Monday, September 29, 2008

An Informal Poll

When you find you are in the middle of a book that is boring/not well-written/just isn't what you are in the mood for, do you...

A) Drop it! Life is too short for bad books!

B) Pick up another book and plan to come back to the set-aside book later (whether you do or not is another question).

C) Keep on, keepin' on. Show some fortitude and finish the book.

Just curious. No, I'm not in the middle of a book and seeking an enabling comment so I may put it down...nope, not me. Ok, it's me.

10 comments:

Dominique said...

I'm tempted to go with «A» but in reality, I'm a «C» person.

So, sometimes I get frustrated at the end of the book (no, it didn't get any better AT ALL, happens most of the times) or I am happily surprised by a major twist in the story (happened only once recently though).

Conclusion? Statistically you should go for «A», unless someone told you to stick to the darn book 'cause it finally gets better!

raining sheep said...

Well, a few years ago I would be C. But nowadays I am A. My close girlfriend died of breast cancer last year and another one was diagnosed with it two weeks ago, and well, since then I don't read anything I don't like unless it is required to keep my job or pass a test! Hope things are better for you this week. How is the hair doing?

Unknown said...

I am definitely an {A} person. Always have been. I struggled through reading assignments all my life, if they didn't capture my attention. I got really good at skimming for important information and left it at that. Nowadays, I just won't continue with a book if it doesn't hold my attention within the first couple of chapters. Who has time for bad books??

Rebecca said...

A. totally. there are so many books. too little time in our short lives to waste on horrid writing. a few years ago i created a rule where i give a book 40-50 pages to impress me. if i'm not feelin' it, i toss it. on the other hand, my DH slogs through lots of books that are just odious. he's a much more committed/loyal book reader. i guess it depends on your approach, or your objective. i read for pleasure and for information. and if it ain't pleasurable to read, then i have my answer.

Vanessa/NessieNoodle said...

I usually just keep pushing thru and finish it off. Then again sometimes I will put down the book and then when I pick it back up again it happens to talk to me a little differently then it had before dpending on what is going on in my world...

Katie said...

A, definitely A

Anonymous said...

I reside somewhere between A and B. I'm definitely not a stick-with-it-er in that regard. Sometimes I think I will come back to it, and I don't always. Other times I just plain give up.

Kristi said...

I am a B, unless it is really horrible and then I read the last chapter.

Claire said...

I'm trying hard to become more of a dropper. My first impression is usually correct and life IS too short and there are far too many good books out there to waste my time. However, if someone is adamantly championing the book to me, I'll try harder not to drop it.

Tara and Dale said...

i met nancy pearl, the former librarian at seattle public library, once and loved her philosophy on this. her feeling is if you are under 50 years old, read 50 pages of a book, and if you don't love it, leave it. for every year over 50 you are, then you read less accordingly. for example, if you are 51, read 49 pages, etc. loved that way of looking at it. :)