Daily Diary discussion
When do you drop a book?
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Ed
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Jan 02, 2009 10:45PM

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I find that when I am struggling with a book I begin to avoid reading or I pick up another book. Some people have the 50 page rule, if it doesn't catch you in the first 50 it is time to put it down. I think that is unfair because there are a lot of books that I loved but didn't feel that way in the first 50. A good example of that is Edgar Sawtelle, the first 50 didn't do it for me but I continued and really loved the book (it made my top 10).




I loved The Historian. I usually stay away from vampire novels, but being that I'm sort of a history buff, all of the travels and ancient history woven into legend appealed to me. To each his own, right?

I stopped reading Saramago's Blindness..the lack of any punctuation, etc. turned me off. Also, I've been lately at a lot of swim meets, etc. so light reading like that of Pratchett..discworld series has been better. Also, I've received so many good recommendations from people here I'm eager to read, read, read.



90% of the time, when I abandon books, it's at fifty pages, or as close to it as possible because of chapter divisions or what have you. Because I tend to read for writing style and substance over plot, I can generally tell within the first fifty pages whether I'm going to like a book or not.
THere are exceptions to the rule, though. It took me just two weeks shy of three years and over 150pp. to send The House of the Spirits out the window. I loved the style of the writing, but I couldn't connect with a single character, and every time I finished a chapter (and Allende's chapters are mercilessly long-- put aside an entire afternoon for one), I found myself with very little desire to pick the book up again, so in effect I was forcing myself to read it.
On the other end of the scale, We Need to Talk About Kevin went onto the bonfire after 24 pages. The most annoying narrator I have ever had the misfortune to encounter. If I were her kid, I would have shot her instead of shooting up my school.

Absolutely Norman! You'd probably hate everything on my 2008 bookshelf LOL, but that's the beauty of books. There's something for everyone. What you loved about The Historian, bored me to tears. It's just not my thing. And I love vampire books .

Great question!

I guess being a good skimmer can come in handy. I need to probably learn to do that better than plowing through the whole book if I'm just not enjoying the experience.



Oh, if that's the case, I almost never abandon it. Such books cry out to get their reviews written with as much knowledge as I can gather on the author's idiocy.
(Though I admit I had to drop Ann Coulter AND Joe Maguire after fifty pages...)





If you are irritable, distracted, or whatever, just put the book aside and try again later (after a few months, a year, whatever). If you can't get through after 2 or even 3 tries, cross it off your list.


I can usually tell around 50 pages too when a book just isn't doing it for me. If I'm curious enough I'll skim and flip to the last chapter to see what went down, even though I really don't care. I guess I'm just a curious person.
There have been many great books I almost missed because they didn't grab me at the beginning, but I kept reading and loved them.
I couldn't make it through Edgar Sawtelle or The Historian. I was so looking forward to Dennis Lehane's new book The Given Day, but couldn't make it past the first few chapters. I think it's because the book started out talking about baseball and that's one sport I absolutely hate.
I had trouble with the book Tree of Smoke..great writing but I just kept putting it down to read something else. I guess if that happens it's a sign that reading the book just is not meant to happen.

I think I drop a book because I've got so many other good ones on the list to read...



EX: The Shack. Didn't like the story so I stopped and don't plan on picking up again. Ever.
EX: Reading Lolita in Tehran. I stopped because although I like the story, it just wasn't what I wanted to read at the time. So I dropped it back on the shelf and will pick up again. I think the holidays killed that one for me. Too much going on.


Shutter Island is one of the BEST mystery thrillers I've ever read... it's the first book I recommend of his whenever someone is looking for a book to read.


Shutter Island is a gem of a book that I'm not sure is too popular even among his fans. I think there might be a movie in the making for Shutter Island. I don't know all the details, though. You might want to check out imdb.com.
I saw a recent interview with Lehane and his attitude about his earlier works sort of pissed me off. He was dissing them and when Ben Affleck was asking him some questions about the characters in Gone, Baby, Gone, he was like "Eh, I don't remember the characters or plots of my older books." Yeah, like that's possible. Still, I'll read another of his mystery books. I'm sure I'll even give Any Given Day another chance one of these days.




I was also heartbroken at the ending of A Thousand Splendid Suns. Mariam is a character I'll never forget.

will unlikely ever pick up one of his books again
stoppping before finishing a book is just cutting your losses and not losing more time on something
when there is so much great literature out there
If a book isn't
grabbing/informing/entertaining/disturbing you, then why read it through when there's so many other authors/stories to read and enjoy



Here's hoping the movie makes sense of the book!


With books though it's either close the book by the middle of it if nothing is interesting you and you find yourself yawning and feeling very sleepy while reading. Or if you look at the book and start picking up others. Yeah it's time to throw in the towel.




I didn't stop reading Blindness, I kept thinking that I might learn something, but I hated it. The lack of punctuation was frustrating, everything was too allegorical and depressing. I think that I should either enjoy a book or gain some new perspective. This book gave me nothing.
Books mentioned in this topic
A Drink Before the War (other topics)The Secret of Lost Things (other topics)
Built to Serve: Leading a Sustainable, Culture-Driven, People-Centered Organization (other topics)
The Shack (other topics)
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle (other topics)