Do you finish every book you start? - Page 2

GhostHawk · 08-04-2010, 01:24 PM

Wrong options!

However in my case its over 90% that I finish and probably over 95%. However in some cases I start something, but am just not in the mood for at at the time. So put it away, grab something else, but usually at some point I'll come back to it.

Sydney's Mom · 08-04-2010, 02:16 PM

If I make it through the first chapter, I will finish it. I have had too many books redeem themselves at the end to quit.

Donnageddon · 08-04-2010, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlbertaCowboy

I used to have to finish, but I've now learned that there are FAR too many good books to waste time reading bad ones!

Exactly. But I would clarify that by "bad" I mean "Doesn't hold my interest".

JSWolf · 08-04-2010, 02:23 PM

The go away option ruins the poll.

Maggie Leung · 08-04-2010, 02:36 PM

I can't think of a nonfiction book I've ditched. I might speed read one if it's so-so. With fiction, I will ditch over poor quality. When I mention quality, it's not just about bad writing. If I am not engaged by the characters, I will quit. I don't hafta like the characters, but if I don't care whether they live or die, or what they do, I'm moving on.

GA Russell · 08-04-2010, 02:37 PM

I have on my jetBook Lite a number of books I have started and deserted. I haven't made up my mind not to finish them. I've just got better books to read first.

queentess · 08-04-2010, 02:49 PM

I generally give books "the Stephen King 100". That is, if I'm still uninterested after 100 pages I usually ditch it or start skimming. I used to read everything, plodding my way through no matter what, otherwise I'd feel... unfinished. But I've become a lot more likely to leave a book since I got my ereader. I suppose because it's so much easier to just click a button and move on the to the next book?? I don't even have to get up!

Came about because my friends and I used to read a lot of King, and if someone said "I just don't know if I'm going to like this one" we'd encourage them to read at least 100 pages, because that's usually when his bloated books would pick up pace.

BexBits · 08-04-2010, 02:50 PM

Not even close. The older I get the less I'm willing to waste time on something that doesn't hold my attention. OTOH, I'm never sure before I really start reading whether it is going to end up on the list of Books Worth Finishing. I probably finish, as in read every page, about 75% of the books I start. If I find myself wishing I were washing dishes instead of reading I just read the end to see how the author wrapped up the plot and then move on to the next book.

(I should say that almost every book gets at least the first couple of chapters read before I decide to abandon it or not. The exceptions would be where I picked it up without realizing it was written in the dreaded present tense or is in a genre I really don't like, such as horror.)

Sydney's Mom · 08-04-2010, 03:08 PM

There have been too many books I wouldn't have finished if I hadn't forced myself. Harry Potter is a good example (I'm not saying that is great literature, but I enjoyed it). Someone lent it to me, and I read about the first 50 pages, and yelled at her for lending me a book about child abuse. It was, but it got better.

Druid_Elf · 08-04-2010, 03:11 PM

There is about a 1% percentage of books I do not finish. Usually after the first 50 pages I've made up my mind to stop reading it or not

sakura-panda · 08-04-2010, 03:13 PM

There's two of these?

I finish every book -- in many cases I've been surprised because I end up liking the book or I'm glad that I've gotten it behind me and I don't have read it again.

On the other hand, I don't jump into my books blindly and I usually won't even bother to start a book that I think won't be interesting or entertaining to me.

HistoryWes · 08-04-2010, 03:28 PM

No. I've put down a few books. Usually I know if I don't like it within a few pages, though a few I've gotten well into before putting it down. A couple of books I read halfway and then just forgot I was reading them. Damn, I'm getting old!

Lady Fitzgerald · 08-04-2010, 05:01 PM

This seems to be the day for dupilcate polls so here's my duplicate response. I normally finish 99 44/100% of the books I read but about every fith blue moon I'll get ahold of a turkey so bad I'll chuck it about halfway through. The last one I gave up on was a Michael Crichton book two or three years ago. Normally, I love his stuff but in the one on his travels, he got so full of himself, about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way in, I just couldn't stomach it anymore.

Pookeysgirl · 08-04-2010, 05:58 PM

I put this in the other post too.

I've only put down 1 book and it was because I couldn't handle the content. I wish there was a warning label on it so I didn't have to spend the $10.

BexBits · 08-04-2010, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pookeysgirl

I put this in the other post too.

I've only put down 1 book and it was because I couldn't handle the content. I wish there was a warning label on it so I didn't have to spend the $10.

Oh, forgot to mention that aspect also -- I can be so bored by a book that I give up, so jarred by bad writing that I do so, or I can get into content I just don't want to deal with. Torture is a quick way to lose me.

View Poll Results: Do you finish reading every book you start reading?
Yes. I finish a book no matter what.	38	20.99%
No. I'll leave a book unfinished.	139	76.80%
Go away.	4	2.21%
Voters: 181. You may not vote on this poll

08-04-2010, 02:23 PM	#19
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,683 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The go away option ruins the poll. Last edited by JSWolf; 08-04-2010 at 02:28 PM.

