Classics Without All the Class discussion

Tricked you huh? I thought this might be an interesting discussion. When is it ok to give up on a book?

Personally I ALWAYS feel a bit guilty whenever I give up. Except in the case of when I gave up on The 120 Days of Sodom because that one was just too twisted for me.

I have no qualms about giving up on a book unless it has a strong recommendation from someone whose taste I trust or it's required reading for some reason. There are too many books to spend time with a bad one. I've rejected a few books after reading the first page. Good thing I get most just about all of my fiction from the library. :-)

Chick lit is particularly easy for me to reject. Pseudo-historical chick lit even easier. I'm also oddly attracted to the cozy mystery genre but don't think I've ever gotten past the first few chapters on any. I keep trying, though. I don't know why!

u got me for a sec!

I usually try to read a book at least half of it...then if it's too boring like i just start another book...i don't have remorses...

Life is to short for bad books. If it the book is boring or the caracters annoy me too much, I quit.

So I rarely finish chicklit, the caracters are much too annoying for me.

I don't like give up when I read a book. It's a question of principle, if you have began it, finish it. The last book that i have quit is Little Lord Fauntleroy, when I was ten (more or less). The only recent book that I almost quit is "Moby Dick", it didn't like me. After almost two years finally I finished it (this, 2-3 years ago).

There are two books that I can think of that I have quit: Sophie's World and The Mists of Avalon. However, I like to tell myself that they are only "on pause." I will someday return to them. It may take me years....but... :) I really hate quitting a book!

Angie wrote: "There are two books that I can think of that I have quit: Sophie's World and The Mists of Avalon. However, I like to tell myself that they are only "on pause." I will someday return to them. It may..."

I feel the same way, Angie.

I saw your on hold bookshelf and thought that was a great idea.

I also see it as how Water wears away a stone. If you read a little each day (or week), It will get done.

LaLaLa Laura wrote: "Angie wrote: "There are two books that I can think of that I have quit: Sophie's World and The Mists of Avalon. However, I like to tell myself that they are only "on pause." I will someday return t..."

Very true. And I think I need to pull one of them back off my shelf again and start wearing it away. :)

Angie wrote: "There are two books that I can think of that I have quit: Sophie's World and The Mists of Avalon. However, I like to tell myself that they are only "on pause." I will someday return to them. It may..."

OMG Mists of Avalon is on my "pause" shelf too. I swear I haven't quit it, even though I haven't picked it back up since before my oldest was born...more than 4 years ago. I really want to read it. I have the whole series I think. lol

I am, generally, pretty good about pushing through a book. I think i must have learned it from some of the books I read in high school. There were two, in particular, which shall remain nameless. I had a hard time connecting with characters, which made it very hard for me to read it. But I pushed through and was glad I read them.

However, there is one back I put down, after only reading 2-3 chapters. It was Devil in the White City. Let it be known, I LOVE history. But the writing style the author used to talk about the World Fair...I about fell asleep every time I opened the book to read it. I felt bad giving up but I just was bored. I didn't even put it "on hold". I simply quit.

LaLaLa Laura wrote: "u got me for a sec!"

I knew I was going to get you with that! LOL

Karena wrote: "Angie wrote: "There are two books that I can think of that I have quit: Sophie's World and The Mists of Avalon. However, I like to tell myself that they are only "on pause." I will someday return t..."

Funny. Glad I'm not the only one. It is funny too because the issue isn't that I don't like the story. It is really good, but I swear that the book is actually longer than it says it is because the pages are enormous and super thin, almost like bible pages. And, it is frustrating that I can spend so much time reading and feel like I haven't even put a dent in it. I like to see or feel my progress.

Angie wrote: "Karena wrote: "Angie wrote: "There are two books that I can think of that I have quit: Sophie's World and The Mists of Avalon. However, I like to tell myself that they are only "on pause." I will s..."

I'm afraid now that it's been so long I'm going to have to start over. You're right though! The book was really good, so it must have been the pages. I bet if I got it on my kindle app I'd fly right through it.

