For Readers - When do you give up on a book?

Dr Winston O'Boogie Senior Member

3,345 posts 36 reps Joined Oct 2010

Fri, Jan 5, 2018 9:48 AM

As I get older, I am more apt to stop reading a book that I don't like regardless of where I am. That said, I always feel a bit guilty when I do. I guess it's that voice from the old man saying, "always finish what you started".

What are your opinions on this? Do you bail at the first sign of trouble or do you see your commitment through?

justincredible Honorable Admin

37,969 posts 250 reps Joined Nov 2009

Fri, Jan 5, 2018 9:51 AM

I typically see it through, and it usually works out. I did abandon Blood Meridian a few years ago, and I felt bad because I had really liked the previous McCarthy books I had read.

iclfan2 Reppin' the 330/216/843

9,465 posts 100 reps Joined Nov 2009

Fri, Jan 5, 2018 9:59 AM

I can usually get through any book unless it is extremely long, slow, or untinteresting. Probably have only ever started and not finished a handful of books (that I chose to read, not counting forced school reading)

Commander of Awesome Senior Pwner

24,621 posts 244 reps Joined May 2010

Fri, Jan 5, 2018 11:28 AM

I give a book 40ish pages, will drop with the quickness.

Heretic Son of the Sun

20,517 posts 204 reps Joined Nov 2009

Fri, Jan 5, 2018 11:35 AM

It's rare I give up with a book, but it happens from time to time if it just isn't clicking with me. Last time was Stephen King's Duma Key. Just took too long to get started and was mainly King rewriting his way through his rehab from when the dude hit him with the truck in another different way, spending like 50+ pages of his protagonist's first-person voice going through a work accident, brain damage where he couldn't control his actions, the dissolution of his marriage because of his uncontrollable mood swings and so on.

Helped that I received it as a gift. Seems when I spend my money on something, I force myself to see it through.

Fab4Runner Tits McGee

6,997 posts 64 reps Joined Nov 2009

Fri, Jan 5, 2018 12:59 PM

I've only not finished two books, I believe. I just suffer through for no reason whatsoever.

Verbal Kint Senior Member

1,062 posts 16 reps Joined Jul 2017

Fri, Jan 5, 2018 7:27 PM

The Hobbit- Page 3, about 6 or 7 times.

Farwell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls, about page 40. I hate Hemingway, gave it a chance.

Catch 22, halfway, it became redundant, I guess that was the point.

justincredible Honorable Admin

37,969 posts 250 reps Joined Nov 2009

Fri, Jan 5, 2018 7:52 PM

posted by Verbal Kint
The Hobbit- Page 3, about 6 or 7 times.

I read The Hobbit recently. It was a slog, but I got through it and overall I enjoyed the story. It did turn me away from attempting to read Lord of the Rings, though, there is no way I could make it through that massive trilogy.

Commander of Awesome Senior Pwner

24,621 posts 244 reps Joined May 2010

Fri, Jan 5, 2018 11:50 PM

posted by Verbal Kint
The Hobbit- Page 3, about 6 or 7 times.

Farwell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls, about page 40. I hate Hemingway, gave it a chance.

Catch 22, halfway, it became redundant, I guess that was the point.

I'm shocked, legit my favorite author. Farewaell to Arms was incredible, though I'll admit Whom the Bells Tolls was a slog and my least favorite of his.

Dr Winston O'Boogie Senior Member

3,345 posts 36 reps Joined Oct 2010

Sat, Jan 6, 2018 4:13 PM

posted by Verbal Kint
The Hobbit- Page 3, about 6 or 7 times.

Farwell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls, about page 40. I hate Hemingway, gave it a chance.

Catch 22, halfway, it became redundant, I guess that was the point.

You and and I have these in common I couldn’t get into the Hobbit or LOTR I’ve tried numerous times I really wanted to read them, get absorbed by the and love the. But I couln’t make it more than 100 pages in any of the books I ran into the same problem with Game of Thrones too I think it’s simply that I can’t get into that genre

I hated Catch-22 as well Not entertaining or funny at all the absurdity of war point is made within the first five pages, then nothing else The empower has no clothes with that book

GOONx19 An exceptional poster.

7,413 posts 94 reps Joined Nov 2009

Sat, Jan 6, 2018 7:04 PM

posted by Verbal Kint
The Hobbit- Page 3, about 6 or 7 times.

Farwell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls, about page 40. I hate Hemingway, gave it a chance.

Catch 22, halfway, it became redundant, I guess that was the point.

posted by Commander of Awesome
I'm shocked, legit my favorite author. Farewaell to Arms was incredible, though I'll admit Whom the Bells Tolls was a slog and my least favorite of his.

The Hobbit was the first "adult" book I ever read, sometime around middle school, and I loved it. Wasn't interested in any of the movies or in reading it again, but I still think it would hold up for me. Hemingway is my favorite author and For Whom the Bell Tolls is the best of his books, in my opinion. Catch-22 is my favorite book of all time; I've read it through at least a handful of times. I honestly could not have more differing opinions thank you, VK.

Verbal Kint Senior Member

1,062 posts 16 reps Joined Jul 2017

Sat, Jan 6, 2018 11:14 PM

posted by GOONx19

posted by Commander of Awesome
I'm shocked, legit my favorite author. Farewaell to Arms was incredible, though I'll admit Whom the Bells Tolls was a slog and my least favorite of his.

The Hobbit was the first "adult" book I ever read, sometime around middle school, and I loved it. Wasn't interested in any of the movies or in reading it again, but I still think it would hold up for me. Hemingway is my favorite author and For Whom the Bell Tolls is the best of his books, in my opinion. Catch-22 is my favorite book of all time; I've read it through at least a handful of times. I honestly could not have more differing opinions thank you, VK.

I tried, not for me.

Devils Advocate Brudda o da bomber

4,899 posts 101 reps Joined Nov 2009

Sun, Jan 7, 2018 2:13 PM

posted by justincredible
I read The Hobbit recently. It was a slog, but I got through it and overall I enjoyed the story. It did turn me away from attempting to read Lord of the Rings, though, there is no way I could make it through that massive trilogy.

For Readers - When do you give up on a book?

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