What book have you tried to read many times but could not finish?

Nate0072 · 02-27-2009, 02:23 PM

Just a question.

Over my reading life there have been a few books that I've started but have never finished. Tried reading again, and again never finished. Either because I couldn't get into them or just lost interest.

Here are three of them:

- We were soldiers once
- The Stand
- The Art of War

What about you?

Sweetpea · 02-27-2009, 02:32 PM

I can only remember one book I tried and never read, and that was Gone with the Wind.

I tried Shogun several times before I finally finished it, and now I would finish it in one sitting if I could...

Oh wait, I never finished Gai Jin, so I bought it with my last credit on audible. And I'll read it once I've finished the audiobook, I think...

Sparrow · 02-27-2009, 02:33 PM

'Titus Groan' by Mervyn Peake - the first of the Gormenghast trilogy.

I doubt I still have the stamina to make another assault on it - might just climb the Matterhorn instead.

The BBC & WGBH did make a good TV series of it though.

ShortNCuddlyAm · 02-27-2009, 02:34 PM

I think I've now finished just about every book I've started - if I haven't, I don't remember what they are!

However, not all that long ago Lord of The Rings was on that list - finally forced myself to finish it about 5 years ago.

Edited to add:
I once heard a book critic say as if it was fact that people who claimed to enjoy Thomas Pynchon's books had never actually finished reading one. I can safely say that is not true.

DixieGal · 02-27-2009, 02:34 PM

Gosh, there's been so many! Just in the past year since I first got my EBW1150 and now on my Sony 505, the number of discards has risen dramatically. I'd estimate 25% have been deleted. I no longer feel like a weasel if I don't like a book that I've started reading.

Nate the great · 02-27-2009, 02:39 PM

I couldn't even finish the first part of Lord of the Rings.

JSWolf · 02-27-2009, 02:41 PM

Any book that I've decided to out down because I did not like it, I've never gone back and finished it. Also, I don't go back and try to read it. I just have too many I do want to read.

Strether · 02-27-2009, 02:44 PM

Tristram Shandy by Sterne. I've given up.

Jim

Greg Anos · 02-27-2009, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I couldn't even finish the first part of Lord of the Rings.

The only way I made it through the first time was to read the third book first, then went back to the second book, and then finally the first book.

Moejoe · 02-27-2009, 03:08 PM

Don Quixote was a major stumbling block for me over the years. I tried, and failed to read the book on at least ten occassions until one summer when I found myself in Germany with only that book in my possession. I read it cover to cover and now every summer I break that novel out along with Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine and re-read them. This year (fingers crossed) I'll be reading Quixtoe for the first time in a digital format.

LazyScot · 02-27-2009, 03:09 PM

The Island of the Day Before, which is strange since I read and enjoyed three other Umberto Eco books...

stoogeswoman · 02-27-2009, 03:25 PM

Wicked by Gregory Maguire. I've gotten about 1/3rd of the way through it, then gave up because I couldn't keep track of the characters. I know it's supposed to be good, though, so I'm going to keep trying!

Wetdogeared · 02-27-2009, 04:35 PM

I can honestly say that I've finished every book I've started, even if I hated it in the end.

Usually though, after I suffer through the first 100 pages, I catch the rhythm/cadence and vocabulary the author (i.e. Thomas Ruggles Pynchon, Jr.) is using and start to enjoy what I'm reading, but not always. I'll suffer through it because I'm frugal or stubborn.

I can also honestly say that I would not read any books that I had no interest in, or appeared beyond my scope of understanding in the first place.

WDE.

** Correction **

There was one book that I didn't finish. My sister visited me about 10 or more years ago and had a Rocket eBook reader. She let me use it for a few days and I got half way through a book before she left. Can't even remember what book it was. I liked it, but probably was too cheap to go out and buy a book that I had already read half of.

Ned · 02-27-2009, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strether

Tristram Shandy by Sterne. I've given up.

Jim

Funnily enough, Tristram Shandy (along with Ulysses of course) has also defeated me twice, so I'm not going to bother trying it again.
I couldn't pin down what it was either that made it so boring as it's supposed to be very witty.

And I wonder, has any of the francophones here finished Proust :-)
I did it as a special subject in my degree but never actually read it all. :-(

Timoleon · 02-27-2009, 05:05 PM

The Stand by Stephen King. I got 400 pages into it, and I just couldn't go on. Also, the last couple of books from The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan were non-finishers for me. Maybe I'm in the minority, but I've also had a hell of a time getting through any of Dan Brown's books...

