Sunday Salon: Resolution failure
“I’m sitting in a railway station
Got a ticket for my destination.”
Travelling seemed a whole lot simpler for Simon and Garfunkle. All they carried was a suitcase and guitar. Me, I had enough reading material to last me an entire round the world trip (maybe two of them). To whit:
- three electronic devices capable of storing books (laptop, iPad, Ipod)
- Daily Telegraph
- various work related documents
So why then did I feel compelled to add to this collection by purchasing two new books in the airport??. I was only away for two nights and the flight lasted just 1.5 hours.
The answer is that put me anywhere near a bookshop and I find it hard to resist. It gets even harder to resist when I know I am going to be travelling and might, just might, get that horrid experience of ‘having nothing to read that I like.’
I tried my best this time. I really did. I decided while packing that I wouldn’t take any ‘real’ book with me. I would rely on my iPad. Two hours before leaving home, I wavered. ‘You can’t use your iPad during take off or landing. I can’t just sit there for 20 mins at a time without anything to read! So maybe I could just take this little one with me.’
My inner voice told me not to be stupid. So out of the case it came.
I did look at the promotional counter at the airport. But saw nothing particularly enticing so walked away with halo intact. But then of course I needed to buy a newspaper so had to walk past the shelves in the W H Smith outlet. And they had a buy one, get second half price deal. Which included Zadie Smith’s NW.
And so my inner dialogue went down this path
“She was named in the Granta list today. I liked White Teeth so I should read this one shouldn’t I?
You don’t need to buy it, you could get it from the library.
Yes, I know but they probably won’t have it yet…..
It’s a bargain. I’ll get it.”
And did I read it? Nope. Did I even open the book while I was away? Nope
Will I read it soon? Um, probably not. It’s cozying up to the 100 or so other books on the ‘waiting to be read’ shelf right now. Along with the other one I bought: The First 20 Minutes: Surprising Science Reveals How We Can: Exercise Better, Train Smarter, Live Longer
On the plus side, while away, I did read Snowdrops by A. D Miller – posted the review earlier today and began reading Dark Fire, the second in the Shardlake series by C J Sansom. Both of which have been good antidotes to the rather gloom and doom books I read more recently.
My next trip is in a week. Question now is whether I can manage a whole week with just iPad or do I succumb and take one real book with me…….
Well better to hoard books than lots of other things. And I am sure you will read them. (I bought two books this week after a self-imposed no buying books month.
i’ve been playing with the idea of going cold turkey on book buying for a few months. But then i put so many exceptions in, that it seemed a bit pointless. for example, I said there would need to be an exception for the book club choice, and then an exception for Booker titles. How did you cope Barbara??
I have no ability to resist bookish temptation. During the last week, I’ve bought 5 books even though I already own more than 200 books I haven’t read…!
Just take that real book… Or that pile of books-to-read will be higher again. Arrived in Philadelphia for a trade fair this afternoon. Guess where I stopped by… Barnes & Nobles. But managed to leave empty handed! I packed a real book besides the iPad.
Ooh leaving a bookstore without a purchase is quite an achievement Mirella. I’m going to France so probably won’t be as easy to find many books in English in the countryside which reduces the risk of buying more… Have fun in Philadelphia if you get a chance outside of the trade show to see anything of the city. I’ve never been there
That makes me feel much better that I only have half the number you do…. LOL
I know what you mean about bookish temptation! It’s hard to walk past a new-to-me bookstore and not buy a book. I think you should take at least one physical book with you next week. Enjoy your day! 🙂
Thank you for giving me the push to make a decision Vasilly. Now all I have to decide is which one …..
I think you’d better take a real book with you to help you resist temptation!
There is no guarantee I won’t succumb at the last moment in the airport Ali. But yes I will take a physical book