Whenever I buy a book, I hope I’ll enjoy it. But if every book worked for every reader, there would be no thrill of discovery and no possibility of personal connection to a novel or an author. That means, inevitably, we will encounter books that don’t speak to us. When that happens, what should we do? Should we plow through to the end? Or should we:
Because I try to share all the books I’m reading, I tend to push through regardless of whether I’m enjoying a book or not. In fact, I can think of only a handful of times when I’ve DNF’d (short for Did Not Finish) a book in the nine years I’ve been writing this newsletter. But what about you? Do you finish every book you’re reading? If not, how far do you go before you DNF?
ugh i am so bad at this. I *try* to finish every book— and usually i’ll push myself to grind through even if I hate it. Why i’m not sure— i think i feel like i’ve committed that much time to something I might as well see it through. I DNF 1-2 titles annually, and I have to REALLY hate them to bail.
This is not quite the same thing, but I’m a mood reader, and at the very least I’ve gotten better at reading the first 5 pages or so of something and seeing if it’s the right book for me at that moment. If it’s not, i’ll put it down and come back to it later. This practice at least has been helpful for finding the right read for me!
Thanks, EJ! I feel the same way--about committing to something and wanting to see it through. That's why I try to push through to the end. I also want to respect the time and the effort the author put in to creating the book, so I try to give each book a full and fair shake. So it really has to be a total disconnect for me to bail out on a book. I like your point about being a mood reader. Some books definitely require us to be in the right headspace for us to fully appreciate them, so I like the idea of getting a taste and then putting it aside for later if it doesn't feel right for that moment.
Nope. My latest DNF right now is Emma by Jane Austen and I DNFed it 3/4 of the way lol but I was already struggling 1/2 throughout the book and I was just trying really hard to finish it.
Thanks, Jam! My most recent DNF went this way. I tried really hard to get through it, and got more than halfway through, but it was such a slog I couldn't get all the way to the end. I was thinking, what am I going to say about this book that I'm clearly not enjoying once I get through to the end. Is anyone going to want to read a review of me saying that I struggled and struggled and it didn't work for me? Better to bail and start something new, I figured.
Maybe a decade ago, I finally gave myself permission to DNF. I’d do it before then but would beat myself up about it. Sometimes I’ll come back to it — 20 years ago I DNFed East of Eden by Steinbeck and I picked it up again about a month ago. We’re moving through this time. I generally will try something again later, to see if maybe it just wasn’t the right time before, but if #2 doesn’t work, we won’t try a third time.
Thanks, Tana! I beat myself up about DNFs too. But I like the idea of returning to a book a second time. I'm going to try that this summer with a book I DNF'd last summer. I really want to get through it this time and I'm hoping I'll have a better experience. And if the second time isn't the charm, you're right. There shouldn't be a third.
I used to always push through but now that I’m certainly more than half way through my life, I feel that time is more precious and there are So Many Books I want to read! So I give it 60pp or 50%, whichever is smaller, and if I can’t get on with it, I stop. There are some books that are in the category of ‘not not-ever, just not-now’ which I just reshelve for another year. Sometimes one is just not in the right mood/place for a given book. This thread is pretty pertinent today in fact, as I’m currently not enjoying Mary Webb’s “Precious Bane”—I should have read it in my teens I think—but will give it a bit longer before I think of giving up…
Thanks, Elizabeth! As another halfway through life person, I also consider how much time I am devoting to books that aren't working for me. There are indeed so many books out there to read, and we'll never get to all of them. Relatedly, I feel similarly to books I am enjoying that drag on for too long. Several books recently have had me wishing the author would wrap it up!
I only allowed myself to give up on a book over the past few years. Decided life is way too short and now when I encounter something like that, I immediately give the book away. I don’t even want that energy around me! Be gone, DNF book!
Thank you, my friend! I also try to get rid of books that I either have DNF'd or nearly DNF'd because I agree, you don't want that energy around. I have a small pile right now of books that are destined to go to the free table down in the laundry room or out to one of the free libraries in the neighborhood. Time is short, and so is space! So I think we have established a partner concept to DNF--DNK: Did Not Keep!
