How long would you have to keep a book before you forgot how it ended?

[C.Ann]

I'm sitting here looking at a huge stack of Amish books (fiction) that I've read in the past few weeks - read two more last night - and I'm halfway through another one today.. I have 24 additional ones to read before I order more.. The pickings are getting slim though because I read too fast..

Lots of these books are in series of 3 or more - some are "stand alone".. I also have at least 50 Amish novels (probably more) back at my DD's house that I read last year..

Now I'm trying to figure out what to do with them.. The thought crossed my mind that maybe if I stored them for several years (I have the room at DD's) that I might enjoy re-reading them again in the future - if I could manage to forget how they ended..

Have you ever been successful in keeping a book, reading it again several years later - and not remembering how it ended?

Of course I will keep all of the non-fiction that I'm using for research and will continue to order more (used) as I come across them..

It's always been extremely hard for me to part with books - especially those I really, really enjoy..

Would you keep them - or not?

 

[Angelhalo]

It wouldn't have to be very long for me. My memory stinks! LOL!

 

[minkydog]

Well, apparently not long at all. I recently was reading "The Bolyen Inheritance" and was halfway through the book before I realized I had already read it LAST YEAR. Oh, well. I finished the book and gave it to my mother. She got a good laugh about it--it seems she was the one who had passed it to me in the first place. Sheesh.

 

[Jennasis]

Amish fiction? Is that a real thing? Fascinating.

 

[C.Ann]

Amish fiction? Is that a real thing? Fascinating.

What an odd response..

 

[CajunMomof3]

As a former book hoarder, I would say only keep them if you liked them enough to read them again even knowing the ending. I doubt you will forget the ending- I don't think I have ever totally forgotten the ending... That being said, there are a few books that deserve a second go-round anyway!

Good luck figuring it out!

 

[C.Ann]

That being said, there are a few books that deserve a second go-round anyway!

This is true.. I can't even begin to tell you how many times I have read "Gone With The Wind" and "Scarlett".. Of course I know how they both end, but I think what keeps me interested is that I enjoy experiencing that era of time while I'm reading it..

 

[tinkerbellandeyor]

Reading this thread got me thinking what if we started a book extange book that we own and read we send out to some one else on this thread.

 

[CajunMomof3]

This is true.. I can't even begin to tell you how many times I have read "Gone With The Wind" and "Scarlett".. Of course I know how they both end, but I think what keeps me interested is that I enjoy experiencing that era of time while I'm reading it..

I actually started to put GWTW in my post but decided not to lest I reveal myself as a true romantic! I read it every summer for 6 years straight...

Have you read Rhett Butler's People? Just another chance to be with some of those characters again...

Another series I would put on the keep and reread list would be The Chronicles of Narnia.

 

[Mimi1965]

I would imagine these books are very "G" rated-and as Amish dont travel, dont murder each other (I'm a murder mystery novel buff myself"-what topic can they possibly write about?
I'm really fascinated that there are so many Amish Novels-because I've never seen them at my library-and I go 2x a week.

PS_i've read GWTW about 3 times-its SO much better than the movie!

 

[CajunMomof3]

Reading this thread got me thinking what if we started a book extange book that we own and read we send out to some one else on this thread.

I have never done anything like that, but I would be willing to participate. Of course, I would have to warn everyone that my genre du jour is Time Travel Romance...

 

[CajunMomof3]

PS_i've read GWTW about 3 times-its SO much better than the movie!

Oh, absolutely!
Although, I will have to admit that as a teen I had a quite unhealthy crush on Rhett Butler, I mean Clark Gable, as a result of the movie- LOL!

 

[C.Ann]

I would imagine these books are very "G" rated-and as Amish dont travel, dont murder each other (I'm a murder mystery novel buff myself"-what topic can they possibly write about?
I'm really fascinated that there are so many Amish Novels-because I've never seen them at my library-and I go 2x a week.

PS_i've read GWTW about 3 times-its SO much better than the movie!

Actually there are quite a few Amish mysteries - certain authors favor that style of writing Amish fiction over other topics.. Two authors that come to mind right off the top of my head are Karen Harper and Marta Perry..

