Miscellaneous: Burning Question

So you’re reading a novel, and it’s just humming along. Smart premise, interesting characters, good writing. You’re hooked. You have chores to do and errands to run, but you’d rather stick with the book. Eventually, though, you come to a stopping place and set it aside so you can keep your real life afloat. Occasionally you look over to where you left the book, making sure that it’s still there. At the first opportunity, you dive right back into it.

And it’s not as good. Nowhere near. It’s as if a spell has been broken; the book doesn’t exert the same hold over you, and you finish it with a feeling of disappointment.

This happens to me from time to time, most recently yesterday. What I’d like to know is: Does putting the book down somehow alter your reaction to it? Or do you subconsciously sense when the story has taken a wrong turn and tell yourself that it’s time to go to bed, do the dishes or head to the gym? Theories welcome.

Miscellaneous: Link

Hang on. Heavy metal really is the devil’s music? Via Arts & Letters Daily.