I have books, too many, that I’ve started but have not finished. Not because I don’t want to, but because they tackle difficult subject matters, and I need to be in the right headspace to read through them. I will pick them up again. However, there are just two books that I’ve purposely DNF’d. One fiction, one a memoir. The fiction work I tried to read twice. The second time I made it more than halfway and just stopped. I, too, finally allowed myself to say no, there are too many other stories out there I’d rather be immersed in.
Thanks, Donna! I think you've hit it on the head: Allowing oneself to say no to something. Maybe it's generational, that we were conditioned to endure and finish things. Like clearing one's plate, or sitting quietly through an adult dinner even if no one is speaking to us. I'm seeing through this thread that there is a level of guilt attached to DNFing. So perhaps we should think less about it as giving up or being unfaithful to the author, and more about giving ourselves more space and grace to choose how we spend our time. And to be OK with it. I keep thinking about that Alanis Morrisette lyric: "How 'bout not equating death with stopping."
It varies….especially because I read for both pleasure and research, and for the latter, sometimes I get what I need (or realize I won’t get what I need) within a chapter or two. But most of the time, when I DNF pleasure reada, it’s within a few pages, because I just know it won’t work for me. I don’t like the style, or the tone rubs me the wrong way, or they’re just not very good at the basics, lol. The last time I DNF’ed something was an audiobook with an odd but appealing premise, and just within the first chapter, I could tell they weren’t going to pull it off. They were doing amateur things, hadn’t really thought through the moral or aesthetic implications of the premise so that it became more of a gimmick, etc. Hard to describe, but there it is!
Fascinating. So having written books, would you say that becomes increasingly difficult, or impossible, to separate another's technique from enjoying their work? Does it make it harder to suspend disbelief, etc?
Not impossible! It's another kind of pleasure to see how an author puts their book together. For example, I'm re-reading Timeline by Michael Crichton right now for research, and it feels rushed and half-baked in many places...which I could sense when I read it when I was twenty, but now I can see it more clearly. And there are parts that blew me away then that just don't, now; but that's its own valuable information, if that makes sense. On the other hand, I also appreciate the flashes of brilliance even more--the way he describes what it looks like to watch someone time travel is just so freaking cool. So, not impossible. And even when I was younger, I had no patience for certain things, e.g. pseudo-poetic language that masked that the author didn't actually have anything to say. Lol. Some things never change.
Hi I’m new here nice to meet you all. I almost never DNF books — I just hate leaving things unfinished. Seeing a bookmark stuck halfway drives me crazy. That’s actually one reason why, when I decide to start reading something, I usually just dive right in, no matter how long it is. I know myself well enough to be pretty sure that once I start, I’ll finish it. There’ve been a few exceptions, though — like, it has to be really bad for me to give up. And when that happens, I just hide the book so I don’t have to see it. But some of my friends are like, ‘Life’s too short just read for fun. If it’s not working, drop it.’ I kinda wish I could be like that too, but I’m not there yet. 🤣
Welcome, Kanissorn! I hear you about not wanting to leave things unfinished, but there is also something to be said for letting go. In the end, though, you should do whatever you feel comfortable doing. There is no wrong answer!
I used to be a “finish no matter what” reader, but, as others have mentioned, life is short and there are too many books I want to read to spend time on things I don’t want to read. I also have “mood reading” tendencies, so sometimes I’ll come back to something later. I don’t have any rules about how far into a book I have to be before I abandon of postpone. Every book is different (and every day I’m different) so rules seem arbitrary to me. I will also add that I’ve abandoned books that are very well written and reviewed. My decision not to finish isn’t a commentary on the quality of the book, it’s just a reflection of my taste or mood. Happy reading everyone!
Thanks, Karla! I think you're spot on. I love the idea that every book is different and every day we are different. It comes down to alignment: is the book coming to you at the right moment, and who's to say when that will be. We should be open to new books and experiences, and also open to the fact that not every book will work, and that not every book is right for us in the exact moment we're reading it. Cheers!
I will push myself to finish books written by female writers - yes guilty of supporting women in every possible way - especially contemporary writers. I pushed myself to read Greek tragedies with the help of a wonderful book club leader and Shakespeare is something to read with help but quite often I give up,ie. Moby Dick. Feel a bit guilty about that but I will survive after all.