And yes - there are even murders, tragedies, kidnappings, travels, etc., in Amish fiction.. There's much more to these books than one might think.. They just leave out the junk that many other authors use simply to fill up the pages.. LOL..

I'm not surprised that you don't see them in your library - because if you've never read them, you wouldn't know what authors to look for..

 

[novajeanjellybean]

I'm a book hoarder. I say keep them.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Do you remember the details of how it gets to the ending?

I don't know.

I read Nancy Drew...but I don't enjoy repeating a book if I haven't read all of them, yet. But since I don't have a memory for details and the "obvious" stuff that points to the bad guy....I have been known to not realize I read a book until I get the the ending. Then I want to kick myself for being a doofus.


My only issue with stocking books for several years--

Is that decluttering experts will tell you that if you haven't used it in a year--chuck it. If it is something cherished but hiding in a box somewhere--is it really something you should be cherishing.

I'd say if you plan on storing them for a long extended period of time, you should be honest with yourself on the likelihood that you will WANT to read them again on the chance that you may not enjoy it once you figure out by page 3 that you remember exactly how it will end. Just something to consider.

I'm a book hoarder. But it is tons of books that I have never read. I have this habit of buying books that seem like they would be a good read, but then I don't read them.

I want to read--I want to like the hobby of reading. But I just read so slow when it comes to books.

I can speed read information packets, brochures, magazines (except for the lengthy feature articles) no problem. Heck, I will sit in a doctor's office and read all the brochures on conditions that I am unlikely (or it is impossible) to get. Just because it is a pamphlet.

But books are kryptonite. I just freeze...remember all that mandatory reading in school...and then it is like a chore. A Nancy Drew novel--that I LOVE...will take me about 2-3 days to read. I think the clock time is about 8-10 hours. It doesn't feel like I am slow--but I am slow.

Sooo---if I keep books I don't read at all...keeping books you have actually read that you like...decluttering experts be darned....just store them in something safe so that the bugs don't get 'em in the summer time.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

What an odd response..

I still think the genre is new to most people (even as popular as it is).

To be honest--I thought kind of the same thing the very first time you posted about it on the DIS. It just didn't seem like something would go over well and be successful.

You have intrigued me--I just haven't hunted them down just yet to add to my collection of books. They sound lovely!

Let me ask you--I'm not ready to introduce my dd to the Twilight world or even the non-vampire teen book world.

I am wondering if this genre/series would be appropriate for a tween to read?

She just began Harry Potter and is on Book two. (she finished the first book in less time that it takes me to read Nancy Drew ).


Are they all romance novels, or do they have other themes?

 

[bumbershoot]

For me, I tend to check out the same things from the library two and three times sometimes, with maybe a year in between. I go through mysteries so fast and because of the way I read I don't tend to retain the story, so I can repeat without a problem up to 3 times, if there's a year or so in between each reading.



Lisa, the Karen Harper books are mysteries... Oh that's funny, Nancy Drew #33 is listed under "amish mystery fiction" on amazon, because there's an amish girl in it... So, see, you've already been reading some of it.

 

[Mimi1965]

This reminds me of something...I get all my movies from the library and there is a series that actually seem to be Amish!

They are produced and directed by Michael Landon's son . The titles all start with "LOve"....like "Love's Unconquered Dream"...."Love's abiding Sorrow".

Maybe they are the movie version of some of the books you read.

 

[Jennasis]

What an odd response..

Odd how? Up until your mention of it here on the DIS I was 100% unaware that there is,apparently, an entire genre of fiction books specifically about the Amish. While I certainly do not spend all my free time scouring Barnes & Noble, DH and I do head there every other month and I can't ever recall seeing the "Amish Fiction" section.

The only Amish based work of fiction I am familiar with is WITNESS, with Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis.

You learn something new every day.

 

[Mrs. Darcy]

Oh it would be hard for me to get rid of a big collection like that, C.Ann. Since Amish has become your specialty, shouldn't you keep them all as part of your Amish library? Even if you don't read them again, you might want to refer back to them for something. And just think, you will have a big collection to someday pass down to someone who would value those books, or even a library and they can call it the C.Ann Collection For Amish Studies! lol No seriously keep them if you haver room!!!