Let's just call this what it is
Back in July, when I took a trip to visit some blogging buddies, I packed a few books to bring with me. One of those books was Six Easy Pieces: Essentials of Physics Explained by its Most Brilliant Teacher. On that trip, someone made some sort of comment about me being so smart and how they would never even pick up such a book, let alone be able to read it.
When I went to bed that first night (In Boomama's nicely appointed guest room - don't let her fool you, she keeps a lovely house) I thought I might get a little reading in. And I selected SEP from my pile.
I can't even imagine I got myself through five pages.
I put the book down, turned my attention to one of the magazines on the bedside table, and familiarized myself with all things Hollywood.
See, I was too frustrated to keep reading SEP. I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT!
Fast forward to this weekend. SEP, again, made the trip with me. I told the ladies I had about 35 more pages left in the book, and I really wanted to get it finished. Elisabeth said to me, "well that should only take about ten minutes."
Oh, my dear Elisabeth. No. No. No. No. NO!
S.T.R.U.G.G.L.I.N.G. through the next twenty pages, I put the book down after about a half hour of reading.
But, again, the ladies made comments about how smart I must be. How they could never read that stuff. One even went so far as to pick up the book and read a random sentence to the group. Much gasping followed because, OF COURSE, it made absolutely no sense.
I tried to tell them that I didn't understand a word of what I was reading. Kristy said "I've seen your reading list. You are very well read."
To which I replied, "BUT I HAVEN'T READ MOST OF THOSE BOOKS!"
"Oh, I've seen the books you've read," she said.
And I'm thinking Five Star Families? That was completely lame!
But there is no convincing folks. You pick up a book like that and, regardless of your ability to understand what you are reading, people will think you are smart.
So I would just like to state, for the record, that THAT IS NOT WHY I AM READING. In fact, six pages from the end of the book, I almost put it down, never to pick it up again. I kept thinking about how ridiculous it was to keep running my eyes over those words when I wasn't understanding anything I read... I was even MOUTHING the words, and furrowing my brow... but I just didn't understand!
I fought the urge to quit. (And when I finished the book, I promptly threw it on the floor in disgust.) I did not finish it because I am so smart or hungry for knowledge. Let me tell you why I finished that book:
P.R.I.D.E.
I am reading twleve books this year if it kills me.
(And it very nearly has...)
When I went to bed that first night (In Boomama's nicely appointed guest room - don't let her fool you, she keeps a lovely house) I thought I might get a little reading in. And I selected SEP from my pile.
I can't even imagine I got myself through five pages.
I put the book down, turned my attention to one of the magazines on the bedside table, and familiarized myself with all things Hollywood.
See, I was too frustrated to keep reading SEP. I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT!
Fast forward to this weekend. SEP, again, made the trip with me. I told the ladies I had about 35 more pages left in the book, and I really wanted to get it finished. Elisabeth said to me, "well that should only take about ten minutes."
Oh, my dear Elisabeth. No. No. No. No. NO!
S.T.R.U.G.G.L.I.N.G. through the next twenty pages, I put the book down after about a half hour of reading.
But, again, the ladies made comments about how smart I must be. How they could never read that stuff. One even went so far as to pick up the book and read a random sentence to the group. Much gasping followed because, OF COURSE, it made absolutely no sense.
I tried to tell them that I didn't understand a word of what I was reading. Kristy said "I've seen your reading list. You are very well read."
To which I replied, "BUT I HAVEN'T READ MOST OF THOSE BOOKS!"
"Oh, I've seen the books you've read," she said.
And I'm thinking Five Star Families? That was completely lame!
But there is no convincing folks. You pick up a book like that and, regardless of your ability to understand what you are reading, people will think you are smart.
So I would just like to state, for the record, that THAT IS NOT WHY I AM READING. In fact, six pages from the end of the book, I almost put it down, never to pick it up again. I kept thinking about how ridiculous it was to keep running my eyes over those words when I wasn't understanding anything I read... I was even MOUTHING the words, and furrowing my brow... but I just didn't understand!
I fought the urge to quit. (And when I finished the book, I promptly threw it on the floor in disgust.) I did not finish it because I am so smart or hungry for knowledge. Let me tell you why I finished that book:
P.R.I.D.E.
I am reading twleve books this year if it kills me.
(And it very nearly has...)
posted by 
at 8:52 AM
2 Comments:
Thank you for that great book report. If you didn't get it, there is no way on God's green earth that I will! Well, my list is rather long too, so it is wonderful to know to not spend any time on THAT book...
(I've got that P.R.I.D.E. issue too. I just can't stand not finishing a book.)
The fact that you choose to attempt to read that book is why I think you're smart. The fact that you read it, despite hating it, and not fully comprehending it, is why I just adore you. The fact that you wrote a blog about it has made my day!
With love, from someone who MIGHT have on occasion made reference to your large brain! ;-)
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