How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read by Pierre Bayard

I haven't picked it up since October, when we moved into this apartment and I misplaced it, but the similarities in the way I seem to recall (but have also entirely forgotten) reading styles are described (whether reading or non-reading) is interesting to think about. The book takes the reader through many styles of non-reading, which I found interesting as I'm also finding my way through How to Read A Book by Mortimer J. In fact, as I've mentioned, it was quite interesting - so interesting that I hadn't initially planned on writing an entry about it, but now I feel like I must. In any case, I was initially disappointed by the lack of hilariousness, since that's what I'd expected, but the book wasn't by any means boring. It's French humor, I suppose, and I put that in italics because this book taught me to not be afraid of culture and being open, and perhaps a little bit because that's how everyone refers to the French. (Well, I suppose if you really think about it, it is the book's fault for being so interesting that I didn't want to put it down however, I sort of feel that since the book gives advice on how to talk about books you haven't read, I can rightly talk about this book which I only partially read.)It wasn't witty.

I don't want to imply that the book was boring it wasn't the book's fault that I read it late into the night after having gotten very little sleep the night before. Well, I am going to call this an STB (slept-through book) with a rating of ++, which is the highest possible rating. No, that doesn't mean 'sexual transmitted book.' You see, books are mentioned throughout this book, as would make sense the author gives comments on each book - whether he has not heard of the book (UB - unheard of book), books he has skimmed (SB), books he has heard about (HB), and books he has read but forgotten (FB). Like when humorists write about politics.Instead, I found this to be an STB. The word I latched on to was 'witty,' thinking this was going to be a serious joke book - extremely hilarious writing about a topic that needs real consideration. Everything I read about this book before I read it promised a witty, beautifully styled text that advised the reader on how to, well, talk about books he hasn't read, but also how to deal with social situations in which the reader finds himself having to lead intellectual discussions about a book he hasn't read.

How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read by Pierre Bayard