Thanks, Sylvia! This is great. I think you're right that we should push ourselves for the right reasons, and also that if we move on to something else, the pang of guilt is temporary, and that we will survive and be fine.
No. Life is too short. I am not in school anymore and read in retirement for pleasure. Just put aside the book for one of the book clubs I participate in. I can go and enjoy the chat and listen to what others have to say. It's important to surround yourself with nonjudgmental readers.
Thanks, mp! I completely agree that there is too much emphasis today on judgement and that often people confuse the idea that a book might not be right for them with the book is bad. I don't have patience for the argument I head sometimes from people who say because they didn't like a book that means you shouldn't like it and if you do you're somehow stupid. There's just too much negativity in the world already, and all this does is perpetuate it. No thanks.
big NOPE to finishing every book. i used to try when i was younger, but i don't have enough time left on this planet to finish every book i pick up LOL.
i'm a librarian which is great but also sucks as in i see ALL the awesome new books every day at work. and i want to read them ALL. FIC and NONFIC.
that's not even counting the zines and magazines in my to-read list.
so i give a book a few chapters and if i'm not feeling it, out it goes.
that doesn't mean i won't pick it up again down the road, but my road is getting shorter every day so i need to be ruthless with my reading. :)
Thanks, Steph! I can see how working at the library would be amazing and overwhelming! I didn't even think of magazines! I have a stack of NYRB and Bookforums that I let build up to a certain height and then I spend part of a weekend going through them and recycling them. There's so much to read and so little time!
Ha! I love this. I used to do something similar when I was on Goodreads, because once you selected a book it was like you were committed to it forever. If I was still there, it would show me as still reading "Labyrinths" by Borges even though I set it aside long ago. I hope to pick it back up before the year. is out. We'll see!
I like story graph cause it lets you pause books but seriously! I also like most books and like other people who commented most the time when sometimes not clicking it's not the books fault it's timing!
I usually do. I feel that if I put my time into the book, I should finish it. One exception (that I can remember) is War and Peace. I tried twice and got halfway through each time. Ughh. Gave up on that one.
I started DNFing a while ago. No guilt! Not every book is for everybody. I was up in Vermont this weekend at an annual readers’ weekend sponsored by Northshire Bookstore. An author we met expressed the same sentiment. Coming home, I was listed to the NYT Book Review podcast with Stephen Soderbergh (a huge reader as well as director, etc). He said, paraphrasing,all you owe an author is buying their book. As long as you didn’t steal it you fulfilled your side of the bargain. You purchased there art which is their goal. Made me feel better about unfinished books.
Thanks, Kate! Hope you had a fun weekend in Vermont. Soderbergh raises an interesting point. And it shows how books are different from other forms of art. If, say, I want to buy a painting, I can see the painting before I buy it and then I already know if I'm going to like it prior to the transaction. Buying a book, then, is a wager. You're placing a bet that you may like it. Hmm. But I have a hard time accepting that the only interaction between artist and viewer is a financial transaction. Is there truly nothing beyond that?
I think there is more to it. But I saw Julia Alvarez this afternoon and she said her goal is for the reader to love and interact with her book, rather than the writer. Not every writer is social. She said she leans more to the Emily Dickinson side of things. So I think once I have bought the book, I owe the author an honest effort to read. But sometimes we pick wrong. So going with Soderbergh’s idea, don’t beat yourself up if it is not the book for you. But also don’t slam the author on social media just because the book is not for you.
I have this problem. Always want to finish a book. I hate to DNF. That's why I research a lot before buying one. Read reviews, ask same minded friends who have already read it. And then buy it. So yes, I have finished all the books that I have started. But some instances happened when I have to go through without liking it too much.
Like many people here, I've started to give myself permission to DNF if a book really isn't working for me — if I feel I'm going to gain something from it, I might persevere very slowly while starting another book or two ... or do the occasional skim read. If I'm not in the right head space, I consider trying the book again at another point in the future. But if I really can't get into a book, especially if it's due to what I may consider bad writing or a plot that makes no sense, I no longer force myself to finish it. Life is too short and when I have other media I want to consume like movies and TV shows too, I'd rather prioritize something I'm really enjoying (or something that can at least keep me moderately entertained if I just need something to keep me occupied in a waiting room, on a train, etc).
