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How do you know when to stop reading a bad book?
message 51:
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Maria
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May 19, 2010 12:16AM
Its got to be dreadful for me to give up, it makes me feel like a failure which is crazy. If I do give up its usually in the first couple of chapters the last book I did this with was The Jane Austin Book Club.
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Cheryl wrote: "It's so difficult. Several times lately I've gotten a full halfway in to a book, or even more, not really enjoying it, but not at all hating it either, and not knowing whether to give up or not. ..."Cheryl I think that is a very good idea. i'll even give you a book to start it off,
The Eight very slow to start but I'm glad I stuck with it as it was really good. Also it wasn't just me that thought it was slow to start, after I'd read it I passed it on to my Mum and she found the same thing but I told her to stick with it and she really enjoyed it.
The second time I nod off and the thud of the book hitting the floor jars me. If it's an eBook (no eReader so I use PC), about the 3rd time the screen saver comes on to let me know I'm really not paying attention.
j
I get what you're saying, j, but I gotta laugh because I fall asleep about any time I'm comfortable enough to do so. Usually. Last night I couldn't sleep so I even read two YA novels!
Between 40 and 50 pages does it for me. I am getting back into serious reading mode after slacking off when my kids were babies. Now that I am older, I refuse to waste my time on something that isn't doing it for me. I confess that sometimes I give up before 40 pages if the characters are all confusing to me because I can't get into a story if I can't keep all the people in it straight. Authors should not make character tracking difficult. Case in point (for me anyway): The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
I am pretty darn stubborn..... Sometimes I will read a really great review and trust that more than my impressions. I most often should trust my own emotions. I will usually give a book at least 100 pages. Then, if I absolutely hate every minute of my time spent with it, I toss it. Enough is enough. However sometimes, a book is a mix. You like some aspects and dislike others. Then I will continue until my boiling point is reached. Then the wall gets a dent where I threw the book! So, really, it all depends.......
When deciding whether to stop reading or not, I take to heart the words of William Ernest Henley:I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
If you don't like it; don't read it. (Unless it is part of the curriculum.)
Susan wrote: "When deciding whether to stop reading or not, I take to heart the words of William Ernest Henley:I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
If you don't like it; don't read i..."
"Unless it's part of the curriculum." LOL. Story of my life.
When I have turned 10 pages and have no idea what I read, I know it's not for me.
i never just give up on a book, sometimes i put it off and then read it, but i almost always finish it, no matter how awful it is. it's a bad habit, but i think it's better than putting off half your books, when some really do pay off at the end, haha =]
Rule of thumb: 10% of the book before tossing. If I'm thinking of tossing a book, I'll pick a random page in the middle of the book, and then decide. Other books though .... Poison Study had an incredible stupid scene; I checked the ending then tossed the book. I got halfway through The Myth Hunters and realized that I didn't care in the least about any of the characters. Toss.
And yet, I've had the experience of tossing a book, and for whatever reason picking it up later and loving it the second time. Some books take extra effort to get into, and it just depends if you are willing to spend the time to do it. (True History of the Kelly Gangand Perdido Street Station are 2 books in that category.)
Some books I just cannot bring myself to a "willing suspension of disbelief"; I start reading them and think "oh come ON now, that is beyond ridiculous". I like fantasy novels, but the premise has to be one I'm willing to suspend disbelief for, or else it is tossed.
When reading books, I oftentimes will skip the detailed descriptions of violence. Too many such scenes and the book gets tossed.
I'm finding that as I get older, I'm less willing to put up with an annoying book.
If I don't find it interesting after the first few chapters, and it doesn't catch my attention...it's not worth reading!
I know, I can`t stop reading a bad book, because I really hope that it is going to be good, but it never comes. I just read and read. And when I am don, I think to my self " What was I thinking? It was never good, and it was never going to be good at all. Because it`s a crappie book to begin with."Is there anyone that can have some advice?
Rose, I am a bit like you..... but if I hate every minute of it then I drop it. It is true that some books do turn around at the end. Some books you do suffer through, and yet you are happy you stuck it out. So when it really sucks, dump it. When you want to know what happens, well stick it out. I am thinking of Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose: Including Postscript. I am glad I read it, but boy was it a job. An excellent author will not make us suffer! I learned a lot about the religious conflicts at that time, enjoyed the depiction of monastery life, but still I only gave it 2 stars. Reading should be enjoyable.
If I'm about to give up on a book, I'll look for reviews that have been hidden because of spoilers. That way I can find out the ending without suffering through the whole thing.
