One of the Best Books I Ever Read…or Didn’t Read!
Pierre Bayard (a French professor of Literature) shares an insightful perspective in his book, How to Talk About Books You Haven’t Read. Bayard’s book is an interesting read ~ or non-read, depending on how you look at it. The author opened a door (along with Garfield as he spoke to us in China) about the ability to grasp and talk as informatively as possible about a book that we may or may not have read. So conniving ~ and yet so enticing!
I’ve never really been a book reader; well, I should say a ‘whole book’ reader. I have found intriguing parts within a book and then work to unpack these sections and explore them further to bring value into my research. Last year while in LSF group; not only did I purchase the 30 required books for the term, but I also purchased over 30 additional books focused on human trafficking for my dissertation project. I found that having the books available to me allowed me to skim them to seek sections that were valuable to me. I learned this process through a course I took in my undergrad studies that was basically focused on ‘gleaning the best from books.’ It introduced one of the best books I ever read ~ or didn’t read!
I agree with Bayard’s idea of the ‘inner library,’ which really means we are a walking, talking version of someone who is focused on ourselves in the end anyway.[1] Every perception of our lives is based on our own inner book, so we will find what it is that relates most closely to us in a book and/or intrigues us in a special way. We are never far from our own internal perceptions in all areas of our life, including what we speak about and share with others. As Bayard talks about shame, it is again based on our own perspective of what shame is for us.
Author Stephen Fry, who wrote Moab Is My Washpot, explained shame in this way: “It’s not all bad. Heightened self-consciousness, apartness and shame are not all bad. Those devils have been my angels. Without them I would never have disappeared into language, literature, the mind, laughter and all of the mad intensities that made and unmade me.”[2]
I was amused as Bayard describes his students talking to others about books they clearly never read. Bayard notes: “And it is also unsurprising that their comments (however far removed from the initial text) bring to the encounter an originality that they would undoubtedly have lacked had they undertaken to read the book.”[3] Yet, Bayard shares this insight with almost a touch of admiration for their imagination and ingenuity. Definitely my kind of prof!
I have found that taking the best of many different perspectives, perceptions, influences and/or beliefs provides a strong presence ~ whether with regards to book knowledge, life application or even the church environment. I serve at a non-denominational church. When people ask what non-denominational means, I tell them it is the best of all worlds combined! It is basically taking the most positive part of numerous different Christian faiths and bringing them all together to create a non-denominational presence.
This scenario is also true with regards to talking about books we have ‘gleaned’ the best from. It brings to us a broader perspective of various beliefs and practices to talk about and share ~ and provides us with a more open and diverse dialog as we converse with others. I think that when we can be open to learning from different points of view, we are growing internally as well as being more accepting of other options and beliefs. And this can never be a negative for us!
[1] Pierre Bayard, How to Talk about Books You Haven’t Read (New York: Bloomsbury USA, 2010), Kindle.
[2] Stephen Fry, Moab is my Washpot (New York: Random House, Inc., 1997), Kindle.
[3] Bayard, How To Talk About Books You Haven’t Read, Kindle.
About the Author
Nancy VanderRoest
Nancy is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and fulfills God's calling on her life by serving as a Chaplain & Counselor with Hospice. In her spare time, Nancy works with the anti-human trafficking coalition in her local community.9 responses to “One of the Best Books I Ever Read…or Didn’t Read!”
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This was a great post, Nancy! I enjoyed reading it! I appreciated that way you integrated Bayard’s work with your own thoughts and ideas. As a person who reads cover to cover, I can glean much from how you read the selections of books that most apply to what you’re looking for.. Thanks for teaching me!
Thanks, Karen. I appreciate your response to my post. I also appreciate you as being a person who reads cover to cover. I wish I could do that, but I find myself scanning and uncovering. However, I agree that there are some books I can’t put down until I read every single word! Glad my post helped you in some small way. Be blessed on your journey.
Nancy, I like the idea of taking intriguing parts of a book and then working to unpack these parts. It’s like just really enjoying one part of a meal, like I saw you do many times in Hong Kong. I think there is a lot of wisdom in your method since it enables you to find something good in anything, without rejecting the whole. I have to say all of this discussion on reading or not reading is really opening my mind to new ideas… I think I like it!
Thanks for your comment, Mary. I think in China, we really had no choice but to pick out something here or there that we liked. The food was definitely interesting ~ and being selective kept us all from starving! lol. I’m glad your mind is accepting new ways of thinking, Mar. I know we all need that in life…
I am amazed at your comment about purchasing 60 (sixty!!!) books last year. You amaze me Nancy!
I am also intrigued with your notion of a non-denominational definition being bringing together “the most positive parts” of many traditions. As so many churches are discerning their future, may the most positive parts always be what we hold fast to.
Yup, crazy about so many books, eh? Amazon was my best friend last year! lol. But I really found myself skimming them to pick out the best parts in them. So it wasn’t as overwhelming as it sounds. And I do think every faith walk has so many positive parts. We just all need to individually find the church that fits the best for us and that brings us closer to Him in the end. It’s all good….
The “inner library” that Bayard talks about is noteworthy. I do agree with him that such a thing exists. In the world I operate in, it’s called a worldview — it’s the framework (akin to framing a house) of ideas through which all other ideas are understood.
I didn’t have time or space to write this in my original post but I thought the inner library can only be predicated upon other ideas already formed in us. Much of that, especially in our schooling comes from books. So unless we understand authorial intent from the books we read, we may be led astray by our own pre-understanding. That’s why it’s very important to learn in community. For in it are we afforded the chance to struggle together to figure out what the author intended for us to know.
My hope and prayer is that my inner library is filled with truth, nobility, righteousness, purity, love, admiration, excellence and praiseworthiness (Phil. 4:8). Thanks for your post Nancy.
Thanks for responding, Harry. I agree with your philosophy of the inner library. And, like you, I think it’s all about perception and our worldview. Our inner perspectives are formed by our experiences, including reading, listening, and learning. It appreciated your comments, Harry. Thanks for responding to my posting.
Great post, Nancy. I love your perspective, about many things! You conclude with what has spoken to me most about this book, detailed reading can actually increase bias which is restrictive to learning. Coming to any subject or person open is critical to acceptance which enhances our learning and broadens our perspective if we allow it.