Well said, my friend! I definitely think it's worth persevering if, as you said, you feel you're getting something out of it. Like just because something is a challenge doesn't mean we should just give it up--it's good to allow ourselves to be unsettled and pushed beyond our comfort zone. But as you also mention, since there is so much more stuff out there competing for our attention that may be more interesting, beneficial, etc., sometimes you just gotta cut bait and move on.
I read to the end of everything. I feel like ,maybe it'll get better, and even its it doesn't, hate-reading something can also be fun. That said, there are many novels I've finished that I wish I'd quit on page 1. Looking at you, Umberto Eco's Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana...
Thanks, Justin! You've touched on one of my great anxieties about DNF'ing: what if the good stuff has yet to come in a book, and what if that stuff redeems the whole book and/or makes the boring part take on new meaning? It's almost like FOMO.
Thanks for sharing! 100 pages feels like a good place to assess whether to DNF a book. It's far enough in that you'd have a good sense for how the book is going to go and whether it will work.
I definitely don't finish every book. I used to force myself to finish them, but then I realized that typically around the time I wished I'd dropped the book was when I'd received what I was going to get out of the book anyway. So the rest was a waste of time. Plus, I don't like to do things that feel out of alignment for me/what my gut says. Spent many years doing that and, again, not very much fruit :)
Thanks, Ellie! It's remarkable how many readers have been through a similar experience: forcing themselves for whatever reason to push through a book that's not working for them and then one day realizing that they don't need to. And that they are happier when they stop. Managing one's attention, and allowing oneself the space and grace to not do something, is so vital.
No. I have started but not finished at least three books already this year. It does not mean I will never finish. But I’ve moved on for now. This happens most often when I am reading multiple books at once— really shows me which I’m actually into.
ugh i am so bad at this. I *try* to finish every book— and usually i’ll push myself to grind through even if I hate it. Why i’m not sure— i think i feel like i’ve committed that much time to something I might as well see it through. I DNF 1-2 titles annually, and I have to REALLY hate them to bail.
This is not quite the same thing, but I’m a mood reader, and at the very least I’ve gotten better at reading the first 5 pages or so of something and seeing if it’s the right book for me at that moment. If it’s not, i’ll put it down and come back to it later. This practice at least has been helpful for finding the right read for me!
Thanks, EJ! I feel the same way--about committing to something and wanting to see it through. That's why I try to push through to the end. I also want to respect the time and the effort the author put in to creating the book, so I try to give each book a full and fair shake. So it really has to be a total disconnect for me to bail out on a book. I like your point about being a mood reader. Some books definitely require us to be in the right headspace for us to fully appreciate them, so I like the idea of getting a taste and then putting it aside for later if it doesn't feel right for that moment.
Nope. My latest DNF right now is Emma by Jane Austen and I DNFed it 3/4 of the way lol but I was already struggling 1/2 throughout the book and I was just trying really hard to finish it.
Thanks, Jam! My most recent DNF went this way. I tried really hard to get through it, and got more than halfway through, but it was such a slog I couldn't get all the way to the end. I was thinking, what am I going to say about this book that I'm clearly not enjoying once I get through to the end. Is anyone going to want to read a review of me saying that I struggled and struggled and it didn't work for me? Better to bail and start something new, I figured.
agree!! I’m just going to rant in my review for sure and that’s unfair for the book.
Maybe a decade ago, I finally gave myself permission to DNF. I’d do it before then but would beat myself up about it. Sometimes I’ll come back to it — 20 years ago I DNFed East of Eden by Steinbeck and I picked it up again about a month ago. We’re moving through this time. I generally will try something again later, to see if maybe it just wasn’t the right time before, but if #2 doesn’t work, we won’t try a third time.
Thanks, Tana! I beat myself up about DNFs too. But I like the idea of returning to a book a second time. I'm going to try that this summer with a book I DNF'd last summer. I really want to get through it this time and I'm hoping I'll have a better experience. And if the second time isn't the charm, you're right. There shouldn't be a third.
