Many, many years ago I used to think that once a book was begun it did not get put away until finished -- even when the book was horrible. Those days are long gone. I have really embraced the feeling. Life is too short to read a bad book (or one that is not grabbing my attention). Naturally this could be thrown out the window if we're talking about school books. An assigned book must be read. Why? Because if nothing else, the reader can participate in the discussion. It's there that all the learning gets done.

My most recent dropped book is Snow by Orhan Pamuk (winner of the Noble prize for literature several years ago). As the title suggests, snow plays a role in the narrative. Sadly, I found the snow to be oppressive. Further, the book is about Turkey a country about which I know nothing. While the internet is a great source for information, frankly I don't feel like doing research to read a book. I'm just not that into it.

Time to find a new book.

Last year I read A Fine Balance. It sat on my bookshelf for years. Finally, I blew the dust off and was simply delighted. Books are like that. Sometimes they do nothing until you are ready to accept them. Atonement was a book like that as was Cider House Rules. So, I'll put Snow back on the shelf and try something new in the meantime.