Reading and forgetting

5 Comments

OK, is anyone else like this? You read something, and then a year later… it’s all a blur.

I swear, it’s weird.

I caught this article in Publishers Weekly, and it really resonated.

At least it’s not just me.

The one mercy is that typically I retain enough of a sense of the feel of a book that I can use it as a basis for read-alikes for reader’s advisory purposes.

But a year later, if you ask me whodunit in a mystery, I’ll be clueless.
If you ask me to name the main characters in a novel I read… not a chance.
A detailed plot summary? Oh, man…

Though– The blog actually really helps with the remembering part, even though I remain rather feeble on the details about books from more than a year ago. Something about writing about a book cements it a bit better in this poor little brain of mine.

5 thoughts on “Reading and forgetting”

  1. Rayna

    Usually I can remember major plot points or at least one interesting scene. Unless it's a classic or a book I've reread, I can almost never remember the main characters' names.

    I agree that having a blog helps my book memory. At least I can always remember if I loved or hated it, and usually how many stars I gave it. (And if I can't remember anything, it only takes a few minutes to look up my review.)

  2. Kim (Sophisticated Dorkiness)

    It depends on the book. Last year, I went to read the second book in a series only to discover that I couldn't remember a single thing about the first book. But other times, I remember basic plot points and the feeling of the book enough to talk about it much later.

  3. unrulyreader20

    Rayna — Your comments about the advantages of keeping a book blog: so true! Makes me even gladder I have one.

    Kim — Oh, I'm with you. If it's too long between books in a series, I've had that same experience.

  4. melissa @ 1lbr

    I'm the same way – my memory is so bad! But, sometimes it is books I've read only a few weeks ago. I know blogging has helped me, but I try to avoid spoilers, so often I don't remember the ending or vital plot points 🙂

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