This week's Booking Through Thursday question is: Is there a book that you wish you could “unread”? One that you disliked so thoroughly you wish you could just forget that you ever read it?I guess my short answer is: No.
Any book that I've ever finished has been worth something, even the ones that I graded as low as a D (I reserve "F" for books I can't finish). I learn something from them, even if it's a cautionary tale for my own writing.
In regard to books I don't finish: There have only been two books that I've started and have no intention of finishing--The Thin Red Line by James Jones and Escape by Carolyn Jessop. I put down TTRL because I was having trouble following the book--so many characters that it wasn't gelling well for me. I've since read some Tom Clancey and may go back some day (maybe not) and try to pick this one up again. I put down Escape because the writing was so bad; the story was engaging, but by the end of 190 pages I had the idea, and couldn't stomach any more of this one.
But, if I'm being honest, even those weren't a "waste" of my time. I wouldn't un-read them.
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12 comments:
I feel why waste time reading worthless books when we have so many other choices!
Booking through Unread
I agree - as they say "Life is too short to read bad books"!
I agree. I don't get much "reading time" so if I am trying to read something that I don't like, I put it down. I don't feel too bad about it, since I DID give it a try!
Thanks for visiting my blog! I agree, I try and give it 100 pages before I put it down. There's so many books out there though, there's no point wasting your time reading something that you are not enjoying! Happy BTT!
"Any book that I've ever finished has been worth something"
This is really true, and it's part of why I'm reluctant to put books down as quickly as other people seem to. If it's really just pure trash I probably haven't picked it up, and knowing what doesn't work or what went wrong is valuable too.
That's too bad you didn't like Escape. I have this one somewhere on my shelves...
Thx for visiting mine :)
Although I stopped reading books that I don't like...but all of those never really bother me as much as my answer on my blog...
I read Beloved for college. I absolutely loathed it. I'll get around to answering your comment on the review.
I haven't encountered something that is irredeemably bad. Books that I want to "unread" are ones written by authors whose previous reads I have enjoyed. Sometimes they just have a bad day I guess. I would like to defy time and start over again with another book.
I usually can always find something about the book I didn't know, or liked, but I'm also selective in the books I choose to read in the first place. I enjoyed reading your post. Happy BTT!
All the characters in The Thin Red Line confused me too. I did not like the movie.
I hate leaving a book unfinished, but then I usually already know a lot about a book before I buy it, so am rarely disappointed enough to want to stop.
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