Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

I used to MAKE myself read every book I started. This resulted in reading a lot of mediocre science fiction--and we all know there is a lot of that out there.

But, I hate to stop reading a book too soon. I can think of several books which statred slow, but picked up and became better later on.

I usually now try to give three chapters. If I do not like it by then, I am probably not going to. But, if the book get really high praise, then maybe I am just not ready for it at this time and I put it back on the TBR pile and try once more.

If I do don't like it by try #2, it's gone to the used bookstore for swap credit.

It takes some stupendously bad writing to make me consciously stop reading the book, but occasionally I will stop reading to go do something else (a very bad sign with a novel) and "forget" to come back to it.

We actually already have a thread going on this topic! Don't forget to look through old threads. :)

I am a fast reader so often will complete a book in one sitting. If the book takes longer ore I am interupted I will not return to the book if I was not engaged.

Maybe 1 in 10 books I start are put down and never picked back up. about 3 in ten take more than one sitting and 1 out of 50 take more than 4 sittings.

Yes I read swan song, the divince code and the stand in one very long sitting each.

I have skipped sleeping for a very good book from time to time.

I try to read a third of the book. If it hasn't grabbed me by then, I figure it never will.

It really depends. Within the first few pages, if its just TERRIBLE or there are too many fantasy elements (any mention of warlocks, wizards, mages, dragons, or elves, and Im done) then I will give it up before I invest too much time in it. Other than that, if by about the halfway point if its really not going anywhere then I will check online for reviews in the 1-3 range and see what complaints those readers have and go from there...

Usually about 100 to 200 pages. If I am not hooked by 150 pages forget it. Its not worth going on.
Alice

Hi Kevin, Very surprised you managed The Stand in one sitting!!!! That book took me at least two weeks and I was totally involved with it. I have read short little books over night as I have insomnia but never anything that long!

I was much younger when i read then a teen for the stand and early 20s for swan song. I picked it up early in the afternoon and read till mid morning the next day. just coul nto put them down as I said i am a fast reader. I read a standard page in a little less than a minute that 1000 pags in a little over 15 hours.

I once saw an article somewhere that posited that you should spend less time determining whether a book is good based on your age. Thus, a mid 40 year old like myself should spend no more than 100 pages but a younger person might want to give a book 1/3. While a 55+ old would only give a book 75 pages. Its just a calculation of what you may have time for.

Jeffrey,
That's certainly my experience. Did the article present any data or speculate about the reason for that behavior?

Actually, the article posited that older people should spend less time b/c they have less time to live. Basically, when you are younger you may want to give a book more time to see where its going b/c you have a lot of time to read books in the future. However, when you are older, you cannot waste your time on bad books or ones that don't capture your interest. I would say that even now it takes me a long time to decide not to read a book as I read very fast, but slow developing stories are a big pain especially with big fantasy books or multiple book series.

I give books "The Stephen King 100" -- back when I found King interesting, I'd make sure I'd give any of his books at least 100 pages before I put it down. His books always start slow. I extend the same courtesy to other authors unless the writing is so dreadful that I just can't tolerate it.

WOW...that makes me feel like the clock is REALLY ticking!! So now I have to give less time to a bad book as it may be the last I read...great, one other thing to add to the too old for file! :-)

I didn't know that deciding when to give up on a book was a way to predict your lifespan.

If that's the case, I will just read every book to the end, and live forever! MWAHAHAHA!! ;)

I have never stopped reading a book, I force myself to finish even if it's horrible. I know I should just stop if I'm not enjoying it but I'm of the persuasion that if I just keep reading, it will get better. Unfortunately, it doesn't end up like that a lot of the time, and I end up reading really crappy books.

I attempted to read King's the Gunslinger book for a week. Usually I love King's books, but this one didnt do anything for me.

back to the library.

i never said that I agreed with the article, just that is what it posited. However, there is another item to consider, when we are young we may have a lot more time to read but when older with a family life comes less time to read so you need to make sure or try harder not to waste time on books that may get good. For instance I am reading Gatehouse by DeMille -- 646 pages. I have read 200 over 2 weeks but I also read the latest Shinn book and the latest Jim Butcher book during this time. Clearly I am forcing myself to read the Demille even though I might not like it because I like him

I think the article that Jeffery told us about has some good points. I certainly quit reading quicker now than when I was younger. I agree what he said about the time, but I think it is also taste, experience & the amount of available books.

When I was young, almost every book was a new adventure. Now, I see many as a rehash of something I've read before & they're just not interesting.

I'd like to think my taste has become better, too. I used to love some authors & now find I have trouble reading them. I didn't understand why until an author here pointed out that one was a terrible writer. I realized he was correct. My old love for the book had made me overlook that fact.

I've made up some rules for what makes a readable book & what doesn't - some conscious, some unconscious. I know when an author is stretching my attention past the breaking point by certain signs. For instance, if a guy pulls a pistol out & the author spends the next paragraph telling me about the pistol, I put the book down & get another. Ditto if a guy has spent 500 years being a farmer or blacksmith or something in the same place.

Experience has taught me that there are just some things I can't accept in a story. I have limits on my suspension of belief. Sometimes I can live with one of these, but often it's such a big black mark that it doesn't take much to push me to putting the book down.

There are a LOT more books & reading material available to me now than there was when I was younger. This is part of the time element. There are many more authors & styles. I also have more money for reading material & it's easier to get. Ebay, websites, Amazon, BookMooch & all kinds of avenues for reading exist that I never dreamed of when I was younger.

Jim

Here is what I have found. Where I once read every new book an author wrote, I now review carefully the book before I start reading. I have dropped various authors who have continued to write in the same universe or with the same character in many instances -- cussler, brooks, clancy, salvatore to name a few. Yes there have been exceptions -- I read almost all of the WOT but not every page, I have read all of Butcher. I evaluate big book series and big books more thoroughly before I decide to waste my time -- which is very valuable on an author like Martin who writes 3 quick books but then writes one book in 4 years -- do I have time to re-read the earlier books. there is a huge investment in time in these long fantasy trilogies. I have purchased and have at home the second book or third book in 3 series but have not read them yet. Other books have come out. I read a huge amount of books a year but its probably half of what I read 20 years ago, but I have a great libraryand a lot of books at home so I rarely read a book twice. For all of these reasons, and BN.com and Amazon.com, I htink we should be very selective in what we start. Once started however, i tend to finish a work

I'm not as methodical as you yet, Jeffery, but I'm getting there. I do the same thing with authors & series. L.E. Modesitt Jr. books always get bought, but I've quit buy Terry Goodkind unless I can pick up the book cheap. The series got old. I got tired of all the angst & whining.