Do you ever feel guilty for not finishing a book?

[singlecoil]

I do, a bit. Not sure if I should though.

Typical situation- I start reading a book, find it moderately OK, then sometimes, maybe 150 pages in I stop because it's become boring, or maybe it's too depressing, or I am no longer interested in what happens next etc etc.

But I do feel a bit guilty because of having invested a fair bit of time in it and not getting to the end. On the other hand, maybe I would feel guilty if I kept on reading it when I could be reading something else.

Any thoughts, gentlemen?

[Scott328i]

no

[Swilly]

Weirdo !

HTH

[King of Dings]

do I have any thoughts......er, yes !
You clearly have too much time on your hands
I'm working 14 hour days and some weekend and you're worrying about a book.
I'll let you have my address and you can come round and do some decorating, cut the law, adjust those cuboard doors I've been meaning to get round to......
Then I bet you'd finish your bloody book !!!

[Big Bob]

Today I read nearly a quarter of an e-mail from my boss then decided to eat a Kitkat instead, I felt no guilt.

[Funk]

Nope. If the book's that bad that I lose interest, I won't bother finishing it. I think it says something if you no longer care about finding out what happens to the characters..

[rhinochopig]

I read a book once. Quite frankly I found it over rated.

[jjones]

do the authors feel guilty for producing unreadable crap?

[Simpo Two]

Yep. The trick is to try to choose a book you know you're interested in.

Currently reading a brief biography of Henry Morton Stanley. Any trouble from the fuzzies; get the guns out!

[trooperiziz]

I don't feel guilty, but I did used to struggle through books that i wasn't enjoying on the ground that I have already invested my time in them and didn't want to waste that time. But then I realised that was fking nuts and now I put down a book as soon as I can't be arsed.

One thing that helped was getting an ebook reader, as it's easy to drop a book you aren't enjoying and pick up something else, as it's just a button press away to the other hundreds of books I have available in my hand at any one time.

[Simpo Two]

trooperiziz said:

I don't feel guilty, but I did used to struggle through books that i wasn't enjoying on the ground that I have already invested my time in them and didn't want to waste that time. But then I realised that was fking nuts and now I put down a book as soon as I can't be arsed.

One thing that helped was getting an ebook reader, as it's easy to drop a book you aren't enjoying and pick up something else, as it's just a button press away to the other hundreds of books I have available in my hand at any one time.

That sounds great but doesn't it mean that the moment you reach something that's just a bit tricky to understand or momentarily dull, you give up?

[trooperiziz]

Simpo Two said:

trooperiziz said:

I don't feel guilty, but I did used to struggle through books that i wasn't enjoying on the ground that I have already invested my time in them and didn't want to waste that time. But then I realised that was fking nuts and now I put down a book as soon as I can't be arsed.

One thing that helped was getting an ebook reader, as it's easy to drop a book you aren't enjoying and pick up something else, as it's just a button press away to the other hundreds of books I have available in my hand at any one time.

That sounds great but doesn't it mean that the moment you reach something that's just a bit tricky to understand or momentarily dull, you give up?

I have a tiny bit more willpower than that, but yes that is a possibility.

Luckily my inherent male autistic tendencies mean that I get an ungodly sense of satisfaction from completing something, so for me to switch halfway through the book has to be pretty crap.

[W00DY]

I like to finish books to give them a fair chance but recently got about halfway through 'The Book Thief' before deciding it really wasn't worth the effort and despite what many critics thought i found it tried to hard to be different and lost it's way completely in the process.

[DoubleYellow]

I'd say it's more shame than guilt.

[trooperiziz]

DoubleYellow said:

I'd say it's more shame than guilt.

The essential difference between Protestants and Catholics...

[dave_s13]

trooperiziz said:

I don't feel guilty, but I did used to struggle through books that i wasn't enjoying on the ground that I have already invested my time in them and didn't want to waste that time. But then I realised that was fking nuts and now I put down a book as soon as I can't be arsed.

One thing that helped was getting an ebook reader, as it's easy to drop a book you aren't enjoying and pick up something else, as it's just a button press away to the other hundreds of books I have available in my hand at any one time.

I wish I'd done that with the lord of the rings.

I only read it as I felt duty bound after watching (and really enjoying) the films.

Sheeeite, and it took 6 months to get through the bloody thing.

[Schmeeky]

trooperiziz said:

Simpo Two said:

trooperiziz said:

I don't feel guilty, but I did used to struggle through books that i wasn't enjoying on the ground that I have already invested my time in them and didn't want to waste that time. But then I realised that was fking nuts and now I put down a book as soon as I can't be arsed.

One thing that helped was getting an ebook reader, as it's easy to drop a book you aren't enjoying and pick up something else, as it's just a button press away to the other hundreds of books I have available in my hand at any one time.

That sounds great but doesn't it mean that the moment you reach something that's just a bit tricky to understand or momentarily dull, you give up?

I have a tiny bit more willpower than that, but yes that is a possibility.

Luckily my inherent male autistic tendencies mean that I get an ungodly sense of satisfaction from completing something, so for me to switch halfway through the book has to be pretty crap.

And it doesn't really take that much effort to get up and walk to your bookcase....

But if a book ain't gripping you, then either the author hasn't done enough to get you properly grippered, or it just ain't your subject/story. Sod it. Don't waste any more time on it.

I read stloads, and regularly have at least 3 books on the go, but if it's just ain't happening for you, put it down, forget about it, and don't worry about it..

[Simpo Two]

trooperiziz said:

Simpo Two said:

trooperiziz said:

I don't feel guilty, but I did used to struggle through books that i wasn't enjoying on the ground that I have already invested my time in them and didn't want to waste that time. But then I realised that was fking nuts and now I put down a book as soon as I can't be arsed.

One thing that helped was getting an ebook reader, as it's easy to drop a book you aren't enjoying and pick up something else, as it's just a button press away to the other hundreds of books I have available in my hand at any one time.

That sounds great but doesn't it mean that the moment you reach something that's just a bit tricky to understand or momentarily dull, you give up?

I have a tiny bit more willpower than that, but yes that is a possibility.

Luckily my inherent male autistic tendencies mean that I get an ungodly sense of satisfaction from completing something, so for me to switch halfway through the book has to be pretty crap.

Fair point well made. There is indeed some masochistic satisfaction in completing a real crasher, but I guess the trick is to choose a book that picks up on what you're interested in, but expands on it and adds lots of relevant interesting stuff - so you end up not only better informed but more interested. I nearly always read non-fiction, but HG Wells is pretty damn good.

[trooperiziz]

Schmeeky said:

And it doesn't really take that much effort to get up and walk to your bookcase....

To be fair, it does take a bit more effort when you are sitting in an airport lounge in Dusseldorf, for example

[G'kar]

Never.

For whatever reason, I can read rather quickly. Average Dan Brownish tat in about an hour. Eco, Rushdie, Mckewan maybe 2 to 3.

I cannot recall a novel I have not read in a single sitting in the last 20 years.

I cannot imagine starting one and putting it down.