08-04-2010, 02:50 PM	#23
BexBits Zealot Posts: 134 Karma: 184000 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Colorado Device: Nook classic, Nook Simple Touch, Nook HD	Not even close. The older I get the less I'm willing to waste time on something that doesn't hold my attention. OTOH, I'm never sure before I really start reading whether it is going to end up on the list of Books Worth Finishing. I probably finish, as in read every page, about 75% of the books I start. If I find myself wishing I were washing dishes instead of reading I just read the end to see how the author wrapped up the plot and then move on to the next book. (I should say that almost every book gets at least the first couple of chapters read before I decide to abandon it or not. The exceptions would be where I picked it up without realizing it was written in the dreaded present tense or is in a genre I really don't like, such as horror.) Last edited by BexBits; 08-04-2010 at 02:52 PM.

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08-04-2010, 01:24 PM	#16
GhostHawk Data Privateer! Posts: 586 Karma: 62887 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Fargo ND Device: Ectaco Jetbook& Jetbook Lite	Wrong options! However in my case its over 90% that I finish and probably over 95%. However in some cases I start something, but am just not in the mood for at at the time. So put it away, grab something else, but usually at some point I'll come back to it.

08-04-2010, 02:16 PM	#17
Sydney's Mom Wizard Posts: 2,899 Karma: 6995721 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Idaho, on the side of a mountain Device: Kindle Oasis, Fire 3d Gen and 5th Gen and Samsung Tab S	If I make it through the first chapter, I will finish it. I have had too many books redeem themselves at the end to quit.

08-04-2010, 02:36 PM	#20
Maggie Leung Wizard Posts: 1,449 Karma: 58383 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Kindle, iPad	I can't think of a nonfiction book I've ditched. I might speed read one if it's so-so. With fiction, I will ditch over poor quality. When I mention quality, it's not just about bad writing. If I am not engaged by the characters, I will quit. I don't hafta like the characters, but if I don't care whether they live or die, or what they do, I'm moving on.

08-04-2010, 02:37 PM	#21
GA Russell Sask, Wpg undefeated Posts: 7,689 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	I have on my jetBook Lite a number of books I have started and deserted. I haven't made up my mind not to finish them. I've just got better books to read first.

08-04-2010, 02:49 PM	#22
queentess Reading is sexy Posts: 1,303 Karma: 544517 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: none	I generally give books "the Stephen King 100". That is, if I'm still uninterested after 100 pages I usually ditch it or start skimming. I used to read everything, plodding my way through no matter what, otherwise I'd feel... unfinished. But I've become a lot more likely to leave a book since I got my ereader. I suppose because it's so much easier to just click a button and move on the to the next book?? I don't even have to get up! Came about because my friends and I used to read a lot of King, and if someone said "I just don't know if I'm going to like this one" we'd encourage them to read at least 100 pages, because that's usually when his bloated books would pick up pace.

08-04-2010, 03:08 PM	#24
Sydney's Mom Wizard Posts: 2,899 Karma: 6995721 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Idaho, on the side of a mountain Device: Kindle Oasis, Fire 3d Gen and 5th Gen and Samsung Tab S	There have been too many books I wouldn't have finished if I hadn't forced myself. Harry Potter is a good example (I'm not saying that is great literature, but I enjoyed it). Someone lent it to me, and I read about the first 50 pages, and yelled at her for lending me a book about child abuse. It was, but it got better.

08-04-2010, 03:11 PM	#25
Druid_Elf Zealot Posts: 109 Karma: 612 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: belgium Device: none	There is about a 1% percentage of books I do not finish. Usually after the first 50 pages I've made up my mind to stop reading it or not

08-04-2010, 03:13 PM	#26
sakura-panda Guru Posts: 934 Karma: 9558874 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Southeast Michigan, USA Device: Kindle Oasis; 11" iPad Pro (Books, Kindle, Kobo, MapleRead SE)	There's two of these? I finish every book -- in many cases I've been surprised because I end up liking the book or I'm glad that I've gotten it behind me and I don't have read it again. On the other hand, I don't jump into my books blindly and I usually won't even bother to start a book that I think won't be interesting or entertaining to me.

08-04-2010, 03:28 PM	#27
HistoryWes Teacher/Novelist Posts: 632 Karma: 2274466 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Nevada Device: Nook STR, iPad	No. I've put down a few books. Usually I know if I don't like it within a few pages, though a few I've gotten well into before putting it down. A couple of books I read halfway and then just forgot I was reading them. Damn, I'm getting old!

08-04-2010, 05:01 PM	#28
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)	This seems to be the day for dupilcate polls so here's my duplicate response. I normally finish 99 44/100% of the books I read but about every fith blue moon I'll get ahold of a turkey so bad I'll chuck it about halfway through. The last one I gave up on was a Michael Crichton book two or three years ago. Normally, I love his stuff but in the one on his travels, he got so full of himself, about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way in, I just couldn't stomach it anymore.

08-04-2010, 05:58 PM	#29
Pookeysgirl Wizard Posts: 1,705 Karma: 12696746 Join Date: May 2010 Device: K3, Kobo Mini	I put this in the other post too. I've only put down 1 book and it was because I couldn't handle the content. I wish there was a warning label on it so I didn't have to spend the $10.