Well, I was partially right. According to the comments on last week’s reading question, many of you are better library-users than I am. But I was surprised to see quite a few who struggle — just like me! — with the library and end up acquiring books through various other means. But no matter how you get your books, the important thing is that you get them somehow. And that you keep reading!
And now, on to the next question:
Once you begin a book, do you feel compelled to finish it? Or have you been known to give up in the middle of a book, to walk away from a book that is just too annoying, boring, etc.?
As for me, well, it depends…
When it comes to fiction, I almost always feel compelled to finish a book once I’ve started it. Very, very rarely, I will put a book down and walk away — but only if the material is too offensive or if the storyline is way too boring for me to continue. And to be honest, if it’s boring, I’ll sometimes keep reading, but just incorporate some, ahem, skimming. Mostly, I just want to know how things end!
With nonfiction, I vary. If I’m reading nonfiction for a challenge (such as Fall Into Reading) or if the nonfiction is fairly narrative in form (memoirs, historical nonfiction, etc.), I feel like I must finish. (However, I’ve even been known to walk away from these if they are boring me out of my mind. See Girl Sleuth for an example.)
If the nonfiction is more along the lines of “self-help” or “advice for living,” I tend to view it more as reference material, and I don’t feel bad reading a chapter or two, then picking up another nonfiction book, then coming back to the first, etc.
Overall, I feel guilty if I start a book and never finish it. But the guilt is greater when it comes to fiction.
How about you? Do you always finish what you start when it comes to reading? Or have you decided that life’s too short to read books you don’t love?
::
Bonus Question: We have less than one month left in Fall Into Reading 2010! Can you believe it? If you’d like to share…how are you doing? Are you on track with your goals? Will the upcoming holidays derail your reading plans?
I have three books left to read, and I’ve started two of them. So I’m hoping that I’ll actually finish my entire list this time around!
I have started just a few books in my lifetime that I haven’t finished. {I have one in this challenge!} I will try to keep reading, but I don’t feel guilty if I finally just put it down.
As far as the challenge I started out very slowly but I am now gaining speed. I have about 2 weeks left in my bible study, “Calm My Anxious Heart”. And… out of the three books left, I am halfway through one of them. One is a devotional book that I will begin when I finish the bible study.
Doing way better than I thought I would be – still hoping to get some more done!
I think I finish most books . . . eventually, but if something doesn’t resonate with me, I don’t think twice about putting it down or returning it to the library unread.
I kept my FIR list pretty light and doable. So far I’ve completed two of the books, and am partway through at least 3 others. And of course, I always read a few not on my original list!
I try to finish all books after I’ve started them. You can read more on my website: Hott Books.
My short answer is yes, I almost always finish a book.
You can see my full answer here along with my progress on the challenge.
I am not a stickler to finishing a book if it is boring, etc. As far as the challenge, I’m pretty much on track right now, barring any unforeseen circumstances.
You can read more of my respond here: http://annsreadingcorner.blogspot.com
I can agree with you, I usually finish a fiction book unless it has content that I don’t care to read. Non-fiction, if it is something I’m really interested in then I will finish it, otherwise I might read a chapter here or there and maybe some more a few years later.
I am like you in the sense I will not finish a book if there is too much profanity or offensive material in it. Otherwise, I feel bad for just “giving up” on it.
I am anxious to see if it does get better and to actually see what happens. When I am reading “self-help” books I also tend to skim through to the chapters that would be of most help to my life.
It just proves to me that I can and that I need to make more time for myself!
I am doing pretty well on the challenge…wishing I was a little farther along at this point, but well nonetheless. I have read 4 books since starting the challenge…2 on my list, 2 were not. I am about to finish up my 5th which is on my list. I still have 6 books on my list that I would have liked to have read by the end of the challenge, but I don’t see that happening. Would like to at least read 2 of those 6. I am just thrilled that I was able to get this much reading in. I haven’t read this many books in a 2 month period in a long time!
Praying you have a blessed Thanksgiving!
I must admit that I have, in the past, stopped reading a book in the middle of it. I always feel guilty about it; some of those books I am now trying to finish. But, in the end, I would rather use my book reading time to read a good book than a lousy one!
I’m doing well on my list.
By page 100, if not interesting, I give up. Complete answer is here
I have only walked away from a couple of books ever – and those were because of offensive material. I’m almost always compelled to finish a book I start.
Kate {The Parchment Girl}´s last post ..City on Our Knees by TobyMac
A few years ago, it would never have crossed my mind to not finish a book I had started, but my views on that have shifted in the last few years. If something is really boring, or offensive, or I started reading it because everyone said I should but I just really don’t care about the story, I will put it down now. Often, I will pick it up and try one or two more times before finally giving up.
