Technique for Prolonging a Great Book

[NJCher]

They're so rarely found--those books that are totally engrossing and difficult to put down. The kind one thinks about all day and looks forward to reading after a nice, relaxing evening shower. And when that sort of book finally comes around, the reading of it is bittersweet--because all good things must come to an end.

How to prolong this great read? I have discovered a technique. Here it is:

Arriving at the last chapter, stop. Go back to the beginning and re-read. Since there's no knowledge of how the book will end, there's still the pleasure of anticipating how the book will end.

Reading the book twice surprised me. This time around I found details that I had glossed over or forgotten the first time. In addition, now that I had a fuller sense of the protagonist, there were descriptions and detail about him that I could appreciate even more than the first time around.


Cher

[rogue_bandit]

1. Awfully difficult...

I don't know if I could do it, but it does seem like a great idea. I'll give it a shot next time I find myself up at 4pm after six hours of straight reading :)

[Hamlette]

2. won't work for those of us who read the last chapter first. . .

or am I the only "can't wait" type here?

[Richardo]

3. Witch! Witch!

I'll NEVER understand why anyone would read the last chapter first. :shrug: It is literally incomprehensible to me.

I even cover up the last sentence or paragraph in a chapter, so I don;t accidentally read it, if I think it's going to spring a surprise on me.

[Hamlette]

4. lol....yeah, sick I know

but I have several excellent excuses: mostly I have read so many plot driven books that turned into disappointments. I think I read more for style rather than plot. I also read more nonfiction than fiction and I already know the ending there.

I also love it whan I tune into a movie half way through and watch it to see if I can figure out what happened in the first half.

I'm also afraid of heights but not because I'm afraid I'll fall, I'm afraid I'll jump.

there. You know all my dirty secrets.