Never read a book through merely because you have begun it.
– John Witherspoon 1723-1794
http://etcweb.princeton.edu/CampusWWW/Companion/witherspoon_john.html
I like this quote! I used to force myself to finish a book no matter what! Now I give myself permission to put a book down if I am having a difficult time getting into it. Recently I started listening to Mennonite in a Little Black Dress. I was bored and the voice was really getting on my nerves! There are just too many books out there to waste time reading something just for the sake of reading! Do you always finish a book just because you started it? Do you have a rule as to when enough is enough?
I have no problem abandoning a book if I can’t get into it. If I just happened to pick it up and try it and it doesn’t interest me, I put it down, no rules. If someone recommended it and I’m not liking it right away, I’ll try to hang in for about 40 pages to see if it gets better. And, if it is for a book club, I’ll keep reading for about 60 pages before I give up. But I agree: too many books out there to waste your time with something you’re not enjoying. I have a friend whose rule is: read a page for each one of your years and then abandon. Not sure that works for me the older I get.
Comment by Laura — October 23, 2011 @ 12:32 pm |
Hi Laura! Your friend’s one page for each of your years rule is very clever although I am not sure I have enough patience to follow it!
Comment by susanbright — October 23, 2011 @ 8:43 pm |