What do you do if a book isn't interesting?

[cobooboc]

When I read I will look at the About, caught my interest, I will read the whole book, if the Introduction are not attractive, then I will give up this book.
I hate to see the book is the kind of need to be updated regularly, even though I like it fascinated, but slowly waiting for is really a torment.

[YaquelinO]

Depends on how far into the book i am before getting bored, if i'm halfway done then ill continue but if I just started and can't get past the first few pages i'll probrably leave it

[Kathy0814]

If a book isn't interesting I generally put it down! I love to ready, but I don't want to spend time reading something that is not interesting or good. ( Unless, it is something I have to read)!

[smatusak1]

I've been there with uninteresting books and I'm just about to start a new book, so hopefully it captures my attention in a good way.

[Theramagic]

I want to put it down, but I'm desperate to know the ending. So I google it and get a quick summary of the plot before I put it down and start a new book.

[jadestar31]

I used to feel obligated to finish every book I started, but once I hit 1000 books on my To-Read pile, I figured that wasn't feasible anymore. Now I live my life with the motto "Life is too short to read crappy books..."

[MysFan]

Yes, life is too short to read crappy books!!!! We have so many books we want to read, and some of have lists. And there are new ones being published every day by authors we enjoy reading.

I go in about three-four chapters just to make sure and then if I don't like it I have to admit that sometimes I read the last few pages. Some of these books can go on and on and never get to the point, and I usually want to know how they end.

Of course if they are history books written by authors that I find I don't like, kind of know the ending.

[Min_Yeon]

I am really picky when it comes to reading books. So I try to find something interesting before I start reading. Yet, it has happened to me to encounter a boring book. In such a case I just let it go and chose another. I know that it does not seem as truly motivating, but I will not stick with a book that will make me sleep.

[doglvr]

I read 50 pages and if it's not interesting I stop reading it. If it's a book my group is reading I'll go to the meeting to get the others thoughts on it. Sometimes what I hear makes me go back to the book and I have been surprised with a good story, just a slow starting one.

[cshiredhands]

I have a 5 chapter/50 page rule. If it doesn't grab me by that point, I move on. Although, I've read a couple of books that I struggled to 50 pages and page 51 was a killer!

[gothique]

I give books the 50 page test: If it hasn't engaged me by page 50, I ditch it and move on.
I've got too many books I want to read, to suffer through something that doesn't engage me.
My other test is to ask myself, if the characters got in a car crash and all died, would I be upset?
If the answer is no, I ditch it.

[MysFan]

My other test is to ask myself, if the characters got in a car crash and all died, would I be upset?
If the answer is no, I ditch it.

I have found a few books where I wished the characters would get into a car crash and die. Or for that matter die any way possible!!! (Given that these are just characters in a book, don't think this makes me particularly bloodthirsty!)

Just an example (and I am sure there will be many who disagree with me on this), although I did read all of Hamlet and even saw it on the stage a couple of times, I have wanted to see him dead for quite some time. Of course, given he is the play..... I think that is part of the problem; hours and hours of "it is all about me!!!"

I am sure that there are members that have other masterpieces where characters could be killed off in their viewpoint. I will confess that I had to read Hamlet for a college class, but seeing the plays was all on me. I just wanted to see if there was a chance I would feel differently seeing it. No.

[DATo]

@DATo
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 :)

Oh, didn't I tell you ? ... I am the master of analogy. Given a chance I can connect lima beans with politics, broccoli with space exploration and cauliflower with the miracle of birth.

Many thanks for your "welcome back" Fran. Sorry it took so long to respond to your post.

[ralfy]

I always look for canonical works, which means they should be interesting. If, for some reason, I don't see a work as so, then I read a few pages a day until I finish the book. Usually, I response changes after I finish reading the work.

[ldsrsc]

I rarely quit books, I think because I'm pretty good at picking up books that I would find interesting. However, if I truly don't like it, I'll give it about three chapters and then call it quits. I just don't want to waste my time on a book that's bad.