Finish? Don't finish?

 

 

Rick and I were reading in bed, a common occurrence before putting out the light. He put his book aside. "I don't want to finish it." He indicated it was a bad thing. 

Both of us are compulsive readers. I keep track of my reading on an Excel spread sheet by date finished, title, number of pages and author. Rarely, I add notes about the book in a separate column. 

I usually read about 30,000 pages a year. Although I'm intrigued about how much I read, the spread sheet is mainly to double check if I read the same book perhaps two to five years before. It's easy to do when one has a favorite and prolific author.

Because I'm lazy, I read more in English than French, but finding English books can be a challenge.

In Geneva:

English Library has over 10,000 books, two major sales a year. They also sell sandwiches and I love the egg salad and coriander with a homemade chocolate cake for desert sold during the sale. They sell used books all the time. The library is housed in the Holy Trinity English church. For 125 CHF ($149) a year Rick and I can each take out six books for a month.

Pages and Sips, a newish book store, is cozy and combines great scones, teas, coffee and other pastries.

Kiosks in old British red phone booths in many places around the city. 

Used book stores that have English sections.

In Argelès-sur-mer

For years my late friend Barbara, an anthropologist, operated a used English book and African art store. Her wide and varied collection of English books were also the subjects of thousands of discussions over a good meal or a cuppa. That was reading security. I still miss her.

The handicapped man who opens his window and has books on his window sill at the Place de La Republique on market days. There are English books mixed in with the French. Often the English books are ones we donated.

Shared books with other readers. I know what authors and subjects my friends like and they know mine. "Pass it on when you're done" is usually the rule, but every now and then someone wants their book back for their personal library.

E-books. I prefer paper, but e-books are fantastic when I run out of reading matter, want a certain title or want to read in the dark. I love being able to change typeface size,

I told my husband that it isn't sad not to finish a book he is enjoying. It means we can immediately start one we will. 

I don't know if the dog in the photo has given up on the book or not.