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Fiction

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closeupready

(29,503 posts)
Fri Sep 5, 2014, 03:31 PM Sep 2014

Do you feel guilty about putting down a book, halfway through? [View all]

I like adventure/thriller books, and about five or six years ago, I purchased a Clive Cussler book (Lost City) from a Going Out Of Business sale. The cover is fun, lol, and it seemed like a fun story. So I put it on my bookshelf to get around to it whenever I get around to it (that's my standard practice - I read slowly and can't keep up with my book purchases, so I have all kinds of things to read, for every mood).

Long story short, I picked this up and have tried to get into it, but the story starts off kind of silly, and stretches suspension-of-disbelief to the limits - and without that, Cussler's books are kind of otherwise pointless when you could be reading biographies and classics and popular science...

So about halfway through, I'm going to put it in my "Really Bad - Discard" pile. But I feel guilty, as if I wasted all that reading time on nothing.

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Oh yes shenmue Sep 2014 #1
I just have so many other more interesting books I want to get to. closeupready Sep 2014 #2
Why feel guilty? Think of all the time you did NOT waste by reading through to the end. (nt) enough Sep 2014 #3
That's a good way of putting it, yes. Thanks. closeupready Sep 2014 #4
Re-reading good books is always a good idea. (nt) enough Sep 2014 #9
Totally Agree Wolf Frankula Sep 2014 #17
I very seldom give up on a book I've started. Here's why (a few reasons). Old Crow Sep 2014 #5
Thanks those are some good points. closeupready Sep 2014 #7
LOL... good point, actually, regarding Wikipedia Old Crow Sep 2014 #10
Factoid of the day: when I'm indecisive about what to read next, closeupready Sep 2014 #14
At the risk of being picky, SheilaT Oct 2014 #32
Guilty over not finishing a book? No way. scarletwoman Sep 2014 #6
Thanks - I really resent being drawn in to this piece of crap book. closeupready Sep 2014 #8
Donate the book to your local library, or a homeless shelter, or a 2nd hand store. scarletwoman Sep 2014 #12
With all the great books that I have yet to read, Curmudgeoness Sep 2014 #11
I so agree fadedrose Sep 2014 #13
Ah, so true about just trying to get to the end Curmudgeoness Sep 2014 #16
Never feel guilty about putting a book down. SheilaT Sep 2014 #15
Thanks - I did put it down, and closeupready Sep 2014 #25
I feel a little guilty, but I do it anyway. Chemisse Sep 2014 #18
I seldom quit a book part way through. Enthusiast Sep 2014 #19
I give a book 10% of the total pages Goblinmonger Sep 2014 #20
Your first mistake was buying a Clive Cussler book. Tracer Sep 2014 #21
lol, yeah - you know, like a lot of people, I do pre-judge a book closeupready Sep 2014 #22
Good choice! oldandhappy Sep 2014 #23
Yes libodem Sep 2014 #24
No. Not in the least bit. And, I've learned several hard lessons along the way... GOLGO 13 Sep 2014 #26
Yes. Sometimes. AngryOldDem Oct 2014 #27
I happened to like "The Girl at the Lion D'Or" very much, SheilaT Oct 2014 #28
Absolutely no guilt! gratefultobelib Oct 2014 #29
I'm 65..... llmart Oct 2014 #30
Nope bigwillq Oct 2014 #31
No guilt Susannah Elf Apr 2015 #33
I used to, but like others have mentioned, hippywife Apr 2015 #34
Not unless it's a book on loan from a friend. Paladin Apr 2015 #35
Nope. I'm in the middle of one right now, a loan from a friend, and I don't think I'm going to raccoon Apr 2015 #36
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