My friend gives a book as many pages as she is old (around 40). If a book doesn't grab her interest by then, it's on to the next. Too many good books out there. I aspire to this standard. Instead, I seem to be a glutton for punishment and my opinion rarely changes later into the book! :D

LOL, The Mists of Avalon was one of those I tossed aside without remorse many years ago.

I don't think I ever gave up on a book, but I think it's because I'm too careful when it comes to chosing what I read...it's the same "life is too short for bad books" but applied before the reading.

I don't like to give up on books but, when I Dp it's almost always somewhere between chapters 5-10. Basically depending on chapter length. I figure if the book hasn't sucked me in by that time, then it probably never will.
There have been times when I've given up in the first chapter.

I agree with those that say life's too short for bad books. There's a number of books I regret having persevered with (Wuthering Heights, for example) - and I think just one that improved after a bad start (The Queen's Tiara). As I've gotten older I think I've become more willing to give up on books.

Karena wrote: "When is it ok to give up on a book?"

This is a great question. For me, there are two categories of books I quit. One category consists of the books that I quit because I didn't like them and didn't find anything in the portion that I read that gave me insight into life or writing or love or anything at all interesting to me. I don't feel guilty for quitting these books; as several others have said, there are way too many books out there to waste time on books that have nothing to offer me.

The second category is made up of books I quit because I just wasn't in the right state of mind to finish. These are books like Moby-Dick... books I knew had something important to say to me even when I couldn't, at the time, focus enough to finish. I still haven't picked Moby Dick back up... but I feel like I need to give it another try.

I don't know. Maybe I'm buying into the canon. I wouldn't tell myself that I need to finish The Twilight Series. So, maybe I'm just reinforcing that old highbrow/lowbrow distinction.

Still, I think for me (and really, I'm just thinking "aloud" and thinking about this as it relates to me, not trying to pass judgment on others' choices of books), there is a difference between quitting books because they're boring me and quitting books because they're confounding me. I do both, and I only regret the latter.

I'm of two minds.
I have mild OCD so that part if me will continue with a book through quite a bit of boredom.
I have, however, had to stop reading a couple.
Lord of the Rings I tried twice and gave up before the 2nd chapter...until last month, when I plowed through The Hobbit and LofR in a month.
I had also tried and given up on Gone With the Wind until last year when it clicked.

I had given up on The Picture of Dorian Gray in my early 20s but I'm hoping this year I may try again.

This year alone, I had to stop reading two titles. Persuasion by Jane Austen and On The Road by Jack Kerouac.

I love that you started this thread.
I, myself asked that question in my personal book group on Facebook. The consensus was that when you're reading for pleasure, you can stop at any time you wish.

And...when it comes to this club, I try to read all the way through. I got through The Age Of Innocence, and was redeemed with Life of Pi. Worth it :)

Tanya wrote: "I'm of two minds.
I have mild OCD so that part if me will continue with a book through quite a bit of boredom.
I have, however, had to stop reading a couple.
Lord of the Rings I tried twice and ..."

I actually have struggled with this for awhile. I just took two books back to the library without reading them. Not a "I quit" just "I'll see you later." Mostly because I, too, was not in the right frame of mind to read them. One was a book by Jennifer Weiner who I used to read constantly but now I just can't find the interest. Maybe a topic for another thread. Authors you used to love but now need to break up with. "It's not you, it's me. Ok, maybe it really is you."

I have a feeling Sherlock is going to be amazing too, though! And I'm surprisingly optimistic about Brave New World as well. May concerns me, not because I don't want to read Anna Karenina or Les MIserables, but they are Monster reads so I'm a little concerned size will intimidate me. lol

Karena wrote: "Tricked you huh? I thought this might be an interesting discussion. When is it ok to give up on a book?

Personally I ALWAYS feel a bit guilty whenever I give up. Except in the case of when I gave..."

This is a heavy one, indeed. Maybe you could try The Crimes of Love or Justine by the "divine" Marquis?

Tanya wrote: "I'm of two minds.
I have mild OCD so that part if me will continue with a book through quite a bit of boredom.
I have, however, had to stop reading a couple.
Lord of the Rings I tried twice and ..."