I used to always push through but now that I’m certainly more than half way through my life, I feel that time is more precious and there are So Many Books I want to read! So I give it 60pp or 50%, whichever is smaller, and if I can’t get on with it, I stop. There are some books that are in the category of ‘not not-ever, just not-now’ which I just reshelve for another year. Sometimes one is just not in the right mood/place for a given book. This thread is pretty pertinent today in fact, as I’m currently not enjoying Mary Webb’s “Precious Bane”—I should have read it in my teens I think—but will give it a bit longer before I think of giving up…
Thanks, Elizabeth! As another halfway through life person, I also consider how much time I am devoting to books that aren't working for me. There are indeed so many books out there to read, and we'll never get to all of them. Relatedly, I feel similarly to books I am enjoying that drag on for too long. Several books recently have had me wishing the author would wrap it up!
I only allowed myself to give up on a book over the past few years. Decided life is way too short and now when I encounter something like that, I immediately give the book away. I don’t even want that energy around me! Be gone, DNF book!
Thank you, my friend! I also try to get rid of books that I either have DNF'd or nearly DNF'd because I agree, you don't want that energy around. I have a small pile right now of books that are destined to go to the free table down in the laundry room or out to one of the free libraries in the neighborhood. Time is short, and so is space! So I think we have established a partner concept to DNF--DNK: Did Not Keep!
And its cousin, DNR!
R is for refrigerate.
I used to finish them all, even if it took forever, but within the last couple of years I got brave and started stopping. It’s liberating.
Thanks, Kristen! Yes! You're right, once you give yourself the permission to DNF, it feels so freeing!
I have books, too many, that I’ve started but have not finished. Not because I don’t want to, but because they tackle difficult subject matters, and I need to be in the right headspace to read through them. I will pick them up again. However, there are just two books that I’ve purposely DNF’d. One fiction, one a memoir. The fiction work I tried to read twice. The second time I made it more than halfway and just stopped. I, too, finally allowed myself to say no, there are too many other stories out there I’d rather be immersed in.
Thanks, Donna! I think you've hit it on the head: Allowing oneself to say no to something. Maybe it's generational, that we were conditioned to endure and finish things. Like clearing one's plate, or sitting quietly through an adult dinner even if no one is speaking to us. I'm seeing through this thread that there is a level of guilt attached to DNFing. So perhaps we should think less about it as giving up or being unfaithful to the author, and more about giving ourselves more space and grace to choose how we spend our time. And to be OK with it. I keep thinking about that Alanis Morrisette lyric: "How 'bout not equating death with stopping."
Definitely not. I only finish maybe 33-50% of the books I start. Life is short and I’m very picky. ☺️
Thanks, Monica! Wow! That is a thrilling rate of DNFs! What are your criteria for stopping? How far do you go before you change course?
It varies….especially because I read for both pleasure and research, and for the latter, sometimes I get what I need (or realize I won’t get what I need) within a chapter or two. But most of the time, when I DNF pleasure reada, it’s within a few pages, because I just know it won’t work for me. I don’t like the style, or the tone rubs me the wrong way, or they’re just not very good at the basics, lol. The last time I DNF’ed something was an audiobook with an odd but appealing premise, and just within the first chapter, I could tell they weren’t going to pull it off. They were doing amateur things, hadn’t really thought through the moral or aesthetic implications of the premise so that it became more of a gimmick, etc. Hard to describe, but there it is!
I think DNF’ing is an underrated form of self-care. ☺️
Ha! Yes!
Fascinating. So having written books, would you say that becomes increasingly difficult, or impossible, to separate another's technique from enjoying their work? Does it make it harder to suspend disbelief, etc?
Not impossible! It's another kind of pleasure to see how an author puts their book together. For example, I'm re-reading Timeline by Michael Crichton right now for research, and it feels rushed and half-baked in many places...which I could sense when I read it when I was twenty, but now I can see it more clearly. And there are parts that blew me away then that just don't, now; but that's its own valuable information, if that makes sense. On the other hand, I also appreciate the flashes of brilliance even more--the way he describes what it looks like to watch someone time travel is just so freaking cool. So, not impossible. And even when I was younger, I had no patience for certain things, e.g. pseudo-poetic language that masked that the author didn't actually have anything to say. Lol. Some things never change.
