Do you feel guilty if you don't finish reading a book?

Hawkcat · Post by **Hawkcat** » 01 Feb 2014, 11:47

Yes, but then again, sometimes I read the ingredients labels on household products if there is nothing better within reach.

Bananacat · Post by **Bananacat** » 01 Feb 2014, 12:23

If I don't like the book that I am reading then I will just leave it unfinished. I only feel guilty of not finishing the book if it was a book that I had received as a present as I feel like I am saying that I don't like the present when I do but just can't get into it. If I have bought the book myself then I do not feel guilty

SeaNymph · Post by **SeaNymph** » 02 Feb 2014, 00:21

I usually do feel guilty when I stop reading a book.

mavericklal · Post by **mavericklal** » 02 Feb 2014, 00:41

Yes, but I over it because if a book didn't hold my interest long enough for me to finish, then it isn't squarely on me.

thegiltyone · Post by **thegiltyone** » 02 Feb 2014, 08:26

I used to feel really bad when I didn't finish a book, usually because it was a library book. I felt bad that I took that away from someone who may have loved it. Now I don't feel bad because I go through so many, and I can afford to be picky.

Sam_Bam12 · Post by **Sam_Bam12** » 02 Feb 2014, 12:03

I was having this conversation with a librarian, a few years ago, and she gave the most honest advice that has stuck with me ever since.
She said, " Life is too short for bad books. If you're 150-200 pages in and bored then put it down and move on with your life."
It doesn't happen very often but the times I have been in that scenario I think of her and put down the book with a smile.

arobinson214 · Post by **arobinson214** » 02 Feb 2014, 17:19

Nope. If a book was so uninteresting that I felt free to put it down, then why should I feel bad about it? Some books are terribly written but as long as I give it an acceptable amount of time (5 chapters) to peak my interest, if it fails, then I won't waste my time with it.

K-katastrophe3 · Post by **K-katastrophe3** » 02 Feb 2014, 17:45

Yes, sometimes I do. There are some books that I just cannot get into and just take the book back not willing to try to finish it. But then I think later.. "What if it got better towards the end? What if what I didn't read is when it would grab my interest?" Though even if I think that, I dont tend to go back to finish the book anyways.

tinmmm · Post by **tinmmm** » 03 Feb 2014, 14:17

Ginnydoll wrote:Maybe it's not guilt but more worry that I might miss the moment when the book turns into greatness...

Our professor told us we don't have to finish a book just to know if it's rubbish. However, I've developed some sort of tolerance for such books, because I can't NOT finish a book and, as you have also mentioned, I might miss something great from that book, whether a twist of events or an idea, or anything. Of course, I'm not totally immune so I can recall three books I can never finish no matter how hard I've tried.

DanHab · Post by **DanHab** » 04 Feb 2014, 18:40

I used to, but now if I've made a genuine effort and it hasn't captured me, I google then synopsis and to see if its worth sticking with, and call it quits if it isn't. There are just too many books out there to read to waste time on something you don't enjoy.

hazelk · Post by **hazelk** » 04 Feb 2014, 20:41

NO I do this lots of times, if I find that I am losing interest or if the characters are annoying me out it goes. My reading time is too special to wast on just any book.

GabrielleAlcime · Post by **GabrielleAlcime** » 10 Feb 2014, 16:22

Never. Usually if I don't finish a book it's just because I disliked it.

oliviagrace81 · Post by **oliviagrace81** » 10 Feb 2014, 17:54

If I start a book, I have to finish it.. I absolutely would feel guilty about not finishing it! Of course, I've only ever met one book that I couldn't get into, and that was Catch-22. I did actually like the book, it was just hard to find the motivation to pick it up and keep reading. I always seem to find something good in every book I read, though.. Haven't found one I hated quite yet.

lyndsie_anna · Post by **lyndsie_anna** » 10 Feb 2014, 18:50

Yeah, generally I do feel guilty if I don't finish a book. But then, usually when I don't it's not because the book was atrocious. It's because I misplace the book or I get really busy and then don't have time. And then I start over because I don't remember what all happened and it's a vicious cycle.