Comments on: To keep reading or not?

By: Suzanne Wardle

Suzanne Wardle — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:50:48 +0000

Nineteen times out of 20, I’ll keep reading even if the book is dreadful. I think the doggedness stems from school and college where the excuse “I didn’t do the reading because the book makes my brain curdle” didn’t fly.

If I don’t finish, part of me will wonder what happened at the end. And if I skip to the end, part of me will wonder what preceded the end. So I might as well keep reading.

I’m longing to know what this book is!

By: Vickie

Vickie — Tue, 01 May 2012 18:35:45 +0000

I know this sounds crazy, but it bothers me if I don’t finish a book, no matter how badly it is written. Somehow, it feels like a failure. In the last year or so, I’ve started to read some acclaimed classics that I missed in earlier years. Last week, I finished “The Picture of Dorian Grey.” It is one of the worst books I’ve ever read and it took me forever to finish it, even though it’s a short book. The premise of the book is interesting, but the ramblings of Oscar Wilde are not. It’s amazing how such an interesting man can be so boring in his writing. It’s the same with “Les Miserable.” I’ve been reading it in fits and starts for several years, but still have about one quarter of it to finish. Dana, if you’re not enjoying the book and you’re not obsessive (as I am), put the book away and forget it. However, if you find that it disturbs you not to finish, then read it. Only you can know which is the best decision for you.

By: Sandi Saunders

Sandi Saunders — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:10:37 +0000

AS a voracious reader, I have put few books down, but I have done so with the simple admission that they were not for me. Nothing wrong with it. Put it down and move on, I agree.

By: Dana Bailey

Dana Bailey — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:45:53 +0000

Laura, I like the way you put that “a palate-cleanser.”

By: Laura

Laura — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 18:42:42 +0000

It sounds to me like this book has faced the Page 99 test and failed. Life’s too short to waste reading a bad book, especially when there are so many great books waiting to be read. If your guilty conscience just won’t shut up, try reading a palate-cleanser and go back to it; if it’s still a slog, then tell yourself you did your best and let it go. Then come here and tell us what it was so we know to avoid it (if it’s the one I’m thinking of, I was doing that anyway!)

By: Dana Bailey

Dana Bailey — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:25:18 +0000

Lindsey, it has stayed with me and after reading I couldn’t go to sleep. But more because I was disturbed than because I enjoyed it. Some books are supposed to be disturbing, and you can grow from that,like Unbroken. This book doesn’t fall into that category.

You’re right Jeremy there tons of other books out there I could be enjoying. Maybe I’ll pick something else up to get my mind off this one. If it still pulls at me later I may go back to it.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:17:04 +0000

There was one book I stopped reading halfway through, “Notable American Women,” which I thought was completely awful. I tried again and couple of years later and appreciated it more.

Then there was “Parliament of Dunces,” which I thought was awful, but stuck with it because for some reason people like it. To this day I regret wasting my time with that book.

I would say, if you’re not enjoying it, put it aside and pick something up you do. Maybe go back to it later. Unless you’re under deadline to read a book and write a paper on it for a class, there’s no point making yourself miserable when there are a ton of better books out there.

By: Lindsey Nair

Lindsey Nair — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:14:05 +0000

For some reason I hardly ever allow myself to stop reading a book. I have to have absolutely NO desire to pick it up; in fact, I have to dread picking it up for me to quit. When I DO quit, I usually quit early on, though. I would have a hard time quitting if I was already 300 pages in.
It sounds to me as if some part of you wants to read the book. “With this book, every time I decide to delete it the stupid characters dig their claws in and refuse to exit my brain.” Hmmm… I say stick with it. When you finish, if you look back and decide you really did hate it, then post a negative review on Good Reads
Here’s another interesting test: If you read it in bed before turning out the lights at night, does it put you to sleep? I usually know it’s an engaging book if it doesn’t put me to sleep.