I was reading the book La vida de Lazarillo de Tormes y de sus fortunas y adversidades when I happened across a good quote. Here is an English translation: "The point is that nothing should be destroyed or thrown away unless it is really detestable; instead, it should be shown to everyone, especially if if won't do any harm and they might get some good out of it."
That being said, why do you read? As I read this quote, the blinders on the sides of my head vanished ~to some degree anyway. I read all the time. I've finished every single book I've ever started (except for The Kite Runner). I was so traumatized by that book that I couldn't read it anymore. I'm getting shivers just writing the title of that book down (No offense to the author; he writes very well. I just can't handle those types of books.)
That means that I've stuck with the bad books as well as the good books. You know the only reason I ever finished this one book that was excruciatingly boring was because I had high hopes that the characters I liked would actually do something half way interesting. That was not the case. As I got closer to the end of the book, I kept telling myself, "Here's were it's going to happen!" or "This is it!". Then when I finally read the last sentence of the entire book, I couldn't believe that the book had a plot, good characters, but it left me feeling like nothing had happened. Then, I wondered how could this book get published! But maybe people besides me actually liked the book.
Quick philosophy note: What is a bad book? Is there really such a thing? How can you define this in specific terms besides a vague definition like: it leaves the reader with a disagreeable taste in their mouth.
I'm not a hard reader to please~AT ALL! I can honestly say that besides the gruesome books I've been forced to read in school (which all have stolen a little peace of my heart even if they are scary and a tad bit evil) that aforementioned boring book is the only book I've ever read that I still harbor dislike for.
I really value the characters in books. They are what attract all readers to a story. When you read do you attach yourself to your favorite character? This brings up the Twilight series and the whole team Edward and team Jacob thing. Do you find yourself doing something like that? I don't. I mean, I like all the characters in books. The only time I really have favorites is when it's for moral purposes (mostly when it's the good people versus the evil people). So I'm inclined to believe good characters make great stories, but they aren't the aspect that really makes me like books.
I don't analyze books at all. I'm quite horrible doing this in school, let alone doing it on the books I like to read for pleasure. So maybe it's something in my subconscious that judges the book. I don't have a clue.
I know for a fact that I love books with super tricky plots. I love long books! This is another factor. Maybe it's just the plot that really attracts me to certain stories. What do you think?
I've also read that we all read books to learn things. When we read a book, we search for a lesson. I don't think that's really true for me. I recognize lessons as I read, but I don't think that's what's driving me to read.
I mainly read fiction, I love made up circumstances, planets, anything! I like to stretch my brain! Maybe that's a key factor in how I determine the good books. Perhaps, I like certain books because my curiosity is in high-gear, but that's just another theory.
In the end, I don't really know what to think. I know some of you are probably saying "It's a combination of elements, not just one aspect that makes me want to read a book", sure I believe that. But what aspect really makes the book great?
That being said, why do you read? As I read this quote, the blinders on the sides of my head vanished ~to some degree anyway. I read all the time. I've finished every single book I've ever started (except for The Kite Runner). I was so traumatized by that book that I couldn't read it anymore. I'm getting shivers just writing the title of that book down (No offense to the author; he writes very well. I just can't handle those types of books.)
That means that I've stuck with the bad books as well as the good books. You know the only reason I ever finished this one book that was excruciatingly boring was because I had high hopes that the characters I liked would actually do something half way interesting. That was not the case. As I got closer to the end of the book, I kept telling myself, "Here's were it's going to happen!" or "This is it!". Then when I finally read the last sentence of the entire book, I couldn't believe that the book had a plot, good characters, but it left me feeling like nothing had happened. Then, I wondered how could this book get published! But maybe people besides me actually liked the book.
Quick philosophy note: What is a bad book? Is there really such a thing? How can you define this in specific terms besides a vague definition like: it leaves the reader with a disagreeable taste in their mouth.
I'm not a hard reader to please~AT ALL! I can honestly say that besides the gruesome books I've been forced to read in school (which all have stolen a little peace of my heart even if they are scary and a tad bit evil) that aforementioned boring book is the only book I've ever read that I still harbor dislike for.
I really value the characters in books. They are what attract all readers to a story. When you read do you attach yourself to your favorite character? This brings up the Twilight series and the whole team Edward and team Jacob thing. Do you find yourself doing something like that? I don't. I mean, I like all the characters in books. The only time I really have favorites is when it's for moral purposes (mostly when it's the good people versus the evil people). So I'm inclined to believe good characters make great stories, but they aren't the aspect that really makes me like books.
I don't analyze books at all. I'm quite horrible doing this in school, let alone doing it on the books I like to read for pleasure. So maybe it's something in my subconscious that judges the book. I don't have a clue.
I know for a fact that I love books with super tricky plots. I love long books! This is another factor. Maybe it's just the plot that really attracts me to certain stories. What do you think?
I've also read that we all read books to learn things. When we read a book, we search for a lesson. I don't think that's really true for me. I recognize lessons as I read, but I don't think that's what's driving me to read.
I mainly read fiction, I love made up circumstances, planets, anything! I like to stretch my brain! Maybe that's a key factor in how I determine the good books. Perhaps, I like certain books because my curiosity is in high-gear, but that's just another theory.
In the end, I don't really know what to think. I know some of you are probably saying "It's a combination of elements, not just one aspect that makes me want to read a book", sure I believe that. But what aspect really makes the book great?
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