The question I raise is, why did I have to have these books? Why was it that I needed the books, immediately, even though, I was perfectly happily reading White Tiger by Aravind Adiga for my book club?
Something happened to me and I don’t think I like it. I succumbed to the propaganda posed in the articles written about these books (“Men are becoming girl-with-tattoo widowers, because their wives only want to get cozy with the book at night.” ). But how can it even be propaganda if the authors aren’t propagating anything but the goodness of a read? I’m pretty sure they’re not getting a cut of the royalties… It may have been the intriguing back-story of the posthumous author (and how he died of a heart attack in 2004 before the trilogy was even published), or maybe it was the several of my Facebook-friend-status-updates that included the titles in some way (e.g. “just finished all three Stieg Larsson books…what a great long weekend”). I did find it weird, however, that none of my close friends have ever suggested it to me…maybe that was it? I had to read it to find out how awesome it was in order to recommend it to my own reading network?
Whatever it was, I finally succumbed. And when I did, I had a difficult time purchasing the books on my Kindle.
After doing what I had to do (no comment), I finally procured the titles and began to read and now, at 48% though the first book, I am riveted…taken. Just as those damn articles told me I would be. I hate being told what to do, and yet I allowed myself…no, I demanded I read these books myself and BANG, they did exactly what the articles said… I got hooked and can barely drag myself away from the text to: a) feed the children, b) play with the children and/or c) get another drink while watching the children.
Did I allow myself to be taken by the hype, or did I simply read a couple of articles that stated how intriguing the Millennium series was and then decide I might like it as well? Who doesn’t look for a stellar recommendation when selecting a new book, especially for summer vacation? Unless I’m forced into a book (i.e. book club), I actually enjoy when a trusted friend suggests a title for me. It can be quite a chore, (albeit, at times, a welcome one when I have the time to commit to a search) to enter a bookstore as a blank slate, looking for my next read…but MAN, I love it when someone tells me what I will love. Is that too submissive of me?
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