I Love Books
Some months ago, I went on one of my regular book buying sprees. I’ve got a formula that I use, for selecting books, that goes like this. Open the book at some random page and start to read from some random spot. If sufficiently engaged, go to page 1 and read. If I feel the desire to sit down with a cup of coffee and continue, I’m sold.
That day, I left the book shop with about ten books. Yeah, I’m a voracious reader. Included in the ten was a trilogy by Justin Cronin. I only applied my litmus test to the first book in the trilogy but was so drawn that I ignored two points. First, the book was 930 pages long. Second, the possibility that the other books could be a load of crap.
As I said, I brought lots of books that day so it’s taken me some time to get round to reading the first in the trilogy, The Passage. It’s followed by The Twelve and ends with The City of Mirrors. On page 19, I came across a scene that was so familiar, so resonant, that I had to put the book down and think. I mean really think. Was this the page that I’d opened that day in the book shop? Had I read something similar in another book? Had the book been made into a film or TV series? A quick google and an even quicker look on IMDb.com told me that no, the book had not been made into a film or TV series. Not yet, it was still in production. So I continued to read. Obviously this was just a case of literary déjà vu.
And then, on page 319, it all came together. I’d read the book before. I got up from my comfy sofa and went to the bookshelves in the hallway. Not there. I went to the bookshelves in the dining room which doubles as a sort of office. Not there. I went to the bookshelves in one of the spare bedrooms which has become a final resting place for all manner of books and documents and other bits and bobs. Not there. As I was going back into the living room, I reached to switch off the light in the hallway. The light switch is at eyelevel and to my right. The afore mentioned bookshelves are also to my right. And there, as if a spot light was shining on it, stood The Passage. Bugger, bugger, bugger! I’d already brought the book. I’d already read the book. Five years ago. When it first came out in paperback!
That day, I left the book shop with about ten books. Yeah, I’m a voracious reader. Included in the ten was a trilogy by Justin Cronin. I only applied my litmus test to the first book in the trilogy but was so drawn that I ignored two points. First, the book was 930 pages long. Second, the possibility that the other books could be a load of crap.
As I said, I brought lots of books that day so it’s taken me some time to get round to reading the first in the trilogy, The Passage. It’s followed by The Twelve and ends with The City of Mirrors. On page 19, I came across a scene that was so familiar, so resonant, that I had to put the book down and think. I mean really think. Was this the page that I’d opened that day in the book shop? Had I read something similar in another book? Had the book been made into a film or TV series? A quick google and an even quicker look on IMDb.com told me that no, the book had not been made into a film or TV series. Not yet, it was still in production. So I continued to read. Obviously this was just a case of literary déjà vu.
And then, on page 319, it all came together. I’d read the book before. I got up from my comfy sofa and went to the bookshelves in the hallway. Not there. I went to the bookshelves in the dining room which doubles as a sort of office. Not there. I went to the bookshelves in one of the spare bedrooms which has become a final resting place for all manner of books and documents and other bits and bobs. Not there. As I was going back into the living room, I reached to switch off the light in the hallway. The light switch is at eyelevel and to my right. The afore mentioned bookshelves are also to my right. And there, as if a spot light was shining on it, stood The Passage. Bugger, bugger, bugger! I’d already brought the book. I’d already read the book. Five years ago. When it first came out in paperback!