Hi I’m new here nice to meet you all. I almost never DNF books — I just hate leaving things unfinished. Seeing a bookmark stuck halfway drives me crazy. That’s actually one reason why, when I decide to start reading something, I usually just dive right in, no matter how long it is. I know myself well enough to be pretty sure that once I start, I’ll finish it. There’ve been a few exceptions, though — like, it has to be really bad for me to give up. And when that happens, I just hide the book so I don’t have to see it. But some of my friends are like, ‘Life’s too short just read for fun. If it’s not working, drop it.’ I kinda wish I could be like that too, but I’m not there yet. 🤣
Welcome, Kanissorn! I hear you about not wanting to leave things unfinished, but there is also something to be said for letting go. In the end, though, you should do whatever you feel comfortable doing. There is no wrong answer!
I used to be a “finish no matter what” reader, but, as others have mentioned, life is short and there are too many books I want to read to spend time on things I don’t want to read. I also have “mood reading” tendencies, so sometimes I’ll come back to something later. I don’t have any rules about how far into a book I have to be before I abandon of postpone. Every book is different (and every day I’m different) so rules seem arbitrary to me. I will also add that I’ve abandoned books that are very well written and reviewed. My decision not to finish isn’t a commentary on the quality of the book, it’s just a reflection of my taste or mood. Happy reading everyone!
Thanks, Karla! I think you're spot on. I love the idea that every book is different and every day we are different. It comes down to alignment: is the book coming to you at the right moment, and who's to say when that will be. We should be open to new books and experiences, and also open to the fact that not every book will work, and that not every book is right for us in the exact moment we're reading it. Cheers!
I will push myself to finish books written by female writers - yes guilty of supporting women in every possible way - especially contemporary writers. I pushed myself to read Greek tragedies with the help of a wonderful book club leader and Shakespeare is something to read with help but quite often I give up,ie. Moby Dick. Feel a bit guilty about that but I will survive after all.
Thanks, Sylvia! This is great. I think you're right that we should push ourselves for the right reasons, and also that if we move on to something else, the pang of guilt is temporary, and that we will survive and be fine.
No. Life is too short. I am not in school anymore and read in retirement for pleasure. Just put aside the book for one of the book clubs I participate in. I can go and enjoy the chat and listen to what others have to say. It's important to surround yourself with nonjudgmental readers.
Thanks, mp! I completely agree that there is too much emphasis today on judgement and that often people confuse the idea that a book might not be right for them with the book is bad. I don't have patience for the argument I head sometimes from people who say because they didn't like a book that means you shouldn't like it and if you do you're somehow stupid. There's just too much negativity in the world already, and all this does is perpetuate it. No thanks.
big NOPE to finishing every book. i used to try when i was younger, but i don't have enough time left on this planet to finish every book i pick up LOL.
i'm a librarian which is great but also sucks as in i see ALL the awesome new books every day at work. and i want to read them ALL. FIC and NONFIC.
that's not even counting the zines and magazines in my to-read list.
so i give a book a few chapters and if i'm not feeling it, out it goes.
that doesn't mean i won't pick it up again down the road, but my road is getting shorter every day so i need to be ruthless with my reading. :)
Thanks, Steph! I can see how working at the library would be amazing and overwhelming! I didn't even think of magazines! I have a stack of NYRB and Bookforums that I let build up to a certain height and then I spend part of a weekend going through them and recycling them. There's so much to read and so little time!
Time is precious. I DNF often but always keep my heart and mind open to revisiting a text later.
Thanks, Kris! I think that's the perfect way to do it.
I read multiple books at once and I rarely straight up DNF books but I do put them aside and sometimes will come back to them years later.
Ha! I love this. I used to do something similar when I was on Goodreads, because once you selected a book it was like you were committed to it forever. If I was still there, it would show me as still reading "Labyrinths" by Borges even though I set it aside long ago. I hope to pick it back up before the year. is out. We'll see!
I like story graph cause it lets you pause books but seriously! I also like most books and like other people who commented most the time when sometimes not clicking it's not the books fault it's timing!
I usually do. I feel that if I put my time into the book, I should finish it. One exception (that I can remember) is War and Peace. I tried twice and got halfway through each time. Ughh. Gave up on that one.
Thanks, Sandra! I admire your diligence, and I think War & Peace is a totally acceptable exception to the rule!
