Is it morally wrong to read the last couple of pages of a book before reading the rest?

[[deleted user]]

I do this all the time-usually when I am about one chapter in- then I go back to where I left off and read the rest (unless the end has completely put me off). I find it helps me to concentrate on the book - otherwise I get distracted with wondering what is going to happen.
Whenever I have mentioned this to anyone in the past, they have reacted with shock, outrage and sometimes even scorn and so I would like to ask you all - is this a sin and are there any other guilty parties out there?

[Anthony, Administrator, Keeper of the Really Good Coffee]

i usually do it when i have read a few chapters, find the story interesting but the writing so poor that i am going to give up on the book. otherwise i love the not knowing until the end, in fact, if i did that to a book i liked i probably wouldnt finish it and would feel like i cheated myself out of a great tale. immoral? a sin? no, i would say its a personal choice, if it doesnt spoil the book for you, go for it!!!

[Ruth]

It never crosses my mind. Yet I'm someone who's never bothered by spoilers in a review. Go figure.

[Anthony, Administrator, Keeper of the Really Good Coffee]

Ruth, funny but I don't mind spoilers either. Somehow a spoilers don't have the same impact as the actual last few pages

[Naomi]

Though the last few pages don't always reveal that much. Without the context of all that's written before, you may as well have not bothered skipping to the end.

[[deleted user]]

I'm afraid in that situation I usually read some more from the final section of the book - sometimes the last couple of chapters

[Stan]

Lee, my wife does this all the frackin' time. It drives me nuts, especially when she does it to books that I have recommended. She'll read the first chapter, skip to the end, then decide she doesn't like it and never reads the book. She misses all the great stuff in the middle.

Argh.

[Marc]

Never do it myself (for the reason Naomi mentioned above), but don't care if others do. But I have an OCD-like thing were I feel compelled to read every page in order (it's only in the last few years I've let myself stop reading books I wasn't enjoying midway through).

[Jonna]

This makes me laugh because I used to do this all the time - especially as a teenager. But I stopped at some point. I don't think it's 'morally wrong' - but I think that waiting for the end is better because it's part of the unfolding mystery of the book... if that makes sense :)

[Anthony, Administrator, Keeper of the Really Good Coffee]

Generally, I find books are best as books and in almost all cases I find to be better than movies, though I am such s picky reader that may not be fair. If I read NYT best sellers I might find general release cinema to be its equal. I do love a well read audio book! But then again, the wrong reader can destroy a book!!!!

[Marty]

Sometimes I do this when a book's plot is having a hard time getting off of the ground. It can help me to decide whether or not it's worth my time to continue with the book. Sometimes, particularly with mysteries, the ending makes me curious as to how the investigators arrived at their conclusions so I'll go back to find out.

[[deleted user]]

Jessica wrote: "I don't generally read the last few pages -- they are going to be out of context and really not give me what I want: A Spark Notes version! So I almost always read the Wiki on a book before I eve..."

That is a really good idea Jessica, I will be wiki-ing books before reading them from now on :)

[[deleted user]]

Anthony wrote: "Generally, I find books are best as books and in almost all cases I find to be better than movies, though I am such s picky reader that may not be fair. If I read NYT best sellers I might find gene..."

I usually find that if I read the book before watching the film - I'm disappointed by the film whereas if I watch the film before reading the book, I'm happy with both - the only exception to this rule being the Shining - for me the Stanley Kubrick film version is so much better than the book

[Anthony, Administrator, Keeper of the Really Good Coffee]

lee agreed, but i find all of SK's books to be unreadable, but for the most part they make great movies... not sure how that happens

[[deleted user]]

Anthony wrote: "lee agreed, but i find all of SK's books to be unreadable, but for the most part they make great movies... not sure how that happens"

I disliked the Shining so much that I haven't attempted anymore S Kings.
Graham Greene books make amazing films too - but then they are great books to start with.

[Anthony, Administrator, Keeper of the Really Good Coffee]

I loved the shining, the movie...

[Maggie the Muskoka Library Mouse]

I used to read the last page a lot, but ruined one too many books for myself, so I quit doing it. I much prefer the ending be a surprise....even if it's TOTALLY predictable!