I actually have more DNFs on my FIR list than I ever have before, but I figure at least the challenge pushed me to check them out rather than just leave them on my TBR list forever (how’s that sentence for cramming in the acronyms?)!!
Trish´s last post ..Autism & Asperger’s Conference with Dr Tony Attwood- Part 4
I live by the 50 page rule. If a book hasn’t grabbed me – the story is going nowhere, I hate the characters, it’s taken me way to long to get to page 50 – then I put it down. I do not feel guilty at all about putting down a book, life’s too short! I gave up on one book for the FIR challenge and give up on about 3 or 4 a year. I will sometimes flip through to find out what happened but often I don’t even care!
I’m halfway through my FIR list, which means I have to finish 12 books in the next month! Ack! Don’t think that’s gonna happen, though I do hope to get in some good reading time this weekend.
It’s only been recently (within the last 5 years) that I would give up on a book. To truly give up, means I don’t even consider that I need to go back to it. Those are the fiction ones that once I’ve started the book, I realize that the language is way too offensive or they are basically smut books disguised as mysteries (you know the ones). Ones that are more classic, like Don Quixote, that are taking me stinkin’ forever to actually make it through, and I go back to again and again, I don’t consider having “given up on.” Those I feel guilty about not finishing before putting down. But I know, too, that I’ll pick it up again. I’m pretty much in agreement about the way Katrina handles non-fiction.
My list. I haven’t updated my blog in forever, so I just had to go back to see what exactly was on my list! I have read about half of what I was wanting to, plus about 10 that weren’t on my list! I’d better hop to it!
Great questions!
I try to finish every book I start, but in the past two years I have “put down” several books because of sheer boredom. I hope to go back and “pick up” some of them next year. I’m not sure I’ll get to them, though. Too many good books moving ahead of them in line.
My rule is if by page 50 I’m just not enjoying the book I put it down and move on to something else. If you could see my Mt. TBR you would understand why I do this without feeling a bit of guilt.
I had ten books on my FIR list and I have read seven of the books on my original list but I’ve added a few and so far I have read a total of 13 books! For me that is amazing. The holidays are going to pose a problem because I need to get some gifts knitted and that will eat up some of my reading time. But I hope to read three more books before the end of this challenge.
Angie´s last post ..Teaser Tuesday
Short answer: fiction I almost always finish, non-fiction not so much. My whole answer is here:
http://susannesspace.blogspot.com/2010/11/fall-into-reading-question-9.html
I finish most everything I start unless it is non-fiction. I finish non-fiction if it isn’t real boring. I too skim when things get boring. As far as my goals for the challenge go, I had a goal of 25 books. As a Cybils panelist I had to
change my list and yes I’m moving right along.
I’m always interested in seeing how everyone answers this particular question. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there were no boring books? But then, I guess we each have our idea of what’s boring and what’s not. Anyway, my answer is posted on my blog:
http://jlshall.blogspot.com/2010/11/fall-into-reading-question-no-9.html
And I’m doing pretty well with the challenge. Not getting quite as much read as I’d hoped, but I’ve finished several of the books I planned to read. Hoping to step up my pace in the time remaining.
I can’t do half things…!
http://frugalhippiebusy.wordpress.com/2010/11/25/fir-10-reading-question-9/
Joe´s last post ..FIR ’10 – Reading Question 9
I have become less attached to finishing a book that I am not enjoying it. I try to give it a fair shake (my SIL recommends 100 pages) but eventually I will move on as there is always another book I could be reading.
I have done awesome with the challenge. I read all 7 of my original picks and 1 1/2 additional books. I’m about 1/3 through Little Women right now.
What a great question! And such an interesting answer. I rarely read nonfiction, so I can’t say that there is a difference for me. But challenge books do make a different. I feel a need to cross them off my list!
Here’s my complete answer: http://nurseatkins.blogspot.com/2010/11/fall-into-reading-questions-7.html
My comment has been posted on my site. thanks
http://myheartbelongs2books.blogspot.com/2010/11/fir-question-9.html
Ups, almost forgot to answer last week question…
Yes, I do feel compeled to finish a book once I start it. Very rarely have I given up on a book and on those occasions it took me months to realize I couldn’t finish it, that no will power would get me through it!
Even if a books starts boring and confusing and continues that way, I’m always hoping it will get better. Plus I always want to know how it ends…
On ocasion I have stoped reading something that just couldn’t catch my attention at the moment and started reading something else, but eventually I get back to it.
Great question! I have some great advice in my answer, over at my blog. Keep the questions coming!