Saturday, January 5, 2008

Big 'Ol Honkin' Book

My sweet husby got me Jane Austen's Complete Collection for Christmas. He is so thoughtful, right?
I've been reading Sense and Sensibility since before the New Year and I'm feeling like I should be done by now, but I'm not even 50 pages in. Here's my problem. It is one Big 'OL HONKIN' BOOK. Not Sense and Sensibility, that's only about 200 pages. The whole collection is in one book, paperback, over 1,100 pages and the paper of each page is thick, so this sucker is heavy and awkward. So as I'm reading one book that should be light and comfortable in my book loving hands, I have to hold all 7 books up at once.
It's not Matt's fault, of course. I lay all the blame on the publisher. What publisher in his/her right mind would create such a monstrosity? It has made something that should be so enjoyable and turned it into my daily work out. And since you all know I like to lay in my bed while I read, this is near impossible with this book.
I have read many a long book. I read the unabridged version of Count of Monte Cristo and it was over 1,200 pages and even from the same publisher. But the pages were thin and the overall size of the book wasn't as awkward and I found that book to be one of my favorites and I even plan on reading it again someday. And of course there are the last four Harry Potter books which are pretty hefty, but not heavy.
But this book just doesn't work and it makes me wonder if they take these kinds of things into consideration. For sure the content is satisfactory and has stood the test of time. So I guess I'll pump some iron and get back to it.
Matt, while reading over my shoulder has proclaimed me to be ungrateful.
I love you Matty poo!

3 comments:

Jeanna said...

I completely get what you mean. Yesterday at the used bookstore, while buying the books needed for my classes this semester I came across a copy of a book I needed, but it was sandwiched between two other books I don't need into one Honkin' book. Even though the 3 books in one were cheaper than the one book at the BYU bookstore, I couldn't do it. I would have been annoyed at having to heave that sucker around with me. You are not ungrateful, you just need a certain kind of reading pleasure that this particular book isn't bringing. Maybe all the collection in a little box in separate books would have been better? No offense Matty, because I love you too! (and these are things that we as women don't know about ourselves either until presented with this particular problem.)

Kim said...

I have a honkin' book of Jane Austen too but it might be made a little bit better because it's really not that heavy. I don't read in bed like you do though so it may just be the position you read in. I hope you're able to finish it.

Becky said...

Julie Julie Julie...Have you learned nothing from our mother? Rip the book apart!!! You know how mom reads her magazines!? But, don't do it like her. She rips out the pages she's already read and throws them away so she doesn't have to keep carrying around the whole magazine.

You should just rip each book apart...you could even design and make your own covers out of old cereal boxes. Come on! you're an Art teacher assistant! You could totally make some wycked cool covers!!!

I'm dead serious! It's not a bad idea!