[Leslie]

I enjoy the vast majority of books I read and finish (if I am not enjoying a book, I stop reading). But every know and then, I read a book that is so very, very good that when it's over, I feel this incredible sadness...it's almost like I think I'll never read a book that good again. And I sort of feel like I don't want to read another book because I don't want to erase the feeling of the incredible book. Does this happen to anyone else?

I am bringing this up because I just read such a book: Winds of Change by Lee Rowan (you can read more in the recommended by our members thread). I'm sitting here fighting back the tears because I am so sad it's over! I am trying to remember other books that made me feel this way. Watership Down comes to mind, as well as Charlotte's Web and Up a Road Slowly. But I read all those years and years ago. I am having a harder time remembering more recent books.

What about the rest of you? Am I just an over-emotional reader or is this a common experience?

L

 

[MikeD]

I've run into several of those myself Leslie (Watership Down was that way for me, too). You get to know and enjoy the characters so much that you hate it when they are no longer there to enjoy. For me, it does feel like a loss. But those are the few and the exceptional. In most cases, I have a book waiting to be read that I am eager to start, so the loss doesn't seem to manifest itself.

 

[Khabita]

When I find a book that I really, really like, I have the odd habit of reading one third to maybe halfway into it, and then going back to the beginning and starting it all over again! I have no idea where or when I developed this habit, and why I don't finish the book completely and then re-read it, but it's a compulsion and I'm afraid I just have to live with it.

I think it's because I want to get the full impact of the ending, by capturing all of the detail of the earlier parts of the book (at least, that's how I rationalize this weird compulsion).

When I was reading A Thousand Splendid Suns recently on my Kindle, I got maybe halfway through, and sure enough, I felt this need to go back and start all over again. I have even done it when I'm past the halfway point. It's a wonder I ever finish a good book at all!

 

[PraiseGod13]

Leslie.... this is definitely me! When I'm reading an excellent book.... I cannot stand for it to end... and I feel like a best friend who has been visiting is going to leave. I can read the first 600 pages in two days and then I spend a week reading the last 100 pages because I don't want it to be over! Praise the Human Season by Don Robertson was that way for me - and so was Watership Down. I recently remembered PTHS and was so sad to see it isn't available for Kindle.... so I have been clicking the "I would like to read this on Kindle" button daily. Now, since I absolutely have to read this book once again (I've probably read it a dozen times now) and our library no longer has it..... I'm going to have to break down and purchase a DTB so I can experience this incredible book once more (at least). Good books are like good friends.... you want to spend as much time with them as you can!!

Klickety-klick!

 

[Guest]

*basks in the shared love for WD*

 

[Gertie Kindle]

*basks in the shared love for WD*

I clicked on it again for all of us.

 

[Guest]

I clicked on it again for all of us.

Well, I do have two DTB copies, so I won't suffer.

 

[Gertie Kindle]

Well, I do have two DTB copies, so I won't suffer.

You're going to force me to go to the library. Have to take The Mom there anyway on Friday.

 

[Betsy the Quilter]

I definitely have that feeling sometimes.  I've been known to reread the book immediately as I don't want the feeling to stop.

Betsy

 

[tc]

First read WD about a week after it hit the shelf in 1972.  Wore out that first copy and bought it in pb and wore several of them out. And yes, I was very sad to see it end. The first time I read the Hobbit, I was the same way. There have been several books over the years that I could not understand why there wasn't a sequel so that there was more to read.

 

[Leslie]

I definitely have that feeling sometimes. I've been known to reread the book immediately as I don't want the feeling to stop.

Betsy

This one I just finished today...I was going back and re-reading some of my favorite parts which I have discovered is one of the few negative things about the Kindle. It is hard to "flip though" and find a certain passage or section. I keep thinking I could bookmark pages as I am reading, but when I am reading I don't realize that that is a part I should be bookmarking, so I don't.

L

 

[Gertie Kindle]

This one I just finished today...I was going back and re-reading some of my favorite parts which I have discovered is one of the few negative things about the Kindle. It is hard to "flip though" and find a certain passage or section. I keep thinking I could bookmark pages as I am reading, but when I am reading I don't realize that that is a part I should be bookmarking, so I don't.

L

I've found my favorite parts using search. Then I can bookmark it.

 

[Guest]

This one I just finished today...I was going back and re-reading some of my favorite parts which I have discovered is one of the few negative things about the Kindle. It is hard to "flip though" and find a certain passage or section. I keep thinking I could bookmark pages as I am reading, but when I am reading I don't realize that that is a part I should be bookmarking, so I don't.

