BOOK READING: AN ESSAY ON BOOK READING OBSTACLES -A PRIVATE EXPERIENCE ONLY

The year is 1952. The city is Oslo. It is Christmas time. I am only eight years of age. My main interests are books, movies and strip cartoons about cowboys, Roy Rogers and above all: Hopalong Cassidy. In 1952 toys for children were not easy to buy. Cowboy equipments were not for sale in Norwegian shops. Those of us who had a sailor as a family member, got all the thrilling toys annually. What a time! We had Christmas time more then once during the year. Due to my private interest, I got a present from my father who was far away as sailor. The Christmas present was a book written in Norwegian, translated by Rolf Gundersen, and published by the Norwegian publishing company, H.Aschehoug & Co(W.Nyggard) in Oslo in 1952. The title of the book: « The Thundering Herd». På norsk:» Bøffelkrigen». The American author was Zane Grey.

In 1952 I did not read the book. The content of the book was splendid with reference to my private interests: American cowboys who never wore a dirt shirt, behaved nice, were riding good looking horses and always won every battle. No. I did not read the book.

In 2020 I had to make a critical evaluation about the books kept for years in my library.Then I discovered Zane Geys famous book again. What about the book? What to do with a book which remined me of my past as a reluctant reader? I made up my mind reading the book-now or never.

THE THUNDERING HERD

The novel was written by Zane Grey (1872-1939) in 1925. The content and plot deals with the buffalo hunting in USA. Tom Doan has joined the buffalo hunters to make money. The buffalo hunters had to fight unscrupulous white hunters, comanches and kiowas. Tom Doan is an efficient skinner.A love story is also connected to Tom Doan when he meets Milly. The hunting is a dangerous business. The story is thrilling. But the story of the hunting of buffalos for business and money is also the history of the destruction of the herds. The white man’s greed nearly exterminated the buffalos.

I read the book in 2020. What was the matter not approching the book in 1952? The main reason for my negative attitude to the book was not only my young age, but the language of the book. Even in 2020 I found the writing too stiff and not easy to read even to-day. But I made it reading the book at an age of 76-not bad!

« The THUNDERING HERD» - MOVIES

In 1933 the movie based on the book was released starring the actor Randolph Scott (1898-1987).The film is a remake of the movie produced in 1925.The film is a dramatic film where stock footage is inserted from earlier films. Actor Randolph Scott was an American actor whose career spanned from 1928 to 1962. He appeared in more than 100 movies. About 110 movies are produced based on the books written by Zane Grey.

BOOK READING

My private experience as an active book addict and reader, is that you must not give up finishing the book you wanted to read. But some books should not be given to young dedicated readers even if they wanted to know the plot and the history. I made it reading the book in 2020 but I disliked the language of the book – too stiff for my taste. It is important to support the buildings of libraries and also importatnt to stimulate people to read more – not only watching facebook and movies on internet.

 

Roy Rogers