Please, do try to finish Dorian Gray, you will not be sorry. Then you may give a peek at Salome, by Oscar Wilde too ;-)

I've given myself permission to quit a book just within the last couple of years. Like Inge said, life is too short for a bad book.

I will quit when the reading gets immorally questionable (for me) or if I haven't been able to grasp the story (or care) within a few chapters. I have done my share of skimming, trying to hang onto a book that I should have given up on hours before!

Ckopphills wrote: "I don't know. Maybe I'm buying into the canon. I wouldn't tell myself that I need to finish The Twilight Series. So, maybe I'm just reinforcing that old highbrow/lowbrow distinction. "

But there is a reason those books are in the canon and Twilight is not. Over time many, many people have found value in those books which keeps them alive and being read. I do quit books all the time, without guilt. But if I toss a classic, it's not necessarily permanent. At some point I'll probably want to go back to it, because it will come back to my attention at some point and for some reason. I don't think it's a lowbrow/highbrow distinction at all. Quality lasts.

Tanya wrote: "I'm of two minds.
I have mild OCD so that part if me will continue with a book through quite a bit of boredom.
I have, however, had to stop reading a couple.
Lord of the Rings I tried twice and ..."

This proves my theroy that sometimes, liking a book is just about timing. It happened to me the same thing with some books, and others that I've read when I was younger and loved, I read them now and not so much...

Carrie wrote: "Karena wrote: "Tricked you huh? I thought this might be an interesting discussion. When is it ok to give up on a book?

Personally I ALWAYS feel a bit guilty whenever I give up. Except in the case..."

That one put a bad taste in my mouth and that actually takes a lot to do. It might be awhile until I try again and I have quite the backlog of books to catch up with. Thanks for the suggestions, though! I do appreciate it. :)

Angie wrote: "There are two books that I can think of that I have quit: Sophie's World and The Mists of Avalon. However, I like to tell myself that they are only "on pause." I will someday return to them. It may..."

Sophie's World is on my to -read list. I wonder if I'll like it?

Tanya wrote: "I'm of two minds.
I have mild OCD so that part if me will continue with a book through quite a bit of boredom.
I have, however, had to stop reading a couple.
Lord of the Rings I tried twice and ..."

I'm starting Persuasion on audio next week; I heard it's really good. We shall see. I read my FIRST Jane Austen last week, Northanger Abbey, and I loved it!

Jessica wrote: "I am, generally, pretty good about pushing through a book. I think i must have learned it from some of the books I read in high school. There were two, in particular, which shall remain nameless. I..."

This is the first time I've heard someone say they didn't like Devil in the White City. It's on my to-read list. Everyone else has said it's really good.

Last week I almost stopped reading The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling, but I stuck with it and end up really liking it! I liked all the characters and getting to know the whole town and all the stuff going on there. I think she's a really good writer and can't wait to see what else she comes up with in the future.

Sandra wrote: "Angie wrote: "There are two books that I can think of that I have quit: Sophie's World and The Mists of Avalon. However, I like to tell myself that they are only "on pause." I will someday return t..."

It isn't bad, but can be slow. The story starts out really interesting, but then thoroughly delves into individual philosophers, so can be very demanding. ;)

Sandra wrote: "Jessica wrote: "I am, generally, pretty good about pushing through a book. I think i must have learned it from some of the books I read in high school. There were two, in particular, which shall re..."

I had heard nothing but good about Devil in the White City...I was sad when I just couldn't get into it. I have only heard of one other person who felt the way I did, and it was a friend of mine. I hope you enjoy it. I am sure your experience will be much better than mine.

I have Casual Vacancy on my to read list as well. I have heard a lot of mixed reviews about that one. I have heard that as long as you go in to without expecting something Harry Potter-ish, it will be somewhat enjoyable. I am excited to see her writing something different and hope she continues writing for the adult market.

