I Don't Want to Know How Much of the Book Is Left

SlowRain · 11-15-2010, 09:36 AM

A few years ago I read Pleading Guilty by Scott Turow. In it was a chapter called Investigation Approaches Climax . I looked down at my progress bar and saw I still had over a third of the book left to go (almost half). I immediately knew there would be no ending anytime soon because there would be some twist introduced. That foreknowledge denied me the experience of the twist (it should be noted that the pbook readers experience the same thing).
It got me thinking that there was an opportunity here for readers of e-books to not see the end coming.

It also reminded me of the movie Minority Report , where there's a scene, far enough into the movie to be plausible, in which the audience believes the ending is near, only to have a twist introduced and the story take off again.

As such, I now turn off the progress bar on my reading software so that I truly don't know when the climax will come. I've been doing it for a couple years now, and I enjoy the feeling.

I still turn the progress bar on when I'm not enjoying a book, just to see how much more I have to endure. If it's a lot, I give up and move on to something else.

Has anyone else tried turning off the progress bar? What do you think? If you haven't, I recommend giving it a try. It's a little weird at first, and some may find it unbearable, but I think it's at least worth a try.

patrickt · 11-15-2010, 09:53 AM

No, but I rarely look at it. I usually look when I'm so bored with a book I'm wondering if there's any hope of it getting better.

I don't seem to be as consumed with my place in the universe as some people.

darknessangel · 11-15-2010, 10:03 AM

Isn't this a little bit silly? Cause you can feel that also with a real book. I really don't care but with ebook readers it's easier to forget about it...

Lady Fitzgerald · 11-15-2010, 10:25 AM

The only time I even think about it is when I'm getting close to the end and I have to decide if to finish it later or if I have time (or can make time) to finish it now.

Jellby · 11-15-2010, 10:45 AM

I find it's more useful to know how much of the chapter is left, which can be used to decide whether to stop or keep reading.

As what's left of the whole book, sometimes the main plot finishes a fair bit before the book ends, like in The Lord of the Rings. Other times the end of the book is packed with ads, previews, interviews...

SeaBookGuy · 11-15-2010, 10:51 AM

I had been reading a very long book (over 1000 pages) and was startled that it ended with a couple of hundred pages to go (according to the numbers at the bottom); the rest was all notes, index, etc.

Pomtroll · 11-15-2010, 10:55 AM

I usually look when I want to know if I have time to finish it before having to do soemthing else.

Cpl Punishment · 11-15-2010, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellby

I find it's more useful to know how much of the chapter is left, which can be used to decide whether to stop or keep reading.

Im with you !!!

SeaBookGuy · 11-15-2010, 11:29 AM

I've been known to hold down the fast forward button to get to the end of the chapter, and go back to my page from there.

Mark_A_Lopez · 11-15-2010, 11:43 AM

I've never considered turning off the progress bar before, but it sounds like a great idea! Will definitely try with my next read. I love the idea of the device affecting the content like that...very cool.

FF2 · 11-15-2010, 12:55 PM

Just did a quick look at the manual - how do you turn off the progress bar?

Quake1028 · 11-15-2010, 01:47 PM

You can't on stock Kindle, AFAIK.

foghat · 11-15-2010, 01:47 PM

FF2, as far as I know, you can't on a kindle.

Penforhire · 11-15-2010, 01:56 PM

Never occurred to me to want to turn it off. As mentioned, paper novels give a fairly good feel for how much of a book is left at any time. P-book story collections can be more of a surprise.

Lady Fitzgerald · 11-15-2010, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellby

I find it's more useful to know how much of the chapter is left, which can be used to decide whether to stop or keep reading.

As what's left of the whole book, sometimes the main plot finishes a fair bit before the book ends, like in The Lord of the Rings. Other times the end of the book is packed with ads, previews, interviews...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cpl Punishment

Im with you !!!

