I’m coming up on my sixth year of blogging, and I still enjoy my little hobby today, just as much as I did when I started six years ago. Possibly even more, because through blogging I’ve had the pleasure to meet so many amazing, intelligent and thoughtful women who share some of the same interests as I do. The big one, of course, being reading romance novels. And talking about romance novels. Going on and on and on about romance novels. 
The first blogger I met, live and in person, was Rosie, who happens to live in roughly the same geographic area that I do. We met at a local used bookstore, did some shopping, then had a nice, long lunch where we discussed, what else?, romance novels. We’ve spent a fair amount of time together “in person” since then. We’ve had countless chats. But she did say something to me once that has really gotten stuck in my head….
She called me an idiot savant of romance novels.
I’m one of those people, that once I read a book, I can at least recall some details about it. Depending on how much I loved or loathed the book, I can generally recall quite a bit of detail about it. I can’t recite the whole book verbatim. For example, I’m terrible with character names, even for books that are in my treasured keeper collection. I also won’t remember every single plot point or character trait. I tend to recall the highlights, or the “big issues” that stuck in my mind while reading the story. I also can always tell you if I’ve at least read the book. Some readers inadvertently buy duplicate copies of books they’ve read before or check a book out from the library, read the first 50 pages and realize, “Hey, I’ve read this before!” Yeah, with me? That never happens. There are instances where the book in question was merely an “average” read, and because I didn’t have a strong reaction to it (I didn’t love it or hate it), I might not recall a single thing about the book. Nothing. But I will remember, at the very least, that I did in fact read it. I know I read it – even if all the finer details have since flown out of my head.
So how about you? Are you an idiot savant when it comes to your reading? Do you have total recall? Partial recall? Absolutely no recall at all? What details are you likely to remember about a book? What details (like me with character names) do you almost always forget?
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I have a terrible memory for details, which is why I used to be suckered into repeat buys occasionally by cover changes on reprints. (This is why I now keep a list in my purse.)
But sometimes I remember the oddest things…
A couple years ago, my mom tossed me a historical. H and H were traveling and performed some service or other for some village folk, for which they were compensated with a goat.
Goats are magical keys to memory. I remembered reading it before. The hero was always getting kids dumped on his doorstep because he had the wherewithal to support them, and there were DOZENS. There was tower barricading to prevent conjugal visits, and I believe heroine shot him with an arrow. Good times. I read it again anyway because it was fun.
No, I couldn’t tell you what it was called or who wrote it. I refer to it simply as “the one with the GOAT.”
I like to keep books around and re-read them every so often. It’s like watching a favorite movie over and over. I have never just flipped the book over and started again. My mind would wander, and I’d find myself skipping pages.
As far as recall, I am guilty as charged of buying the same book twice, especially if it is in a set from the same author and the cover has been changed. I’m a very visually-oriented person.
I used to be.
Up until my… early twenties or so, I could remember the title and plot, and usually the characters and author name, of every book I’d read in the previous ten or so years. Which is pretty amazing because I have a hideously bad memory for individual data items — names and dates, math or scientific formulas, foreign language vocabulary, any little individual bits that you have to Just Memorize. I’ve lived here for almost ten years and still have to look up my own phone number occasionally. (Hey, how often do you call yourself?! [duck])
But the book info sort of held together. Remembering a story has always been a lot easier than remembering a handful of unconnected facts. Even now I’ll still remember plotlines and gimmicks I read twenty or thirty or more years ago. Most of the titles and authors and character names, however, have vanished into the ether.
And yeah, I do buy duplicate books sometimes. :/
Angie
I’m a no recall kind of girl. I remember feelings of a book, but not specifics. I can’t even remember details from my own books and about my own characters [hence the need for cheat sheets to help me
].
I can pretty much remember when I’ve already read a book by reading the 1st paragraph.
I usually don’t remember character names, unfortunately, which makes it a lot harder to track down a book if I’m trying to find it again.
I seem to remember a couple of particular points of a book, depending on how it struck me at the time.
For example, in the post above, I don’t remember the goat at all but I’m pretty sure the hero with all the kids is from Charming the Prince by Teresa Medeiros. It’s one of my favorite funnies and I always crack up at the thought of this big, strong warrior hiding from his kids.