A book has about fifteen minutes to convince me not to read something else. I never feel guilty giving up a book, because there are so many other books I'm delaying to read this one, that I feel the pull of those instead. 8)

Angie wrote: "There are two books that I can think of that I have quit: Sophie's World and The Mists of Avalon. However, I like to tell myself that they are only "on pause." I will someday return to them. It may..."

I quit Sophie's World, too! I went back to it three times, then decided to give it to a friend.

Sandra wrote: "Tanya wrote: "I'm of two minds.
I have mild OCD so that part if me will continue with a book through quite a bit of boredom.
I have, however, had to stop reading a couple.
Lord of the Rings I tr..."

I'm a member of a local book club. I have had to quit the last two books: Plague of Doves by Erdrich and The Magicians by Grossman. I tried, really I tried. :)

I finally had to quit the new Georgette Heyer biography. The first half was interesting but now it seems like the same thing over and over, just new names and dates.

Margaret wrote: "LOL, The Mists of Avalon was one of those I tossed aside without remorse many years ago."

Wow! Apparently this one is a common one to put aside! :)

Karena wrote: "Tanya wrote: "I'm of two minds.
I have mild OCD so that part if me will continue with a book through quite a bit of boredom.
I have, however, had to stop reading a couple.
Lord of the Rings I tr..."

I love your thread idea! Start it! lol

I rarely completely quit a book, there have been a few I've let slip by the wayside which I will eventually pick up again, some from the start and others from where I left off.

A book has to be terrible to make me stop as I've discovered a few books which started off really badly but then redeemed themselves a bit by the end. And vice versa, started off well but by the end I was skim reading to finish it.

I can't remember how many books I've abandoned. it's a lot.

Yes, eventually I will pick them up again one by one or just give them to relatives as gifts.. haha.

Adam wrote:
I find that strange. I've come across many people who loved that one [The Mists of Avalon] almost obsessively."

It's been a long time and my memories are vague, but I think for me, having read Malory, it seemed like a cheap knock-off of a truly great book. I don't hate all retellings of the Arthur story, just this one (so far).

And this reminded me to check the shelves for Malory; he's not there, so I'm off to the request thread to get that righted.

I was brought up to think giving up on a book was a wicked moral failing.

I still find it hard to give up on a book, but life is too short to read everything I want to, so I'd rather read what I enjoy than what I don't.

Nevertheless, I'm more likely to skim than actually stop, though I have done the latter with a few.

It has to be really really a bad book for me to quit reading it. It takes me months to complete the book even if I don't like it. The last time I stopped reading a book was last year, because I was searching for books for my dissertation and that book was a wrong recommendation. I finished reading it 6 months after I had quit reading it during the first round.

Margaret wrote: "Adam wrote:
I find that strange. I've come across many people who loved that one [The Mists of Avalon] almost obsessively."

It's been a long time and my memories are vague, but I think for me, ha..."
I remember the book and at the end I felt a little disappointed, because I expected a fantasy, and wasn't been so. The book was a mix of history, romance and adventure, not so bad, I arrived even at the end, but I did not like very.

I always borrow books from the library first and almost never buy books that I haven't read and liked, so my rule of thumb is that if I haven't finished it by the due date (so about 4 weeks), I give up and return the book.

I'm reluctant about giving up any books, though, since I tend to be a slow starter when it comes to reading and only get interested as I read on. It takes me a while to decide whether a book is good or bad.

I'm definitely influenced by the book's reputation, too. I stopped reading Twilight after about a week and decided it wasn't worth my time, but I've given War and Peace three tries already and I intend to come back to it again.

Well it is a tricky question when considering when to give up on a book. I don't easily give up on a book. I will give up when I struggle for a week or two to get myself to read said book and while attempting to make myself read this book I end up reading several other books in the course of trying to read this book. I think my prime example is Ico: castle in the mist. I just couldn't get into the book fully and only managed a few chapters. I would like to try again one day but for now I'm grudgingly giving up. Feel terrible about it though...

Generally, if I am still feeling bored or uninterested in a book after reading the first few chapters, I will stop reading it.

Yeah, me too!!! Life is too short to waste on crappy books!!! There are too many to read!!!! lol