Booking Through Thursday asks (as suggested by JM):
“Life is too short to read bad books.” I’d always heard that, but I still read books through until the end no matter how bad they were because I had this sense of obligation.
That is, until this week when I tried (really tried) to read a book that is utterly boring and unrealistic. I had to stop reading.
Do you read everything all the way through or do you feel life really is too short to read bad books?
“Life is too short to read bad books.” I’d always heard that, but I still read books through until the end no matter how bad they were because I had this sense of obligation.
That is, until this week when I tried (really tried) to read a book that is utterly boring and unrealistic. I had to stop reading.
Do you read everything all the way through or do you feel life really is too short to read bad books?
I sort of fall in the middle on this issue. Yes, it bugs me to not finish a book, yet, I can and do give up now and then. However, often when I give up, I don't really think that I'm giving up, I just think I'm giving it a rest, and plan to come back and finish sometime.
Books I plan to finish sometime:
War and Peace
The Idiot
The Wings of a Dove
Peter Pan
American Gods
Sabriel
Drood
1776
... this list is actually quite big and I could go on and on...
Books I gave up on and will not come back to:
The Prodigal Summer
Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All
Scarlet
.... and I know there's more, but these two are all I can think of for now!
So anyway, it's really a rare thing for me, but I will do it, because yes, life is too short!
I like that you put lists there. Here's mine: http://thecrowdedleaf.wordpress.com.
ReplyDeleteI like that you put lists there. Here's mine: http://thecrowdedleaf.wordpress.com.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I make the distinction between given up completely and putting aside for now. I've gotten to the point where unless there's a certain payoff in a book - like it's a classic and i know there's something in it - if I'm just bored, I can give it up and say nevermind.
ReplyDeleteI don't keep track of books I won't be coming back to, just the ones I plan a return visit.
ReplyDeleteTwo James Michner books I never finished: ALASKA -- I quit half-way through, and TEXAS -- I quit with maybe 50 pages to go.
ReplyDeleteLoved other books he's written, espcially HAWAII.
Usually if a book is really boring or difficult to read I just give it up for good. Occasionally I put one aside to try again later- I've done that with A River Runs Through it and Say You're One of Them. One book I gave up on twice and tried five years later then fell in love with, was National Velvet.
ReplyDeleteI will usually push on through and try to finish the book. But, if it is really boring me, I put it down thinking that I will finish it later. Meanwhile, I pick up another book that interests me more. There are too many good books to waste time on boring ones if you don't have to. :D
ReplyDelete