Two out of the three books I borrowed from the library are being returned only partially read. These are the books:

“Here I am” by Jonathan Safran Foer

I hated the book. Really.

I have read Foer’s book “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”  and I was moved by it and found it intriguing. That book took some time to get into and I remembered that when I began the book “Here I am”. Honestly, I was prepared to give the book a chance at least up to page 80 (there are 571 pages).  I was prepared for a slow beginning.

By page 43 I couldn’t take it anymore. I felt like screaming “Let me out”!

I see absolutely no reason to continue reading a book that makes me feel that way. There are so many books waiting to be read!

You’ll have to read a review of the book somewhere else.

“Family Matters” by Rohinton Mistry

This is an entirely different case from the previous book.

I read “A Fine Balance” by Mistry and enjoyed it. This book is well written with rich descriptions and is moving.

In fact, the way the book tugs at your emotions is at the heart of the problem.

The book focuses on a man in his late 80s, whose world closes in on him as he becomes able to do less and less. It’s a sad book.

At this point, I find myself unable to read about such a situation. It’s been half a year since my own father passed away, at the age of 86. While I can find very few similarities between my father’s life and the experiences of the character in the book, I found myself dreading reading.

Not good.

But it’s hardly the author’s fault and does not reflect on the book in any way.

Yet once again, you will have to read a review of this book somewhere else.