Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Leave me Alone, I'm Reading


Leave me alone, I'm reading (2005)

Maureen Corrigan

240 pages


I give up. I just can't do it. There were parts of it that I loved so much like when Corrigan was talking about her family especially her mother and grandmother. Even when she was talking about Eyre, she was Corrigan was so interesting to read. But everything else just dragged on. She was so wordy. I'm a firm believer in being concise and using just enough words and nothing more. I'm sorry but I just couldn't even find her adopting her daughter in China interesting. I am not a believer in finishing a book that I don't like. The bad parts out weighed the good ones, so around page 100-and-something, I put the book down.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Oh I know just what you mean, Vasilly! I wanted to like that book - I loved her commentaries on NPR and thought the books would reflect her ability to be concise and thoughtful and funny, all at the same time, but it was not. I, too, let it go. I gave it away, in fact, felling like a failure, but I know it's better to quit a book while the book is still intact rather than to continue reading it and tearing off small bits in frustration. (or something like that - i wouldn't ever really HURT a book).
I'm also so pleased about your comments on Without. My mother died at 45 - and I, too, had cancer; I could so identify with the pain and love and loss in this work. Donald Hall and Jane Kenyon were blessed with the gift of expressing themselves in poetry; my friends express themselves in their time and attention. You've given your friend Dana the gift of your love and friendship. We all do what we can.