Sandi
I usually remember covers and titles, but I’ve had some re-buys. If I read the book ten years ago, or skimmed it five years ago, I might pick it up again, not realizing.
Oh definitely an idiot savant of that ilk. I tend to remember big points and overall plot and very often character names. My mother, on the other hand, often takes 100 pages or more to remember she’s read something and these days she can go to a movie and forget what it was called as soon as she’s out!
Oh, please! Unless a book is absoultely amazing, I’m lucky I can recall the character’s names the next day. It’s not because I don’t care or I don’t pay attention, it’s because I just read too damn much. I don’t think my brain has the capacity to hold that much info, lol. So in the end it picks and chooses what I remember. Which in the end is another reason why I only blog about books I loved. They are the only ones I remember
I used to read all the library books my kids checked out so I would know if I went to the library for them, which they’d already read.
Now, I think my total library could be reduced to 3 books. By the time I finish Book #3, I’ll have forgotten enough about Book #1 so I can read it again. I’ve re-read mysteries with no idea of who dun it.
I love series. Read a kazillion of them. But I have no memory for titles, and it’s embarrassing to admit how many times I’ve bought a book, read it, then put it on the shelf next to ITSELF!
Character names? I have some trouble with those. A conference speaker said, “Never use the protagonist’s initials for any other character in the book. I read a book recently where there was a Mack, a Mark, and a Mike. I went nuts trying to keep them straight. I just finished Dark of Night, and I have to say, even after all the books in the series, I have trouble differentiating between Deck and Dave. And three main players named Tess, Traci and Teri. They become all mixed up in my poor head.
(Probably because I think I tend to read the first letter and my brain fills in the rest. I even wrote one of my own character’s names wrong and didn’t notice until I got the final galleys.
I keep meaning to make lists. But then I look at how many books are on my shelves, and the task becomes too daunting. I think that’s why I put “What I’m Reading” on my blog — I can do a search and see if I read it before I buy it again, at least if I’m shopping from home!
Loved your phrase “the idiot savant of romance” .
Authors stick in my mind, especially when I’ve adored a book. As a rule, I don’t recall character names, or even titles–I keep a spreadsheet to track titles read, and TBR, in order to avoid re-purchases.
I do remember the stories themselves, Though, most of the time I have to read more than a paragraph to access the previously read part of my brain.
I’m in the same boat as Barbara. I average a book a day, and there’s no way I’d remember all of the details…unless it was a book that really stood out for me, a story and characters that I loved. Or part of a series–I always remember those, too, for some reason. Maybe the repetition?
Oh–and what I DO remember? It’s usually careers. I have no idea why. “Oh–that’s the one with the lawyer and the paramedic”…
Like you, I’m terrible at remembering character names. I also may not remember many details about a book, but I will always remember whether or not I’ve read it.
*laughs* Wow, you could be describing me.
I can’t remember details (character names? Like those matter! Pffft!)
But I typically remember…something…enough to know if I’ve read it before or not. Sometimes a cover change will throw me for a loop, but even books that I picked up on a whim and read over a decade ago are still strong enough in my memory for me to know if I read it or not.
The nice thing is that I forget Just The Right Amount. That may sound a bit odd, but in reality, it’s perfect. If I forget too much, I could make it most of the way through a book before realizing I’ve already read it. This could possibly give me a feeling of reading it “for the first time” all over again, but would probably just disappoint me when I remembered. If I didn’t forget enough, I’d never be able to read the book again without constantly being aware of what’s happening next.
Just the Right Amount means that my bookshelves are filled with books that I’ve read multiple times, and enjoyed thoroughly each time. I can pick up a book and immediately get a sense of pleasure and anticipation. I remember that I enjoyed the book and a few key things about it, but I’m looking forward to delving back into the pages and falling in love all over again.
Until this post, I actually never considered that my book memory was anything other than the norm, but it would certainly explain why none of my friends have such an extensive collection of beloved friends on their shelves!
How can you… not remember a book? It’d be like forgetting a boyfriend!
Actually, I am guilty of ‘flinging’ with books before I buy them. It’s the only way I manage my behavior in a book store. I’ll flip through a title and if I think I have to have it, I’ll put it back and continue wandering. If, after an hour the afterglow is still there, I run back and rescue the baby from the poor shelves. If I somehow manage to resist (i.e. I have no money), the book will haunt me until I can afford it.
