog ..How to resue leftover halloween candies
Add a comment