Sunday, February 12, 2012

The Sunday Salon: A Book I Haven't Read

I was over on Goodreads the other day, looking at lists of books, when I can across one purporting to list the best books of the 20th century. Now, of course, I took that with more than a grain of salt, but that's besides the point. I'd read 50 of the top 100 books, and an additional 6 are on my to-be-read list.

As I scrolled down, the first book I came to that I hadn't read or added to my list to read was...



Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl.

Book cover with brown background and black and white image of Anne Frank. Cover says Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank












Okay, I admit I was a bit embarrassed. How have I never read this book? It's not the first time I've wondered this. I've thought about it before, and it's always been one of those books I "know" I "should" read, but honestly, I've never been all that drawn to it. Perhaps it's my somewhat obstinate personality, the same trait that keeps me from reading  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo because I have since like a million people reading it on the subway (and elsewhere). But, this is a classic, right? And it's important, and it's all about humanizing a horrible period in history. And still, I just can't muster up enough interest to spend a couple hours reading it.

So, it's going to continue to be my guilty, but no longer secret, non-read book confession.

Although this post over at So Many Books is making me feel less guilty. "If there is a book you really want to read then you'll read it."

Good advice.

6 comments:

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

I haven't read it either...lol

I only read To Kill a Mockingbird for the first time last year.

The good news: we can still read it.

Here's MY SUNDAY SALON POST

Laura BurgandyIce said...

You know... me, either. But I read Libyrinth which focused on Diary of Anne Frank SO MUCH, I read lots of wonderful quotes and felt like I met Anne Frank just a little. Definitely made me want to read it. I hope you get to it... love to see your review! :-) Enjoy! My Sunday: Colorimetry

Harvee said...

I have stopped wandering the stacks for a while. I find I borrow books that I don't have time to read and then have to return them.

Allie said...

I haven't read it either! I've read the play version (I taught it when I was student teaching), but not the actual diary.

Maybe a readalong is in store!

aforalpha said...

I liked the post you linked to and really, really didn't like the article it was discussing. (In my mind I've re-titled that article "Hurrah for the Western Canon!")

I used to feel guilty about how I read, but in the last few years I've stopped apologizing for my interests, for the types of voices that speak to me, and for the types of stories I've needed.

Now I abandon books that aren't doing anything for me and ignore all sorts of Important Books. There are enough books that I can always be reading something that rocks my socks. Why wouldn't I want to do that?

Hurrah for reading what you want.

MJ said...

@Laurel-Rain Snow: Ha! I have read To Kill a Mockingbird, but that will have to be the subject of a future post.

@Laura: Thanks - I'll probably read it at some point.

@Harvee: Well, you can always wander your own stacks! I know mine tend to pile up around me.

@Allie: I am surprised that people are saying they haven't read it. I thought I'd be the only one!

@aforalpha: I read another article the other day that was all "Hurrah for the Western Canon." As if it needs any help.

I like "Hurrah for reading what you want" much better!