Well, I've tried and tried to read "Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norrell", but I've failed each time. I don't like to give up on a book, either, but eventually I wlll. My "to read" list is sooo long I may not live long enough to read them all, as it is.

Having had "Always finish what you start!" pounded into me as a kid, that was one of the first rules I discarded immediately upon becoming an adult. What I found, whether a book, a sewing project or knitting socks, is that if I force myself to finish, I end up hating the book, or the socks are ugly, or the dress has puckered seams. And the whole task, meant for enjoyment, is a chore. But if I set the book or the socks or the dress aside, I almost always return to it later and find the enjoyment that was missing the first time around.

Elizabeth wrote: "Well, I've tried and tried to read "Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norrell", but I've failed each time. I don't like to give up on a book, either, but eventually I wlll. My "to read" list is sooo long..."

Elizabeth, that's so funny because I loved that book! But I think it was like cilantro - everyone had a strong opinion on it fro good or bad

Ann wrote: "Having had "Always finish what you start!" pounded into me as a kid, that was one of the first rules I discarded immediately upon becoming an adult. What I found, whether a book, a sewing project ..."

Great metaphor :)

I subscribe to Nancy Pearl's rule: if you aren't drawn in by the end of page 50, kick it to the curb. I have even gotten to the last few chapters of some books and left them unfinished (they were that bad). I have a couple of special "bookshelves" on GoodReads just for such books ("unfinished and unrepentant", "blech", and the descriptive "craptastic").

Marie wrote: "I subscribe to Nancy Pearl's rule: if you aren't drawn in by the end of page 50, kick it to the curb. I have even gotten to the last few chapters of some books and left them unfinished (they were ..."

Ha, Marie, love "blech" as a category. Also someone posted a different version of Nancy Pearl's rule - 100 minus your age is how many pages you have to give a book. So an eighty year old has to give it twenty, a twenty year old eighty...

I used to not finish a lot more books when I was younger. There was always a better or more interesting one on the next shelf. In the past couple of years, if I haven't finished a book it's usually because a) it's really awful (there haven't been too many of those thankfully, I'm pretty selective about what I start) or it's a timing thing. I get bogged down with books from the library that are new releases, have to be read in 2 weeks and can't be renewed. So my own books get pushed aside until I have a break from library books.. it's why it's taken me four months to get through Dragonfly in Amber.. something like 20 books have come up in between. This year I've been cracking down and finishing every book. Of the 65ish I've read, I haven't finished one and it's because it had to go back to the llbrary. I was about 3/4 of the way through and skimmed the rest.

Marie wrote: "I subscribe to Nancy Pearl's rule: if you aren't drawn in by the end of page 50, kick it to the curb. I have even gotten to the last few chapters of some books and left them unfinished (they were ..."

I like Nancy Pearl's rule also. And now that I am 59, I only have to read 41 pages before giving up.
;>)

There has only been one for me that I just could not finish. It was the Amityville Horror. I was reading it at my Aunt's house and when flies actually appeared in the window inside behind me - I freaked out. One other book Amy Tan the Joy Luck Club was so hard to finish but I finally made it. I guess I am like the Nancy Pearl rule and never realized it. If the book doesn't catch me in the first few pages I move on to another. But if I do start one and get pretty far I finish it hoping that it will get better as I go. :)

This was a perfectly timed post since sitting next to my reading chair is a book I've been trying to get through for over 2 weeks. It's not horrible but it is also not holding my interest - I had just decided to put it aside and try again at a later date when I read this post. This book is certainly not the first I haven't finished and I know it will not be the last. I had not heard the Nancy Pearl rule before but I like it and think I will use it in the future - for the next 3 months the 50 page rule works both ways for me! :)

Well, Charles, now you know my age!

Charles wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "Well, I've tried and tried to read "Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norrell", but I've failed each time. I don't like to give up on a book, either, but eventually I wlll. My "to read"..."

I thought I would absolutely love it..it has a lot of the elements I usually love. I just could not get through it. Sigh.

Annemarie wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "Well, I've tried and tried to read "Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norrell", but I've failed each time. I don't like to give up on a book, either, but eventually I wlll. My "to read"..."

At least I know I'm not alone! Thanks!

I have the same sort of compulsion to always finish the books I start, especially if I get 50 pages in. Sometimes I do feel a bit frustrated, but fortunately most books are ones I truly enjoy or at least are engaging enough not to be a burden to get through.
The one I recently abandoned was 'Between Love and Honor' by Alexandra Lapierre, a story set in mit 19th century India. I liked the premise, but it felt so tedious after just a short while, and I didn't care about any of the characters (though to be fair, I may not have given them a good chance).
In such an instance, and especially when I look at my ever growing to-read list, I do feel somewhat justified in abandoning a book if I just can't engage, there are too many others to try.

Fascinating all around - Malia, that book sounds like my kind of setting, a shame it wasn't great...and Annemarie, if I've paid full hardcover price for a book I'm definitely more inclined to finish it!

Throughout childhood and my early, 20s, when I was a voracious reader, I would berate myself for even thinking about abandoning a book, even if I hated it (example: Tuesdays with Morrie). However, as life's commitments starting taking up more and more of my time (work, pets, marriage), I had to ease off this compulsion and be more realistic. I simply do not have the luxury of time anymore - not so much due to my age, I'm only in my early 30's, but I no longer have hours upon hours to devote to the passion of reading so the time I do have is more precious, and must be allotted to truly gratifying reading experiences. I recently closed Jonathan Safron Foer's "Everything is Illuminated" because I was so irritated by the style, and I'm still having pangs of guilt over it. I also find that with so many other life circumstances occupying my mind, I recognize now that there are times I pick up a fabulous book but I'm not in the right mindset to truly appreciate it. In those cases, I try to honor the author by setting it down until I'm able to give it my proper focus.

Every book is different. Every book deserves at least 1 understanding reader. However, some books are so badly written even I think the author's mom couldn't stand them. That's when I start skimming.

I couldn't finish The Lovely Bones….too hard to read with the young girl being murdered, etc. I have a young daughter and it scared me to death! It was a good book until I had to stop reading…..I tried to read Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrell also…couldn't finish it for some reason…I will say I have to be in the mood for certain books. ….