On the flip side, I don’t for get my bad flings, either. Seductive cover art will sometimes fool me for a minuted, but if I’ve read and rejected before, I’ll remember.
I have bought the same book three times. This would be embarrassing enough, but the book in question is about a family of circus freaks, one of whom has telepathy, it is called GEEK LOVE and it’s written by a woman with the same name as my best friend from high school.
You would really think I’d have remembered ONE of those outstanding features, but no, I kept on buying it.
LOL! My mom was that way with nail polish. I asked her if she got a good deal on a color when she had 3 of them. She said no, she never remembered the name, and it looked like a good color, so she’d buy it.
I am like you, Wendy, an idiot savant. My husband calls me the Great Summarizer. My mother and my friend take me to the bookstore with them so that I can tell them about the books and if they have already bought a title.
I mostly don’t remember names unless it is a continuing series. I keep books that are favs cause I will go back and re-read but I haven’t in a long time. I started reviewing for a web site and I am usually on a deadline to read and review a couple of books in a month’s time. I also have two kids and a husband so it limits my time. If I haven’t re-read a book some of the details will be fuzzy but I can give you a pretty good run down and if I liked it or not.
HAHA! I am exactly the same way with books! I remember everything that happens, and other people that have read it are always amazed that I can recall the random details they just look over!
I think it has to do with the whole author thing though… we read for the details and realize how important they are in the story.
I think I fall in to the partial recall category…but definitely not total recall!
I can always remember if I have read a book. I cannot give great detail about the book, but I can usually remember the basic plot. I can even tell you if a book is already in my TBR pile. I have never bought a duplicate of any book.
I’m definitely an idiot savant when it comes to books, plus music and movies. I always remember little specific bits and even character names. Great for not buying dups
Oh, I envy you SO much!
I have such a bad memory,
the hubby engraved our wedding date
on the inside of my wedding ring.
He did that without asking
because he knew I’d never remember.
I thought it was the sweetest thing.
So no, I don’t remember anything.
I buy multiple copies (some as many as five times)
and I usually don’t notice
until I put them in the donation box
(all my books get donated)
and see two other copies of the same book in there.
That’s why I love eBooks.
Not only can I do a quick search of mine
but if I buy it again,
at least it doesn’t take up space.
I’d say partial recall. I remember characters (but not always names), settings, plot points. Most of the time I remember titles. If I read the first couple of pages, I know I’ve read this before and I stop.
That’s why I don’t like book excerpts. They throw me off, making me think I’ve read the book when I haven’t.
I almost always remember books that I have read. The only time I get confused is if the title of the book changes. With author’s that I really like if I spot a book that looks like it is new, I always check the copyright date.
My friends are always turning me to remember a plot or historical event.
I’ve only bought the same book once and it wasn’t a romance. I read the first chapter before I realized I’d read it a few years previously. I really have trouble remembering characters names, but I remember the other major stuff. I’m very impressed with those of you who have such great recall. Checking the copyright date is a great idea if you’re in doubt. I’ll remember that.
I also seem to have an unusually good memory for details, based on my performance in “guess the book” games.
Ha! I don’t have to remember who wrote what any more. I have you SL!
While I have bought the same book twice it’s happened only a couple of times in 35 years of book buying so I’m not too worried about it.
If I’ve read a book I sometimes don’t recognize the title but if I see it and read the blurb can generally recall the gist.
Whew! I’m glad I’m in such good company.
I’ve bought duplicates when the author is an auto-buy, and the cover art has changed while the original book is in my TBR pile.
3/4 recall.
I keep a list of books that I have read, because my local library rotates books quite often for some reason, and I may not remember the title of the book without quite a bit a thought.
But that’s about the only trouble I have. If I see the title of the book, I can tell you if I’ve read it before, usually the name of the main character, sometimes more if they catch my eye, and an outline of what happens. I try not to entirely memorize what happens in the book, just in case it is really really good, that way I can go back and read it again and again if I so desire.
Often, I prefer the more complacated, longer books for this reason. If the book is too short, or not very detailed, it is impossible for to re read it and enjoy it because I easily recall all that happened.
I also am able to read multiple books at once and not get lost, which comes in handy when I was reading a book for for, and two or three books for classes.