Chrissie- Haha, I don`t now if I should think it`s a good thing or not.I totally agree with you there, but although I must read the book, even if I hate it. Because I have to know what happens. Cheryl- Wow, that is great! I have never ever thought about that! Thanks!:)
Hi all - Great conversation. I too cannot stop reading a bad book. I have only given up on a very few over the years. A good friend of mine always tells me "There is no thief like a bad book", but I can't seem to listen.
Another thing, if you stick it out with a bad book, you have given it a fair chance! Then you have every right to say it stunk from page one to the end! Some books actually DO improve..... I should have read the abridged version of The Name of the Rose: Including Postscript, and I shouldn't have read the snobby comments in the introduction. This immediately got me so annoyed with the author!
If I had followed this advice (give up after 2 chapters) I never would have read some of my favorite all time books. Possession by A.S. Byatt comes to mind.
Chrissie - That`s soo true! But you know me! I have to stick with it 2 the end! Well, I can say I have complain all the way true the books I have read. Kate - I do have 2 say that I totally agree with you there!
Becky - You`re friend are so smart! Because it soooo true in so many ways!
"There is no thief like a bad book"Love this!
Lydia09 wrote: "I sometimes cheat and read the ending of a bad book! If I don't like it in the first 50 pages, I'll read the ending just so I know what happens! "OH I never thought of doing that !!! Lately I have been putting books down the latest is Sarum- Arther Rutherford.. half way through I really want to like all books and hope they pick up ... I will have to start doing that!! Some how it feels like you are cheating haha!!
Cheryl wrote: "It's so difficult. Several times lately I've gotten a full halfway in to a book, or even more, not really enjoying it, but not at all hating it either, and not knowing whether to give up or not. ..."I always check out Amazon reviews!! The good and the bad. Last night I was trying to figure out whether to stick with Sarum-Rutherford, and I had to get out of bed and peek on amazon, the bad reviews to see if it was ok for me to put the book down for good.
I think thats a great idea to start a discussion !
Jenny wrote: "The Historian is one of those books where I probably should have stopped reading it. Reading the words while thinking about something else was a problem for me too! My mum loved it though."Oh I quit with the Historian !!
Vikki wrote: "I used to never give up on a book and would force myself to finish it. I'd be crabby about it cussing the whole time and would look at the other books I had waiting with longing and desire. I'm..."
I wanted to love the Historian so much but I had to dump it half way through, I couldnt connect with the character :(
Cecily wrote: "Logically I know that life is too short to read everything worthwhile, so why waste time on something one doesn't like?In practice though, I don't know when to stop a bad book. It feels like ch..."
I think it totally depends on if the characters have grabbed my attention or not! If the characters are strong and I want to know what happens with them I will continue the book bad or otherwise, if I cant connect with the characters then I cant finish the book. And I am not one who is light handed when tossing a book!
I too need characters I feel some sort of connection with, or empathy or respect for. Nothing turns me off a book more than main characters who are whiny or too self-absorbed.
Sue wrote: "Cecily wrote: "Logically I know that life is too short to read everything worthwhile, so why waste time on something one doesn't like?In practice though, I don't know when to stop a bad book. I..."
I agree with you there!
Cheryl wrote: "I too need characters I feel some sort of connection with, or empathy or respect for. Nothing turns me off a book more than main characters who are whiny or too self-absorbed."I agree. I didn't know how important it was to me that I like at least one of the main characters until I have started writing reviews..... It doesn't have to ber the main character, but there has to be somone that I like or feel empathy for.. OK, not in a pure non-fiction factual book - like a travel book on Japan. :0)
When I force myself into reading it and ending up sleeping instead...
Tristam, of course, exactly. A really bad book acts like a sleeping pill. They ought to hand them out in hospitals. :0)
Chrissie wrote: "Tristam, of course, exactly. A really bad book acts like a sleeping pill. They ought to hand them out in hospitals. :0)"Haha, that was a good one! :)
Rose, it is fun playing with the idea. The book person can let every patient take out two books - one for sleeping and one for making them happy and invigorated. The day and night books. No, during the day they should bring in dogs for the patients to pat. Or cats. I am really getting off the subject now!
Chrissie wrote: "Rose, it is fun playing with the idea. The book person can let every patient take out two books - one for sleeping and one for making them happy and invigorated. The day and night books. No, during..."Haha, I think you should take it up with some one! Maybe someday it acetyl is going to be true, and not something we are playing around in are head :)
That wood be fun though!
Rose, well already today dogs are taken into hospitals to help improve patient's health.
Wow, Well I can say that in Norway we don`t allow dogs in the hospitals at all! : (
Rose, I spoke incorrectly. I was thinking of old people's homes and places for those who are mentally disturbed. NOT hospitals, probably there is too much danger of infection. I am thinking of Sweden. I am Swedish, but currently living in Belgium. Born in the US. Don't ask me where I really belong. I have no idea. I know that they have shown that patting a dog does have physical benefits. The heart rate is calmed. Contact with dogs has been shown to shorten the time of convalescence. Such dogs are specifically trained for their work.
