April 11th, 2005 at 11:59am Posted by Bill
So I have an interesting habit. I don’t know of anyone else who does this, though I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned it to anyone before.
Before reading a book, I always read the page in the exact middle of the book first.
There, I said it, and whew do I feel better.
It’s a ritual, really, and it goes like this: First, I read the back cover. Next, I read the liner notes. So far, pretty normal. Then I open the book to the last page of the story, not counting the author’s afterward, taking care not to actually look at the text, and I make a note of the page count. Then I open to exactly the middle page, and read the entire page, including the whole first sentence that may have started on the previous page, and finish the last sentence that may carry over to the next page. Then I open to the beginning and start reading.
So far, it has not spoiled any suspense the way reading the last chapter or even the last page might do. In fact, I’m often much more than halfway through the book before I even realize that I’ve already re-read that middle page.
I don’t know why I do this, and I can’t remember when I started doing this. I just know that I can’t stop.
Entry Filed under: Fun
6 Comments Add your own
1. Billy | April 11th, 2005 at 12:16 pm
Pretty weird DAD!!!
2. Tabitha | April 11th, 2005 at 12:51 pm
before i start reading a book, the ritual i go through involves opening the book at random and beginning to read. the reason i think that i do this is because if the book can suck me in at any random point of the story, then it has potential of being a really good book. plus, it gives me an idea of what to expect from the book so that i don’t end up wasting my time by reading the whole thing and finding out that i hate it.
i don’t think you are weird at all.
3. rebecca marie | April 11th, 2005 at 2:12 pm
I. Love. That. Story. I don’t think you are wierd, either. I don’t read any particular page, but without fail, at some point before I finish chapter one, I will skip ahead. I don’t have a formula, but I will inevitably read a portion of the pages ahead. And, I never feel as if it has ruined anything for me.
4. Kathy | April 11th, 2005 at 2:47 pm
And, I thought I knew you!!! Boy, was I wrong.
5. Gabriel | April 13th, 2005 at 12:35 pm
You guys are all a bunch of freaks!
Man, you guys should really learn to conform to the norm…
6. Gabriel | April 13th, 2005 at 12:35 pm
Oh, and also… I don’t know how to read, which is why I don’t have any of those weird quirks…
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