(original feature of The Broke and the Bookish)
There are
a number of reasons we’re afraid to approach certain books.
- The movie was so awesome, will the book hold up (Book lover rule #1- the book is always better).
- My friend loved it there’s no way it’s as good as he says and then I'll have to uncomfortably pretend I love it as well in order to spare his delicate feelings
- The title literally translates to “Miserable People.”
- 1500 pages?? So this is what people did before Netflix...
Of
course, intimidating books have their benefits
- You look smart reading it in public
- You build up your arm muscles toting around those heavy tomes
- These are classics for a reason; they are enduring stories of humanity
- In more cases than not, it’s not intimidating once you get reading
Here are
some of my favorite books that I was once too intimidated to read:
Uncle
Tom’s Cabin- The
Book that Sparked a War
My first
intimidating read- put on the list when I was 12. I finally got around to
it 10 years later and was surprised at how accessible it was. Although
rife with condescension and backhanded racism, the little glimpses into minor
characters’ lives were the parts that really hit me hard (I’m looking at you,
Hagar and Emmeline).
