What do you do if a book isn't interesting?
- tonya10057
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What do you do if a book isn't interesting?
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- Maud Fitch
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- Carla Hurst-Chandler
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― Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
- StephenKingman
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- icy-toes
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Reason I keep trying? Once upon a time, I read The Count of Monte Cristo, which I think had a pretty slow start.
Need I say more?
- Fran
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A world is born again that never dies.
- My Home by Clive James
- DATo
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Now what does this have to do with reading you ask? Well, a couple of years ago another dear friend (also a woman) handed me a copy of Pride and Prejudice. Much like Brussels sprouts I had an unfounded prejudice against Jane Austin believing that her work was all about she likes this guy but he doesn't like her, and this guy likes this girl but she is in love with someone else ect ect ad nauseam but, just like the sprouts I gave it a go rather than offending the young lady who offered me the book. Once again, to my great surprise I found that my literary taste buds were exploding with the divine flavor of this book.
Bottom line : I have learned never to dismiss a book out of hand until I have given it a chance. And I have also learned not to stop reading a book until I have given it time to develop. Of course I admit that there are some books, like foods, that are best fed to the dog under the table when no one is looking.
― Steven Wright
- Fundoospot
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- Fran
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I was wondering how you were going to connect the much maligned Brussels sprout with reading but you did it!
Glad to see you are back to full health & have returned to us better than ever
A world is born again that never dies.
- My Home by Clive James
- Bighuey
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If I do stop reading a book, I write down the book and categorize it on an "unfinished" shelf on Goodreads. I also make a note of the page where I stopped reading in case I ever want to go back and pick it back up again. Sometimes certain books don't make sense when you first read them, but then some time later, they are really enjoyable. So I like to keep the option of reading it again sometime in the future and that makes it even easier to stop reading.
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But now if they don't pick up after the very first chapters, I toss them. It is the realization that life is too short and there are so many wonderful books being published every day.
One reason I stuck to some of these books was that they were deemed "best sellers" and I thought that if that was true, then I should want to read them like all the others who thought they were so good. Now I realize that no matter how many awards a book may have or how people say it is wonderful, if I can't get into it, then I just don't.
But I have found books I did not care to read when I was younger are now very much worth reading. So there is no doubt our tastes can change. I have to admit that the way I know I can't stand bodice rippers is that I read a few of them. I had to see why so many of my co-workers, and other friends, thought they were so great. One great thing about reading is that each person gets to choose the books they enjoy. So while to me reading one of these books is like reading them all, that is obviously not how many see them given the writers sell thousands of books.
Some of my friends say I read too much and also that most of the books I read are too serious. I think I mix it up quite a bit and read serious works as well as books that are just fun to read. But that is part of why I joined this discussion group. I know all of you like to read as you joined too!!!
- Nedra15
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- Tralala
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Mike, your avatar scared the hell out of me. Thanks.