When was the last time you quit a book? How long did you give it? Why did you give up on that book?
I usually feel super guilty when I finally decide not to finish a book. Especially books that are supposedly NYT Best Sellers, or books that are popular that you’re supposed to love. But if I find myself annoyed by simply the sight of said book — typically on my nightstand when I’m gearing up for 30 minutes of nighttime reading — then I know something is wrong. But when to give up?
When to Not Finish a Book
A book has to be pretty terrible for me to not finish. Not only am I bored out of my mind reading this book, but I haven’t connected with anything in it either. Maybe I’m not interested in the topic or have a really difficult time with a cluttered format. Perhaps it’s too complex and I simply don’t understand it. Or the flip side, it’s marketed for adults but makes me feel like I’m reading something I would have in middle school. Bottom line: there is nothing in the book that grabbed my attention enough for me to want to get to the end.
How Much of a Book To Read Before Making That Call
I’m always curious how far a reader will stick with a book before they’re like f*ck this. So I asked five of my friends (who actively read for pleasure) how long they stick with a book before giving up. Here were the results:
- 1/3, sometimes 1/2
- 100 pages
- 1/3
- 15-20%
- 1/2
I found it really interesting that the answers were either page numbers or a certain percent of the book. A friend told me that many readers say that 75 pages is the most they’ll give a book — if it hasn’t grabbed you by then, the chances are slim to none. For me personally, I try my best to make it to 100 pages. Sometimes I don’t even make it that far. And if it is truly a garbage book, those 100 pages were generous enough! On the flip side…
WHY I DECIDE TO STICK WITH A GARBAGE BOOK
Sometimes I stick out books because I’ve read the authors previous work and have high hopes that their current book will turn around (spoiler alert, it usually doesn’t). Other times it’s because I genuinely want to know how it ends, even though I’m not enjoying myself reading it. Occasionally it’s because it’s a book club book. When I’m reading a garbage book, I always share it with my husband. The first question out of my mouth is, “how did this get published?!” Which sparks a fun discussion on the book publishing / printing industry. Fun times.
My goal moving forward is to become more selective about the books I read. But again, you can only collect so much information about a book before deciding to read it. Either reading reviews on GR or Amazon, or getting a friends opinion. No one reads the same book, so other peoples positive or negative reviews on a book won’t always help you make the best decision. Sometimes, it’s just a crap shoot.