StoryreaderMemory
March 21st 2008 06:11
First thing I'd like to say is thank you to everyone who has bothered to look at this blog and to leave comments. It's extremely encouraging to know that you're not just talking to yourself. 
I haven't gotten much farther into The Stone Key then when I made my last post, mainly because I have a few things due at uni at the moment and I at least like to pretend that my studies are a priority.
It has occured to me as I'm reading it, though, that I remembered it being a lot more gloriously wonderful that it actually is. I mean, I'm reading it now and I think "this is a good book", but when I read it the first time in about Year 8, I absolutely revelled in it. I thought it was the best book ever written, the most magical, the most entertaining. It wasn't like I was reading a book, it was like I was transported into that world.
At least I think that's what my reaction was. I certainly remembered the books for a few years, and I have read many books, and don't remember half of them afterwards. But I have to wonder whether I actually enjoyed it as much as I thought I did, which is much more than now, or if it is just nostalgia.
I wonder whether we enjoy books more when we're younger. I suppose I tend to be more critical of books now, whereas a few years ago I would have just read and enjoyed them (if you like to just read an enjoy books, I advise you not to study literature at all. I have, and I think it has ruined things a bit for me).
Or are we more imaginative when we're younger, and we can turn what we read into a much more complete picture in our head? Reading the Obernewtyn Chronicles recently, I was surprised by how much less description there was in it, when I seem to remember such a detailed world when I was reading it last time. Now I expect someone to do all that work for me, rather than using my imagination.
Okay, I sound like some old coot talking about "when I was young". But it just strikes me reading these books again that I found them more amazing the first time. Anyone else been through this? Read a book they'd loved a few years ago and were slightly disappointed?
I haven't gotten much farther into The Stone Key then when I made my last post, mainly because I have a few things due at uni at the moment and I at least like to pretend that my studies are a priority.
It has occured to me as I'm reading it, though, that I remembered it being a lot more gloriously wonderful that it actually is. I mean, I'm reading it now and I think "this is a good book", but when I read it the first time in about Year 8, I absolutely revelled in it. I thought it was the best book ever written, the most magical, the most entertaining. It wasn't like I was reading a book, it was like I was transported into that world.
At least I think that's what my reaction was. I certainly remembered the books for a few years, and I have read many books, and don't remember half of them afterwards. But I have to wonder whether I actually enjoyed it as much as I thought I did, which is much more than now, or if it is just nostalgia.
I wonder whether we enjoy books more when we're younger. I suppose I tend to be more critical of books now, whereas a few years ago I would have just read and enjoyed them (if you like to just read an enjoy books, I advise you not to study literature at all. I have, and I think it has ruined things a bit for me).
Or are we more imaginative when we're younger, and we can turn what we read into a much more complete picture in our head? Reading the Obernewtyn Chronicles recently, I was surprised by how much less description there was in it, when I seem to remember such a detailed world when I was reading it last time. Now I expect someone to do all that work for me, rather than using my imagination.
Okay, I sound like some old coot talking about "when I was young". But it just strikes me reading these books again that I found them more amazing the first time. Anyone else been through this? Read a book they'd loved a few years ago and were slightly disappointed?
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Comment by Harry
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Comment by Storyreader
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But I've gotten very picky with books, lately. I think I'm becoming an old crank before my time.