The Rule of Fifty?
When a friend from my book club emailed me a link with Nancy Pearl’s Rule of Fifty, I heaved a sigh of relief!
I have always been a voracious reader and for me it was a cardinal sin to leave a book when once started. I had to finish it and this habit of mine is responsible for reading hours wasted on books that were not up my alley.
With the Rule of Fifty, I felt empowered. I could start a book and if it did not appeal, I could put it away for another time. And then again if it did not talk to me, the book found it’s way to the charity stalls where another victim awaited.
When I think back, I realise that even though Nancy Pearl helped me value the importance of my time, her rule brought out an impatient and to some extent, intolerant approach. I was too quick to give up. Page 50 helped me decide and in the process I lost out on reading some extremely good books which are slow starters, but take you right up there to the highest level of skilful writing.
Social networking came to the rescue, where book lovers could post reviews and ask others what they felt. Had it not been to, ” hang in there and don’t give up”, ” it gets better by page 98″ or ” it’s a fabulous book, it grows on you”, I would have lost out on reading some of the books that I love- Amitav Ghosh’s The River of Smoke, Orhan Pamuk’s My Name is Red and most recently Eleanor Catton’s The Luminaries.
Ask us and we here at The Good Book Corner will review the book for you. As readers you too can give your reviews and help others decide for themselves based on what you say. You can catch us on our Facebook page or write in to us at info@the goodbookcorner.com.
Happy Reading!!!!!
With all due respect to Nancy Pearl.
For more on Nancy Pearl,
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Pearl
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