JudyB Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 I tried to read Ulverton by Adam Thorpe on two separate occasions (years apart) and got bogged down at the same bit. It was a shame as I'd read good reviews about it and would have liked to have made it to the end. Maybe it will be third time lucky one day. Just edited this to ask - has any on here read it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carm Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 many moons ago i started the oldest living confederate widow tells all and put it down because i got distracted by another book-- when i picked it up the second time i actually enjoyed it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Books I couldn't finish: Fingersmith Sarah Waters Unless Carol Shields Autograph Man Zadie Smith Month of Sundays John Updike Odd about the Updike one, as normally I like his novels, but to be honest this one was just too clever for me. I'm amazed that people didn't like Life of Pi or Never Let Me go, but I guess people may feel the same about my list of "great unreads". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 And I should have abandoned Restless by William Boyd but I couldn't quite believe how awful it was!! I liked it a lot. He's one of my favourite authors. Try Armadillo or Brazzaville Beach. Any Human Heart was brilliant too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freewheeling Andy Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 There are lots of books I shouldn't have finished. Having finally read War and Peace, now the only books I've failed to finish that I might finish are Don Quixote and Peter Ackroyd's immense Biography of London, which I got half-way through and thought I'd wait before I ploughed on with, and which has been in that state for about three or four years now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Maybe there should be a thread for started and not finished books, or first 5 pages read and put aside for later, something along those lines. Of course. At your service ma'am http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=2859 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 Books I couldn't finish:Unless Carol Shields Ah, now that's one of my favourite books and I've known quite a few people who didn't like it. I love its melancholic nature. John Mullan does a really good analysis of it in How Novels Work. I'm amazed that people didn't like Life of Pi or Never Let Me Go I enjoyed Never Let Me Go but it's certainly a book that polarises opinion! There's a couple of threads that discusses it and it's amazing how strongly people feel about it! Re: Restless I liked it a lot. He's one of my favourite authors. Try Armadillo or Brazzaville Beach. Any Human Heart was brilliant too. Urgh, I really can't stress how much I loathe this novel! It's completely put me off reading anything else by Boyd. Probably the least enjoyable reading experience I've had in, ohh, at least 5 years I had a near apocalyptic rant about it in the first part of my 2007 blog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 Tried 'Vanishing Acts' again by Jodi Picoult, but nope, its back on the shelf x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 It's rare for me to give up on a book, although sometimes I wish I could...I just try not to. Occasionally I have picked up a book and after reading a couple of pages have known that I am not in the mood for it at that time. When that happens, I read something else instead, but I think I have always gone back to the first one at some point. It happened with one of the Sookie Stackhouse novels, by Charlaine Harris. I love those books, but when it came to reading the 3rd one, I just couldn't get into it. I did read it at a later time, and loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angerball Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 Tried 'Vanishing Acts' again by Jodi Picoult, but nope, its back on the shelf x I have this one out from the library, and will be reading it shortly. The only other Jodi Picoult book I've read is My Sister's Keeper and I quite enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KW Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Probably not pick up SOME lying around...if I've tried three or more times to get into a book and it still hasn't sunk its teeth into me, it's time to sell it on Amazon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen1 Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 I do like to try and finish books if I start them, but if it's that bad or I'm really struggling I will put it down and try again at some other time. But if I have the same problem again then I probably wouldn't try a third time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madcow Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 So far this year I've given up on 3 - Shirley - Charlotte Bronte Silent Spring - Rachel Carson Pride & Predjudice - Jane Austen I will probably pick up Bronte's and Austen's books in the future when I'm in the right frame of mind but not Silent Spring that was just soo boring it felt like I was revising for an exam! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly2008 Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 If I start a book I will finish it but will read a few inbetween if its really bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 I put down The Stand by Stephen King for me it was a huge book and I think that put me off a bit. I will pick it up again somtime. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 If I put the book down and leave it, I very rarely go back. It has to be dire to stop me reading in the first place - By the light of the moon, D. Koontz - I'm looking at you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Library Nook Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 I put down Wuthering Heights because I couldn't get into it all but then a couple of years later I tried it again and loved it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 I rarely go back to a book. If I put it down, I put it down for a reason which is unlikely to have changed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supergran71 Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 I put down The Blind Assassin by Margaret Attwood. I just couldnt get into it. It is still on my bedside table, so will probably give it another go quite soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 (edited) I HATE giving up on a book, so I must really hate the book to do so. So here listed in order of how early I gave up are the few books I ditched and the reason. Carol Shields Unless - dreary. John Updike A Month of Sundays - couldn't follow the religious references & just hated it. This one really pained me to ditch. Zadie Smith The Autograph Man - Just dire. It was a long time ago & can't remember exactly why. I had a really nice copy as well, with the fold out dust jacket, but I hated it. Sarah Waters Fingersmith - The lesbian intrigue and the supposed realisation that the only true love is woman to woman started to bore me to tears. Don't get me wrong, I have the same fantasies as most males but I felt that the political agenda destroyed the book. JEEZ.. How did I miss this thread. It was only updated yesterday!! Edited June 13, 2008 by NiceguyEddie Embarrassed at missing this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 I agree Eddie, I don't like giving up on books either. But if I've put it down I won't pick it up again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbain Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 It's not often I give up on a book , I tend to see them through to the end even if I'm not that keen. The three I have given up on are in the past couple of years are: A Suitable Boy- Vikram Seth The Time Travellers Wife War and Peace - Tolstoy The think the size put me off with a couple of them and I just wasn't keen on the Time Travellers Wife. Would like to read war and Peace all the way through and will definitely try to tackle it someday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 It's not often I give up on a book , I tend to see them through to the end even if I'm not that keen. The three I have given up on are in the past couple of years are: A Suitable Boy- Vikram Seth The Time Travellers Wife War and Peace - Tolstoy The think the size put me off with a couple of them and I just wasn't keen on the Time Travellers Wife. Would like to read war and Peace all the way through and will definitely try to tackle it someday! I enjoyed The Time Travellers Wife - what about did you not enjoy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbain Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 I enjoyed The Time Travellers Wife - what about did you not enjoy? I didn't read the whole book , or even half but I just wasn't keen, couldn't get into it and I didn't find the dialogue very goodMaybe one day I will read it right through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 There are two books that I recall beginning when I was a teen, but just could not get into and had to put them down. The first was The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy, which I may have gotten through a couple of chapters. I think the other was The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. Someday I may just give them a go again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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