We better get back to the subject.......someone might get annoyed!
Hi Chrissie and Rose - (yes, off topic, but interesting) - In the U.S., we have the same dogs - the help with healing is unbelievable. I volunteer for a non-profit that saves dogs from shelters and trains them to help people with disabilities. We've seen unexpected benefits of returning veterans being able to reduce anxiety medicine. Amazing.I don't know if a bad book helps me with anxiety - it probably heightens it with angst of whether to finish or not - maybe way back I have Puritan ancestry - I don't get why I can't stop a bad book.
Perhaps this can be like a self-help group. There are so many wonderful books out there - why waste time on a bad one?
"Perhaps this can be like a self-help group. There are so many wonderful books out there - why waste time on a bad one?"Exactly - I heard recently bad books compared to thieves - because after all what is more precious to you than your time?
re Good Omens. Give up on it. You either like that kind of thing or you don't. If you're not already a fan of Pratchett and Gaiman, or possibly Christopher Moore, and you're not a student of religion, you're like me, and you'll only get every third or fourth joke and those won't even seem funny.
Becky, I like the renaming of the thread to "self-help"!! or Readers Anonymous......for those stuck in a bad book!
In the last two years, I've only put down one book. And it was one recommended to me, too!I was reading Love in the Time of Cholera last year, and I was vocally raging about it to my husband, nearly threw it across the room multiple times, but I still finished it.
And yet, that book I put down, two years ago? I didnt' hate it nearly so much.
(Nothing against Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I adore his short stories, but his pacing in novels just isn't for me.)
Rose, Becky and Tristram - we were talking about dogs helping patients get better. We were unsure where dogs were allowed. Well I have a friend here at GR, Lisa Vegan, who did this with her dog. She lives in California. Here is what she said she did with her dog, Jenny:"Jenny wasn't formally trained, just evaluated. She just had to be friendly and gentle and fearless and able to take treats gently out of people's hands. And I'd give her a bath before we went, so we did it just about once a week. I didn't want to subject her to too many baths. She loved jumping in the lakes, oceans, anything to swim, but HATED baths and rain. Go figure.'
"We went to all sorts of places!!! Children's and adult wards of hospitals, generally in day rooms, not patient rooms but occasionally in patient rooms, convalescent hospitals for old and disabled people, special education schools, residential homes for emotionally disturbed children and developmentally delayed adults, day care centers for the blind, the old, the disabled, etc. etc. So, yes, we did go to hospitals. All sorts of animals are welcome. People bring their dogs and cats and the shelter also has guinea pigs, etc. which I guess some people brought their own of those too."
And here is a link to the place that organized the animal assisted therapy: http://www.sfspca.org/programs-servic...
Excuse me for getting a bit off the thread, but I thought I should present the facts correctly. Isn't this fabulous?!!!
Normally I don't like to give up on a book, no matter how bad it may seem. But there's only so much I can tolerate, and if it doesn't grab my attention around the first fifty pages I feel obliged to put it down. If I feel like braving through the book again a while later, I'll try again. But if not, I'd rather give it away to someone who would appreciate it more than leave it to waste away on my shelf.
I rarely stop reading a book once I have started it. If I find myself skimming too much, I know it's time to give up. The last book I stopped reading was The Night of the Gun. I just could not get past all the drug stories.
Well, um, I regretted the time I spent on Nanny Diaries, actually....
I'll tend to force myself through a book unless I find something REALLY off putting. Otherwise I read fast enough that its not thhhaattt much of a waste of time ;p
The last book I gave up was The History of Love I managed to read 20 or 30 pages and I just could not bring myself to open the book anymore. I even gave it away, and I usually keep most of my books, hoping to read them eventually.
I used to try and 'tough it out' but, as many mentioned before, life's too short to waste on bad books. I like the idea of skipping to the end to see if it at least ended well. If a book is too vulgar, I will immediately stop reading it. Once, I actually threw a book away (I felt a little guilty about that) because I felt NO ONE should read it!
I have 'shelved' a couple of books, which I might get back to, if I have day time to read. But otherwise, I don't want to try to 'learn' from bad writing.
Usually it happens naturally with me. I read and give up,pick it up again,get bored or annoyed and give up,and eventualy pick up another book to read. Some people have a 50/100 page rule-if you don't like it by then ,give it up.
I stop reading a book if, around the halfway point, I'm not interested in it. it's rare when I find a book I don't like, but if I jump at the chance to switch books, or it takes more than a week to read (at the VERY most), then I stop
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