L

Hrrrmmmm.... that could be a real downside for me. A lot of times I'll see something on TV that will remind me of a quote from a book and I will jump up to find it. Or I'll want to quote a book online. I can usually flip to the citation I want from memory within about 10 pages either way. Can't do that on a Kindle.

 

[Leslie]

When I find a book that I really, really like, I have the odd habit of reading one third to maybe halfway into it, and then going back to the beginning and starting it all over again! I have no idea where or when I developed this habit, and why I don't finish the book completely and then re-read it, but it's a compulsion and I'm afraid I just have to live with it.

I think it's because I want to get the full impact of the ending, by capturing all of the detail of the earlier parts of the book (at least, that's how I rationalize this weird compulsion).

When I was reading A Thousand Splendid Suns recently on my Kindle, I got maybe halfway through, and sure enough, I felt this need to go back and start all over again. I have even done it when I'm past the halfway point. It's a wonder I ever finish a good book at all!

Wow, that's really interesting. I've never done that, but I can understand the feeling.

I wish I could slow down and read to enjoy the book more, but I tend to whiz through because I am 1) enjoying the book so much and 2) dying to see what happens. And then when it is over, I am pissed at myself because it is done. And then I get sad!

L

 

[Leslie]

Hrrrmmmm.... that could be a real downside for me. A lot of times I'll see something on TV that will remind me of a quote from a book and I will jump up to find it. Or I'll want to quote a book online. I can usually flip to the citation I want from memory within about 10 pages either way. Can't do that on a Kindle.

But you can search for a quote. That would work.

I'm more like, "I want to go back and re-read the part where he is telling him about his family..." No important words to search on, no specific phrase I can latch to.

L

 

[Leslie]

First read WD about a week after it hit the shelf in 1972. Wore out that first copy and bought it in pb and wore several of them out. And yes, I was very sad to see it end. The first time I read the Hobbit, I was the same way. There have been several books over the years that I could not understand why there wasn't a sequel so that there was more to read.

I read it in the summer of 1975. I was working as a camp counselor at an overnight girls' camp here in Maine. One of my campers received a care package from her parents with a bunch of books, including WD, and she lent it to me.

I think WD has the most perfect ending of any book I have ever read.

L

 

[Guest]

I think WD has the most perfect ending of any book I have ever read.

L

When

Spoiler

El-Ahrairah comes to take Hazel into his Owsla

, I bawl like a baby every single time.

 

[Betsy the Quilter]

I enjoy the vast majority of books I read and finish (if I am not enjoying a book, I stop reading). But every know and then, I read a book that is so very, very good that when it's over, I feel this incredible sadness...it's almost like I think I'll never read a book that good again. And I sort of feel like I don't want to read another book because I don't want to erase the feeling of the incredible book. Does this happen to anyone else?

I am bringing this up because I just read such a book: Winds of Change by Lee Rowen (you can read more in the recommended by our members thread). I'm sitting here fighting back the tears because I am so sad it's over! I am trying to remember other books that made me feel this way. Watership Down comes to mind, as well as Charlotte's Web and Up a Road Slowly. But I read all those years and years ago. I am having a harder time remembering more recent books.

What about the rest of you? Am I just an over-emotional reader or is this a common experience?

L

Leslie, I think you mean Winds of Change by Lee Rowan? (Not Ransom?) The sequel to Ransom, also by Lee Rowan?

 

[Leslie]

Leslie, I think you mean Winds of Change by Lee Rowan? (Not Ransom?) The sequel to Ransom, also by Lee Rowan?

Duh, yes, thank you!! I went back and fixed the original post.

L

 

[Newbie Girl]

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who has this "issue".  I too find myself slowing down my reading, attempting to "savor" a great book.  I'm also one who rereads books on a regular basis.  That's another plus about the kindle (always having it available again).  The first book I read on my kindle was "Little Women" and I'm looking forward to catching up with some old friends from my past, reading classics for the first time, and even going back to some of the choices of my youth.  Kindle has opened an entirely new door to my reading world:  for the first time I'm not at the mercy of books I can borrow (have been limited financially) but the ability to CHOOSE who and what I want to read, expand my horizons, and try new authors and genres.  I just started an Excel sheet of books/authors I want to read....ahhhh, so many books, so little time....