11-15-2010, 09:36 AM	#1
SlowRain Addict Posts: 311 Karma: 9553 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: a Canadian expat in Taiwan Device: HTC 10, Asus Phonepad	I Don't Want to Know How Much of the Book Is Left A few years ago I read Pleading Guilty by Scott Turow. In it was a chapter called Investigation Approaches Climax . I looked down at my progress bar and saw I still had over a third of the book left to go (almost half). I immediately knew there would be no ending anytime soon because there would be some twist introduced. That foreknowledge denied me the experience of the twist (it should be noted that the pbook readers experience the same thing). It got me thinking that there was an opportunity here for readers of e-books to not see the end coming. It also reminded me of the movie Minority Report , where there's a scene, far enough into the movie to be plausible, in which the audience believes the ending is near, only to have a twist introduced and the story take off again. As such, I now turn off the progress bar on my reading software so that I truly don't know when the climax will come. I've been doing it for a couple years now, and I enjoy the feeling. I still turn the progress bar on when I'm not enjoying a book, just to see how much more I have to endure. If it's a lot, I give up and move on to something else. Has anyone else tried turning off the progress bar? What do you think? If you haven't, I recommend giving it a try. It's a little weird at first, and some may find it unbearable, but I think it's at least worth a try.

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11-15-2010, 09:53 AM	#2
patrickt Wizard Posts: 1,221 Karma: 8381518 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Oaxaca, Mexico Device: Paperwhite 4 X 2	No, but I rarely look at it. I usually look when I'm so bored with a book I'm wondering if there's any hope of it getting better. I don't seem to be as consumed with my place in the universe as some people.

11-15-2010, 10:03 AM	#3
darknessangel Addict Posts: 297 Karma: 1018140 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: PRS-505, iPad	Isn't this a little bit silly? Cause you can feel that also with a real book. I really don't care but with ebook readers it's easier to forget about it...

11-15-2010, 10:25 AM	#4
Lady Fitzgerald Wizard Posts: 2,013 Karma: 251649 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tempe, AZ, USA, Earth Device: JetBook Lite (away from home) + 1 spare, 32" TV (at home)	The only time I even think about it is when I'm getting close to the end and I have to decide if to finish it later or if I have time (or can make time) to finish it now.

11-15-2010, 10:45 AM	#5
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,570 Karma: 20150435 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	I find it's more useful to know how much of the chapter is left, which can be used to decide whether to stop or keep reading. As what's left of the whole book, sometimes the main plot finishes a fair bit before the book ends, like in The Lord of the Rings. Other times the end of the book is packed with ads, previews, interviews...

11-15-2010, 10:51 AM	#6
SeaBookGuy Can one read too much? Posts: 2,029 Karma: 2487799 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Naples, FL Device: Kindle PW 3, Sony 350 and 650	I had been reading a very long book (over 1000 pages) and was startled that it ended with a couple of hundred pages to go (according to the numbers at the bottom); the rest was all notes, index, etc.

11-15-2010, 10:55 AM	#7
Pomtroll Guru Posts: 822 Karma: 1341819 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Minnesota USA Device: Sony 350, Sony T1, Kindle Touch, Kindle PW1	I usually look when I want to know if I have time to finish it before having to do soemthing else.

11-15-2010, 11:29 AM	#9
SeaBookGuy Can one read too much? Posts: 2,029 Karma: 2487799 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Naples, FL Device: Kindle PW 3, Sony 350 and 650	I've been known to hold down the fast forward button to get to the end of the chapter, and go back to my page from there.

11-15-2010, 11:43 AM	#10
Mark_A_Lopez Husband. Dad. Author. Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: North Jersey Device: Kindle	I've never considered turning off the progress bar before, but it sounds like a great idea! Will definitely try with my next read. I love the idea of the device affecting the content like that...very cool.

11-15-2010, 12:55 PM	#11
FF2 Wizard Posts: 1,105 Karma: 1025784 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: WiFi Kindle3	Just did a quick look at the manual - how do you turn off the progress bar?

11-15-2010, 01:47 PM	#12
Quake1028 Guru Posts: 917 Karma: 9155462 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Tampa, FL Device: See signature	You can't on stock Kindle, AFAIK.

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11-15-2010, 01:47 PM	#13
foghat Evangelist Posts: 464 Karma: 1006520 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Alberta, Canada Device: Kindle PW3	FF2, as far as I know, you can't on a kindle.

11-15-2010, 01:56 PM	#14
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	Never occurred to me to want to turn it off. As mentioned, paper novels give a fairly good feel for how much of a book is left at any time. P-book story collections can be more of a surprise.