How Long Do You Give It?

[Lainey1978]

How long, or how many pages in, do you give a book before deciding whether or not to continue reading it? I ask because while I usually read the entire book whether I like it or not, I've read both some really bad and some really good books lately. I worry that reading books that I don't like that much is taking me away from books I might like better, especially if the book I don't like so much is long.

Sometimes I break books like that up with other books that I like better, which helps. But I hate to give up on them altogether. Is anyone like me, or do you read a bit and decide that if you don't like it, you're not going to waste time on it?

[kitty5495]

I just keep reading until I can't stand it anymore (usually over halfway through), then I'll go onto another book.. then usually finish the boring book later on when I can't get to the bookstore but need something to read. ha

[Gannon]

If I start a book I will finish it, even if I hate it. I don't know why but I have always been like this. Its hard because if it is a book that I am not enjoying it becomes a real slogg to get through each page.

[Bowlie]

I do what you do--I usually read a book I enjoy while I read the tedious book. I've had people tell me not to waste my time because there are so many books out there that you should read books you'll like. I think those people are awesome for being able to do that. Me, I'm too OCD to do that the vast majority of the time! I can only remember two books ever that I didn't finish--The Scarlet Letter and The Fifth Book of Peace.

Are you not enjoying A Prayer for Owen Meany? I saw you were reading that on the Currently Reading thread.

[Moore]

It depends. sometimes its' enough to read just a few lines to realize that's it - it's not worth reading! Usually i read some pages and then i understand what kind of book it is. The book should catch and swallow you!

[Classical is Classy]

Even if its a bad book I'll keep going through it or else it'll be a mark of shame on me. So I've been able to get through all of the books I've attempted, excluding Moby Dick and Twlight. I don't feel bad about Twilight, ha, but Moby Dick is a mark of shame on my soul and I'll go back and read it somday! I swear! No book left behind!

[Lainey1978]

Well, I'm finding Owen Meany okay, but not as good as the His Dark Materials series, for example, for which I've scheduled myself to read the last one a few books from now.

Actually, when I think about it, it's only the classics that I care if I finish reading. Like, I had a Piers Anthony book I didn't finish because it bored me to death (he's my favorite author, but I don't like some of his series). But I haven't been able to get through A Tale of Two Cities, 1984, or...Moby Dick! I've actually read that a lot of people didn't like Moby Dick. It's on some online list of classics not to bother reading, lol.

Bowlie, The Scarlett Letter is actually pretty good, although I admit that it's slow. What did you find unreadable about it?

[Bowlie]

Bowlie, The Scarlett Letter is actually pretty good, although I admit that it's slow. What did you find unreadable about it?

I think I found the Puritans rather boring in school. It was a long time ago that we had to read it for class, but I haven't bothered to pick it up again. I probably should because it's so short, but I just haven't yet. hehe

[Dolphin]

What!?

There are people who didn't want to finish A Tale of Two Cities, The Scarlet Letter, or Moby Dick??? I loved all three of those! But, perhaps that was because, when I read A Tale of Two Cities, I had just gone through a french revolution phase, when I read The Scarlet Letter I was going through a religious phase, and when I read Moby Dick I had just finished The Iliad (and Melville made several parallel's throughout the novel with The Iliad).

Now that I think about it, I think a book is enormously more enjoyable if it is read in conjunction or in addition to a previous interest. As in, if you relate one passion to another, the two combine, and the whole becomes greater than the sum of the parts...

Or, if you find a character admirable, and begin trying to emulate him, or if you find a struggle similar and begin to draw comfort from the empathy being telepathically transported to you through the text. If a book makes you think, it needs to make you think about something you want to think about to hold your interest, if a book does not make you think then it simply needs to hold the capacity of providing an escape from those thoughts which you do not need to think about. Both kinds of books are good, but the first builds the mind, the second simply releases pent up stresses of the mind...

And, I think that is why I can find A Tale of Two Cities, The Scarlet Letter, and Moby Dick un-put-down-ables, to whereas others can find them as give-up-ons.

[Bowlie]

What!?

There are people who didn't want to finish A Tale of Two Cities, The Scarlet Letter, or Moby Dick??? I loved all three of those! But, perhaps that was because, when I read A Tale of Two Cities, I had just gone through a french revolution phase, when I read The Scarlet Letter I was going through a religious phase, and when I read Moby Dick I had just finished The Iliad (and Melville made several parallel's throughout the novel with The Iliad).

I think that I found the Puritans boring because I grew up in the Southwestern U.S. In school, U.S. History is primarily taught as Colonial U.S. History and there is so much history in the Western U.S. that is completely separate from the Colonies. I felt a disconnect when all that was taught was the history from the British in America. I don't really identify with that part of U.S. History since I'm of Hispanic and Asian decent.

That being said, I have come to appreciate Colonial U.S. history and it might be worthwhile for me to pick up the book now since I'm older.

On a side note, I read Moby Dick in high school and really liked it. It's a book that I'd like to read again someday.

[Woodland Nymph]

If I find myself reading a book I find tedious, I'll usually read a little something on the side, like a Shakespeare play or one of my favorite teen fictions. That way, I won't drive myself crazy while reading a book I can't stand.

[Jaylee]

I remember when I was little and would check out a book from the library, I thought I had to finish it if I started reading it. But soon I decided that there are so many books out there and I can't possibly read them all so why waste time reading something I don't like? Someone told me they give a book 100 pages and if they don't like it by then, they stop reading it. I try to do that unless it turns out I really can't stand it or it's too boring then I quit early. The only books I come back to, or maybe take a break from while reading something else are classics, or books that I think are well-known and I should really read.

[Lainey1978]

I try to come back to the classics, too.

Right now I'm reading The Lovely Bones, having finally finished A Prayer for Owen Meany, and it's shaping up to be a book where I don't have to worry about this. I really like it so far!

[perusaphone]

I very recently had to do a review on a new publication and only got about half way through the first paragraph, it was so contrived and tedious. This has to be the first book I haven't finished, there may have been a few where I skipped a few predictable lines, but I cannot for the life of me, let them go easily....

[bastah]

Up until now, I would sometimes just read a couple pages, and then put down the book and start another. The main reason why is because I have soooo many books, so why read one that is hard to get into, when I can switch to a new and exciting one? I decided to quit doing this. I read The Collector 2 years too late, because I put it back on the book shelf way too soon, and I regret doing that, since it is now one of my favorite books.