I started DNFing a while ago. No guilt! Not every book is for everybody. I was up in Vermont this weekend at an annual readers’ weekend sponsored by Northshire Bookstore. An author we met expressed the same sentiment. Coming home, I was listed to the NYT Book Review podcast with Stephen Soderbergh (a huge reader as well as director, etc). He said, paraphrasing,all you owe an author is buying their book. As long as you didn’t steal it you fulfilled your side of the bargain. You purchased there art which is their goal. Made me feel better about unfinished books.
Thanks, Kate! Hope you had a fun weekend in Vermont. Soderbergh raises an interesting point. And it shows how books are different from other forms of art. If, say, I want to buy a painting, I can see the painting before I buy it and then I already know if I'm going to like it prior to the transaction. Buying a book, then, is a wager. You're placing a bet that you may like it. Hmm. But I have a hard time accepting that the only interaction between artist and viewer is a financial transaction. Is there truly nothing beyond that?
I think there is more to it. But I saw Julia Alvarez this afternoon and she said her goal is for the reader to love and interact with her book, rather than the writer. Not every writer is social. She said she leans more to the Emily Dickinson side of things. So I think once I have bought the book, I owe the author an honest effort to read. But sometimes we pick wrong. So going with Soderbergh’s idea, don’t beat yourself up if it is not the book for you. But also don’t slam the author on social media just because the book is not for you.
Yes! This is spot on!
I have this problem. Always want to finish a book. I hate to DNF. That's why I research a lot before buying one. Read reviews, ask same minded friends who have already read it. And then buy it. So yes, I have finished all the books that I have started. But some instances happened when I have to go through without liking it too much.
Thanks! It definitely helps to do research before buying a book!
Like many people here, I've started to give myself permission to DNF if a book really isn't working for me — if I feel I'm going to gain something from it, I might persevere very slowly while starting another book or two ... or do the occasional skim read. If I'm not in the right head space, I consider trying the book again at another point in the future. But if I really can't get into a book, especially if it's due to what I may consider bad writing or a plot that makes no sense, I no longer force myself to finish it. Life is too short and when I have other media I want to consume like movies and TV shows too, I'd rather prioritize something I'm really enjoying (or something that can at least keep me moderately entertained if I just need something to keep me occupied in a waiting room, on a train, etc).
Well said, my friend! I definitely think it's worth persevering if, as you said, you feel you're getting something out of it. Like just because something is a challenge doesn't mean we should just give it up--it's good to allow ourselves to be unsettled and pushed beyond our comfort zone. But as you also mention, since there is so much more stuff out there competing for our attention that may be more interesting, beneficial, etc., sometimes you just gotta cut bait and move on.
I read to the end of everything. I feel like ,maybe it'll get better, and even its it doesn't, hate-reading something can also be fun. That said, there are many novels I've finished that I wish I'd quit on page 1. Looking at you, Umberto Eco's Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana...
Thanks, Justin! You've touched on one of my great anxieties about DNF'ing: what if the good stuff has yet to come in a book, and what if that stuff redeems the whole book and/or makes the boring part take on new meaning? It's almost like FOMO.
100%. If I gave up on the boring parts, I'd never have finished A Prayer for Owen Meany, one of my great favorites.
I never finish a boik if I don't like it. Why should I? DNF at max 100 p.
Thanks for sharing! 100 pages feels like a good place to assess whether to DNF a book. It's far enough in that you'd have a good sense for how the book is going to go and whether it will work.
I do not finish every book but instead quit and let it linger in my mind, torturing me that I never finished it. Best of both worlds!!! 😂
Ha! Oh nooooo!
I definitely don't finish every book. I used to force myself to finish them, but then I realized that typically around the time I wished I'd dropped the book was when I'd received what I was going to get out of the book anyway. So the rest was a waste of time. Plus, I don't like to do things that feel out of alignment for me/what my gut says. Spent many years doing that and, again, not very much fruit :)
Thanks, Ellie! It's remarkable how many readers have been through a similar experience: forcing themselves for whatever reason to push through a book that's not working for them and then one day realizing that they don't need to. And that they are happier when they stop. Managing one's attention, and allowing oneself the space and grace to not do something, is so vital.
Couldn’t agree more 😊
No. I have started but not finished at least three books already this year. It does not mean I will never finish. But I’ve moved on for now. This happens most often when I am reading multiple books at once— really shows me which I’m actually into.