Booking Through Thursday asks — Two-thirds of Brits have lied about reading books they haven’t. Have you? Why? What book?
I have to say yes, but it was completely unintentional.
You know how you get in conversations with people and they mention a book and you say, “Oh, yeah, I read that one.” And then you start thinking while they’re talking and saying to yourself, Did I read that? I think I did. Maybe not. I know it’s on the shelf but that’s not an indicator of it actually being read. It’s just on the shelf. And this goes on in your head while the other person is talking about the book, some nuance of a character or plot, and you’re rummaging through a messy, over stacked shelf in your head wondering the whole time if you read it while nodding politely to make it appear as if you’re still listening although that boat sailed. You know, something along those lines.
So, what books? For some reason Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cites keeps popping into my head and I don’t know why. I’ve made valiant attempts to read it several times but I have never gotten far and by that I mean – “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” That’s all I remember.
If you’re interested in the Reuters UK story it’s here. The book most Brits lie about is 1984 by George Orwell. Now THAT one I have read! 🙂
Anything you’d like to fess up to?
Just Book Reading 
haha I like your confession.
I included A Tale of Two Cities in my BTT post too. It’s a tough one!
That’s all I remember from A Tale of Two Cities as well, but then I never finished it. I’d get the first line trivia answer right. LOL
Don’t worry – that’s probably the most important sentence in that book anyway. 🙂 I think most people must lie about Dickens or Austen. After all, *how* can you simply not enjoy them? :-p
Quite a few people seem to be mentioning A Tale of Two Cities today. I think I read that one many, many years ago, but I’m never sure if it’s the book I’m remembering or the old 1930s movie with Ronald Colman. The part I always remember is “It’s a far, far better thing I do…” at the end.
Here’s a hint to get thru ‘tales’, do it audio.
This is how I get through a lot of the more longwinded classics. I managed to finish ‘tales’ this year. I think if I had tried to read it, I wouldn’t have finished. And it turns out to be a pretty good story.
Hmm, you might be onto something with the audio version… May have to try it.
I have the same problem with books that were assigned in High School. I remember the cover, and some of the class conversations, but how much of it did I actually read? But yes, I do pass some of those off as books I’ve read.
It seems like Dickens is a popular answer for this one!