02-27-2009, 02:23 PM	#1
Nate0072 Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 282 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brussels, Belgium Device: Sony Reader 505 (Silver)	What book have you tried to read many times but could not finish? Just a question. Over my reading life there have been a few books that I've started but have never finished. Tried reading again, and again never finished. Either because I couldn't get into them or just lost interest. Here are three of them: - We were soldiers once - The Stand - The Art of War What about you? Last edited by Nate0072; 02-27-2009 at 02:25 PM. Reason: Wrong tense used in sentence

02-27-2009, 02:41 PM	#7
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 78,985 Karma: 144284074 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Any book that I've decided to out down because I did not like it, I've never gone back and finished it. Also, I don't go back and try to read it. I just have too many I do want to read. Last edited by JSWolf; 02-27-2009 at 02:50 PM.

02-27-2009, 04:35 PM	#13
Wetdogeared Storm Surge'n Posts: 5,780 Karma: 8213195 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Polar Vortex Device: S0ny PRS-300/350/505/700/T1	I can honestly say that I've finished every book I've started, even if I hated it in the end. Usually though, after I suffer through the first 100 pages, I catch the rhythm/cadence and vocabulary the author (i.e. Thomas Ruggles Pynchon, Jr.) is using and start to enjoy what I'm reading, but not always. I'll suffer through it because I'm frugal or stubborn. I can also honestly say that I would not read any books that I had no interest in, or appeared beyond my scope of understanding in the first place. WDE. Correction There was one book that I didn't finish. My sister visited me about 10 or more years ago and had a Rocket eBook reader. She let me use it for a few days and I got half way through a book before she left. Can't even remember what book it was. I liked it, but probably was too cheap to go out and buy a book that I had already read half of. Last edited by Wetdogeared; 02-28-2009 at 11:29 AM.

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02-27-2009, 02:32 PM	#2
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	I can only remember one book I tried and never read, and that was Gone with the Wind. I tried Shogun several times before I finally finished it, and now I would finish it in one sitting if I could... Oh wait, I never finished Gai Jin, so I bought it with my last credit on audible. And I'll read it once I've finished the audiobook, I think...

02-27-2009, 02:33 PM	#3
Sparrow Wizard Posts: 4,395 Karma: 1358132 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3	'Titus Groan' by Mervyn Peake - the first of the Gormenghast trilogy. I doubt I still have the stamina to make another assault on it - might just climb the Matterhorn instead. The BBC & WGBH did make a good TV series of it though.

02-27-2009, 02:34 PM	#4
ShortNCuddlyAm WWHALD Posts: 7,879 Karma: 337114 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mitcham, Surrey, UK Device: iPad. Selling my silver 505 here	I think I've now finished just about every book I've started - if I haven't, I don't remember what they are! However, not all that long ago Lord of The Rings was on that list - finally forced myself to finish it about 5 years ago. Edited to add: I once heard a book critic say as if it was fact that people who claimed to enjoy Thomas Pynchon's books had never actually finished reading one. I can safely say that is not true.

02-27-2009, 02:34 PM	#5
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	Gosh, there's been so many! Just in the past year since I first got my EBW1150 and now on my Sony 505, the number of discards has risen dramatically. I'd estimate 25% have been deleted. I no longer feel like a weasel if I don't like a book that I've started reading.

02-27-2009, 02:39 PM	#6
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	I couldn't even finish the first part of Lord of the Rings.

02-27-2009, 02:44 PM	#8
Strether Guru Posts: 765 Karma: 2825929 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fresno Device: Kindle 1; iPad Air; iPhone 7; Kobo Libra; Kindle Oasis 3	Tristram Shandy by Sterne. I've given up. Jim

02-27-2009, 03:08 PM	#10
Moejoe Banned Posts: 5,100 Karma: 72193 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South of the Border Device: Coffin	Don Quixote was a major stumbling block for me over the years. I tried, and failed to read the book on at least ten occassions until one summer when I found myself in Germany with only that book in my possession. I read it cover to cover and now every summer I break that novel out along with Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine and re-read them. This year (fingers crossed) I'll be reading Quixtoe for the first time in a digital format.

02-27-2009, 03:09 PM	#11
LazyScot DSil Posts: 3,201 Karma: 6895096 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Hants, UK Device: Kindle, Cybook	The Island of the Day Before, which is strange since I read and enjoyed three other Umberto Eco books...

02-27-2009, 03:25 PM	#12
stoogeswoman Zealot Posts: 149 Karma: 492 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Reseda, CA Device: eBookwise 1150 and Kindle 1	Wicked by Gregory Maguire. I've gotten about 1/3rd of the way through it, then gave up because I couldn't keep track of the characters. I know it's supposed to be good, though, so I'm going to keep trying!

02-27-2009, 05:05 PM	#15
Timoleon Time Enough at Last Posts: 387 Karma: 1151316 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: New England Device: iPad 3, iPhone 5, Kindle 3, Fire, Sony PRS-350	The Stand by Stephen King. I got 400 pages into it, and I just couldn't go on. Also, the last couple of books from The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan were non-finishers for me. Maybe I'm in the minority, but I've also had a hell of a time getting through any of Dan Brown's books...

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