Michelle Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 Recently I've been starting books, having trouble sticking with them, and putting them back on my shelf. I'm telling myself that when I'm 'in the right mood' I'll pick them up again, but I'm wondering if I will. What do you do.. have you picked those books back up, and never gotten back to them? And did you finish them second time around? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 In my experience, I rarely go back to something I've stopped reading. I've given up on a Robert Ryan, a book about Shakespeare and a Bill Bryson in the last 18 months or so, and the only one I'm likely to go back to is the Bill Bryson book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icecream Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 Interesting.. I put Emma down because I just could not get to grips with it. I couldn't find anything to keep me interested, and was disappointed as I always wanted to read it (namesake and all:lol:) I don't see myself picking it up again. There is a book that my minister write about finding his real mother which I started. I'm not sure why I put it down, perhaps because I was at uni, but I will definitely read it (not becasue it is personal but because it is an interesting story). I started Lyn Andrews' My Sister's Child before christmas, but then started a number of other books for different reasons (one I had wanted to read for a while, the others reading circle books that interested me - two of which I received from here). I kept telling myself I would go back to it, but at the same time wondering whether i should as it was a slow start, but when I did I ead it in no time and found it really interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 There have been a few books in which I have read the first few chapters or so of and then put down and changed to another book. However I have ended up going back and finishing them. That's usually due to being curious and wondering what happened later on in the book. The curiosity is just too great, sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 There have been quite a few I picked up then put down - mostly I haven't fancied going back to them at all. One of them, Notes on a Scandal, was later chosen fr the Posh Club read and so I read it, but I was heartily disappointed - my initial impression of boredom at it turned out to be spot on. Sometimes I do go back and am pleasantly surprised, but I can't think of any off the top of my head... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 I started 'Eldest' by Christopher Paolini, I am hoping to get back to it eventually, I have quite few actually that I have started and finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icecream Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 I think I would rather start and put down than never open and regret not trying a certain book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maclsj Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 I don't think I could pick up the books I put down because I disliked the book intensely. There have been some I've read where the storyline & characters did nothing for me so I don't think they're going to magically improve and make me want to read them Thats just me I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aromaannie Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 I never give up on a book evem if I hate it, just in case it gets better - it never does:roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angerball Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 I can't think of any specific titles, but I know there have been several that I can't get into at that time, but have read and enjoyed them months later. If it's a book that I put down because it bores the heck out of me, or I dislike it, then I won't ever pick it up again. However sometimes I read a book, that I know is my kind of book, but for some reason I'm just not into it. Those are the ones that I know I will come back to at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KW Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 I usually try 2-3 times before officially tossing the piece. Sad but true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maclsj Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 I work at a county council and recently someone at the library services decided to get some reading groups going throughout the county, including one at the main council buildings. I joined and the first time we met we discussed lots of different things about reading, as a way of getting to know each other. One of the things we discussed was about how as a nation we somehow feel duty bound to finish a book even if we don't like it. The group leader said that really we shouldn't feel like that and if we didn't like any of the books we were reading for the book club it was ok, fine, even good to stop reading it and come back to the group and say that. Must say it made me feel better about all the books I've given up on. When I think about it more and more I think that if I truly don't like a book it is better to stop reading it because there are so many other books I want to read out there and there will never be enough time in my lifetime to do so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 When I think about it more and more I think that if I truly don't like a book it is better to stop reading it because there are so many other books I want to read out there and there will never be enough time in my lifetime to do so That's how I feel - if I'm really disliking a book, what is the point in continuing with it when there are so many other books out there waiting to be read? So many books, so little time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleLijah Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 I can usually tell within the first 10 pages whether I'm going to like a book and with the exception of one (Dean Koontz's False Memory, which turned out to be a good read) I have never tried to read a book a second time. Maybe I give up to quickly and should persevere! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted June 15, 2007 Author Share Posted June 15, 2007 Well, these are the books that have been started, and put back down. Some were a while ago,some recent, some after the first chapter, some further in... Nora Roberts - Morrigan's Cross Sophie Hannah - Little Face Pratchett - The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents Jodi Picoult - Perfect Match Kate Harrison - The Starter Marriage Gregory Maguire - Wicked Philippa Gregory - The Queen's Fool / The Virgin's Lover Stef Penney - The Tenderness of Wolves Margaret Atwood - The Robber Bride / The Handmaid's Tale Sylvia Plath - The Bell Jar James Herbert - The Secret of Crickley Hall Stephen king - Lisey's Story Kitty Neale - Outcast Child Yikes, that's quite a few! Any advice on what to pick up, and what to ditch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted June 15, 2007 Author Share Posted June 15, 2007 That's how I feel - if I'm really disliking a book, what is the point in continuing with it when there are so many other books out there waiting to be read? So many books, so little time! I usually feel that way Kell, but recently I'm wondering if I'm missing out on some good reads by not persevering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 I usually try to persevere until it becomes a huge struggle to keep my attention - because when I put a book down unfinished, it normally remains unfinished. I just never have the will to pick it up again. However, when I've had to read unfinished or re-read books I didn't enjoy first time around for courses, it can be surprising how my opinion changes (Catcher in the Rye, for example). I've only put one book down unfinished this year which was Murakami's Norwegian Wood as I just wasn't interested in anything that was happening. And I should have abandoned Restless by William Boyd but I couldn't quite believe how awful it was!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oblomov Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 I do it quite often as a matter of fact, but then I read a lot of non-fiction, short story collections and anthologies. I have read some full-size stories in instalments simply because I could not get 'into' the plot right away. For example, it took me 3 months to finish Ken Follet's Night Over Water and even longer to get through the translated version of Hermann Hesse's Steppenwolf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Andrea~ Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 Some books I put down with the intention of never picking them up again like White Teeth by Zadie Smith. Some I give up on because of lack of perseverance or not being in the mood, like Pride and Prejudice and The French Lieutenants Woman. I would definitely like to pick the latter up again. I also intend trying Rebecca again. Its years since I attempted it. I think there needs to be a huge passage of time between attempts otherwise I just cannot face going over old ground again. Rebecca was over 15 years ago, which is probably enough The French Lieutenants Woman was less than 5 which is too soon. I'm trying to think of any books i've successfully read after an initial failure but I can't off the top of my head. Its usually fatal for me to give up which is why these days I try hard to persevere unless I know I really don't care about the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nici Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 I once started a book and couldn't get into it so i put it back on the shelf and then a few months later i picked it back up again and loved it! I have a couple of books on my bookshelf that i have started but couldn't get into and i will try to read them again but not until I am really desperate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renniemist Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 There are some books that I have put down and know that I will never pick up again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyanddandy Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 There have been quite a few I picked up then put down - mostly I haven't fancied going back to them at all. One of them, Notes on a Scandal, was later chosen fr the Posh Club read and so I read it, but I was heartily disappointed - my initial impression of boredom at it turned out to be spot on. Oops 'Notes on a Scandal' is my current book - liking it so far!! I would rarely stop reading a book I have started but then I am v fussy about what I read. Those I have stopped reading are given away - the 'Undomestic Godess' by Sophie Kinsella was the last one to be ditched Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie Posted June 16, 2007 Share Posted June 16, 2007 Two books I've left unfinished over the last few months are The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova and The Virgo Club by Susanna Power and I don't think I'd ever go back to them especially the latter. I did put aside Untold Stories by Alan Bennett but I will return to it later because I was enjoying it and it is the sort of book you can dip into often rather than reading it from beginning to end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clockwork frog Posted June 16, 2007 Share Posted June 16, 2007 I usually get a feeling, fairly early on if I am not going to get on with a book, but will usually give it to about half way through before throwing in the towel and putting it back on the shelf. It's not a decision I take lightly but if I'm not enjoying it by half way, it's not going to get any better. I wouldn't then go back to it, as (and it's already been said), there is too much else to read. Yesterday I closed Stephen King's 'Cell' and put it back on the shelf, half way through. A promising start but I felt it quickly went downhill and I lost interest in the characters/plot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiona Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 I hate stopping reading books I've started, especially those that I've made a suffecient dent into them. It just feels like such a waste of time. I mean, this crappy Hemmingway book, I'd like to dump it and stamp on it, but I'm 200 odd pages in and it'd just feel like I'm letting myself down. Besides, I do want to read a Hemmingway... I got about 3-400 pages into Diana Gabaldon's Fiery Cross several times and had to stop because it got so tiresome and boring - which is a shame really, isn't it? I really want to finish - I think I will finish it but I just won't keep starting again. Unfortunately, boredom won me over once and I peeped at the end. It's like 1400 words long which is another problem. It didn't feel so much of a dent to really make myself continue reading. I hate this. Forcing yourself to read a book you obviously hate does sometimes ruin the passion a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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