Anthologies

[piperclassique]

Faced with several books or short stories, how do you proceed?

[HarryT]

1. Open the book.
2. Read the page.
3. Turn to the next page.
4. If not end of book, return to step 2.
5. Close the book.

Is that what you meant?

[piperclassique]

That would be option one, then, Harry

[HarryT]

Sorry - the poll wasn't there at the time I answered. Yes, I read everything .

[meeera]

It depends. If I bought the book specifically because of one story I was really hankering to read, I'd probably read that first. The rest of the time, I read from the start, but if I'm a fair way into a long story/novelette and am still not feeling it, I'll skip to the next story.

[pdurrant]

I will almost always skip any introduction. They're good to read at the end, but I like my comparisons and analysis after reading the stories under discussion, not before.

Similarly, introductions to classic novels should, IMO, always be skipped by anyone who has not read the book before. But that's perhaps a topic for another thread.

[latepaul]

If it's an anthology of stories and I've no particular reason not to, I'll probably read beginning to end. If it's a book anthology then I'll read any series it contains in order, but I'll read others as and when I feel so moved, and some probably never. I have a few "complete works" anthologies like that.

[DrNefario]

I never feel I have to read them all in one go - I'll probably read a story here and there between other books, or when I'm sitting in a waiting room, or whatever - but I do tend to read them in order.

[kennyc]

Since I read as many anthologies, both fiction and non-fiction as (or probably more than) anything else....

I generally read linearly straight through but there are exceptions. If I am made aware of a particular story I my skip ahead or read it first....

I will generally read the introductions unless they get tedious (think Gardner Dozios and the Annual Best SF anthology) or if they reveal spoilers.

One thing I do enjoy as well that some anthologies include is the 'authors take/comments on their stories.'

One of the most fun anthologies I've read is "You've Got to Read This" which is a group of writers introducing their favorite short stories.

[Catlady]

If it's a single-author collection, I'll start at the beginning and read everything, including the frontmatter. If it's a multi-author collection, I've usually picked it up for a specific author/story, so I'll go right to that one; after that I'll go back to the beginning.

[ucfgrad93]

I start at the beginning and read everything.

[spellbanisher]

I skip around. Usually, i'll read something from the anthology, move to other stuff for awhile, then read another work from the anthology, and so on. I don't think i've ever finished an anthology. If the anthology has short stories and novels, i'll alternate. For instance, with the Sherlock Holmes anthology i've read three of the novels and about half of the short stories, and it has been months since i have read anything in it. Sometimes i read the introductory and expository stuff, sometimes i don't. But usually i'll read introductory stuff if it is background information on the author.

[kennyc]

So in this same vein I'd like to ask if you discriminate the terms 'Anthology' and 'Collection'

To me a Anthology is necessarily composed of many different authors whereas a book of stories by a single author is a Collection.

[piperclassique]

Yes I agree on that.I was asking specifically about anthologies. Maybe another thread to discuss collections could be a good idea.

[speakingtohe]

I start at the beginning and depending on the anthology I will finish it straight through or read a story or two and put it aside. Some anthologies I find every story great. Others I don't find much I even like, but generally I will finish them eventually as you never know what you will find.

Helen