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| I am going to fill this post with awesome Moby Dick jokes. |
Then, when I was about 25% done, one of my book tour dates came up. Okay, Moby Dick, move to the side for a moment. I read the book tour book, and then picked up Moby again.
But then...oh wait! A much-anticipated bestseller just went on sale, and I have an Amazon credit! Just like that, the good ol' white whale takes a backseat while I gobble up another contemporary novel.
This cycle has repeated itself since December. It is now March (OMG), and I still have about a quarter of the novel left to enjoy.
I don't dislike Moby Dick. I mean, it's had some slow (okay, downright boring) parts at times, but overall, I do enjoy reading it. So why can't I just bring myself to finish it?
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| (crazyhyena.com) |
I have usually justified this behavior by saying that I like to "slow read" my classics--really submerge myself in the (often outdated) language and styling, take my time working through it. Plus, the extra brainpower that classic books sometimes require makes me feel like it's okay to interrupt my reading with a quicker, modern novel once in a while.
However, I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and I believe there's more to it than that. Saying I like to "slow read" these tomes makes my constant interruption of them sound almost noble, in some way. But truthfully: I think I'm also just taking them for granted.
Because let's face it: classics aren't going anywhere. No one's going to forget about Moby Dick tomorrow. It's still going to be world-renowned. They're still going to teach it in high school English classes. People are still going to make references to it in casual conversation ("this project at work is my white whale!"). If I don't finish it today, it's okay--because there's a whole world of readers who will still want to talk about it tomorrow.
Newer books, on the other hand, don't have that feeling of longevity. Yes, there are modern classics...but you won't know what books have that kind of staying power until their popularity has been proven in 5, 10, 20 years. So I suppose that's why I feel the need to devour them so quickly. Are people still going to be going gaga over The Girl on the Train in six months? Is anyone going to care if I decide to read/review The Last Lecture this year, since that book is soooo 2008? There's a feeling of immediate relevancy with newer books. They're important today, but they may not be tomorrow.
Plus, sometimes you just have a favorite modern author that you know you want to keep up with. Jodi Picoult, Stephen King, Jon Krakauer, etc are still publishing books, and I know I want to read them. ALL OF THEM! So I put down Moby Dick in favor of these new releases, because Melville's bibliography ain't goin' nowhere. No keeping up for me to do there.
I feel guilty admitting that. But 'tis the truth. I love the classics, I really do--but sometimes I just can't resist reading the Next Big Thing. Especially when it's by an author that I know and love. There are only so many books I can read in my little lifetime, and it's HARD to prioritize sometimes. #readerproblems
What say you, readers? Do you often interrupt your reading of classic novels in order to tackle some newer material? Or are you faithful to reading one book at a time, new stuff be damned?
Like you, I tend to read classics more slowly because the language takes getting used to, but I also think my attention span is not what it used to be...especially with the whole book blogging thing, I seem to be more focused on the latest rather than the greatest.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading Moby Dick so vividly in all of three weeks sometime in the early 2000s and I just immersed myself in that book and loved it so much (even the boring parts). Now, I just don't think I have the energy or the focus.
Yeah, it's tough, because when I do pick up MD, I find myself getting immersed rather quickly (even in the "boring" parts). But as you said, my attention wanders. Part of me just really wants to push myself to read the last part with no interruptions, so that I can appreciate it a little bit more.
DeleteEverything you said is pretty much why I haven't read a classic in 2 years! And, sometimes they are boring! I'd rather just read something I'm excited about and interested in. But, I am planning to reread To Kill A Mockingbird this summer in prep for Harper Lee's new one.
ReplyDeleteAh, To Kill A Mockingbird is a pretty great one though. And especially as a reread...you already know what greatness you're jumping into! :)
DeleteI think that's a great way of thinking about it, and maybe why I just don't pick many up? I know many of them are great, but...but something keeps pushing me toward everything else I'm enjoying so much more right in the moment.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. It's so hard to turn down all the great new stuff coming out...this year especially, I feel like I have been tempted by SO many new releases!
DeleteKelly, I certainly have not picked up a "classic" in awhile; the last one I re-read was Anna Karenina, but I read it straight through without stopping for a break. Fortunately, I really like that one! I know I read all of these as a young adult and, to be honest, I really don't have much interest in reading most of them again. I get waaaaay too distracted by the new (shiny! pretty covers!) books that are everywhere! Kudos to you for sticking with it; I'm impressed by your willingness to tackle this one again!
ReplyDeleteGood for you on Anna Karenina! That's a lengthy one for sure, though I read it about 7 years ago and do remember enjoying it.
DeleteI had to read this post twice...first for the jokes and then for the text.
ReplyDeleteI can't say I've been tempted to re-read Moby Dick, but there are a number of classics I want to read but I've let them totally intimidate me. Perhaps I should just adopt the slow read model?
Glad you enjoyed the jokes ;) The slow read model is good, as long as you don't get as stuck as I do! haha.
DeletePsssh, no shame! I am also less likely to read a classic if something new and shiny comes up -- cause you're totally right, it's not like the classics are going anywhere! It's not like I'm going to forget about them if I don't have them on my TBR list.
ReplyDeleteI'm the most likely to read a classic as part of a readalong, honestly. It's funner if other bloggers are doing it too!
Good idea re: the readalongs! I often see them and don't join in, but that would likely be the best push for me to finish them in a reasonable amount of time.
DeleteI totally feel you, this is me too. I have never been a fast reader in the first place, and tend to enjoy the slowness of it, but I am extra slow with classics. I think they're just so much more to take in and just has such a different pace than usual. No shame though! Plus, Moby Dick is a long book!
ReplyDeleteYes, much more to take in! Usually much denser text, and also more convoluted meanings, so I have to think a bit harder.
DeleteOh gosh, I could have written every word, right down to using Moby Dick as the example! I feel ya on every single point you made. I wonder if it'd be easier to get through a classic when on a super relaxing vacation. An unplugged one, even...
ReplyDeleteHmmm good idea on the vacation. I read the last half of Anna Karenina on a vacation once, and it was nice because I had nothing else going on to distract me!
DeleteIt's been a long time since I've read a classic novel, but I do read them slow when I do read them, although maybe not as slow as you. I think I read in large chunks of time and usually one book at a time, so for me, it might be over a few days rather than a few months. As for interrupting my reading of classic novels in order to tackle some newer material, I rarely read (with a few notable exceptions) newer material. Most of it just doesn't interest me. I often read older books (not necessarily classics but at least a year old) one book at a time and the new stuff is damned (at least in my eyes).
ReplyDeleteGood for you, shunning the new stuff!! :) I do get in moods where I only want to read backlist--there's just so much to choose from. Last year was a very backlist year for me, and I enjoyed that. For whatever reason, I'm more drawn to the new, buzzy books this year, so I suppose that's made it even harder for me to stay on task with a classic.
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