Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

Catch 22 is the number one abandoned classic?! You absolute bloody philistines!

Dang, back to Lonesome Dove. I guess it didn't capture my interest the first time.

I have to say I couldn't get past the bad writing in the first 50 Shades book but I did love the Dragon Tattoo trilogy although it was a very slow start.

The only book I have ever abandoned was Stephanie Meyer's "The Host". I plan to try it again someday, but I just couldn't get into it.

Books I could not or chose not to finish include "Beloved, "Water for Elephants", "The Girl Who Played With Fire" (Although I would have loved to read the series, this one was even DIRTIER than the first!), and "Book of a Thousand Days" (that one was just plain boring). I won't even attempt to be interested in Casual Vacancy or 50 Shades of Grey. If I'm not totally hooked by 50-100 pages I lose interest.

Catherine wrote: "I absolutely agree that life is too short to finish a bad book! I usually give up after a chapter or two, but I once got halfway through a long novel by one of my favorite authors before I realize..."

Wouldn't it be great if there was an "abandoned" option?

Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore. I wasn't that much into it from the start, but as soon as I found a scene where someone is about to harm a cat, i cried on the train (where I was reading the book) and couldn't go on. Normally I always finish books even if I am not enjoying them.

Life is too short to finish some books. I used to finish every book but I was younger and had what appeared to be a lot of time. The most recent book I abandoned was "Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead" by Sara Gran.

I finished 3 of top five books in the Top Five Abandoned Classics list. In the"Lord of the Rings" series I got to the last book and the battles in it completely lost me so I stopped. The writing in "Moby Dick" just seemed to go on and on without grabbing me so I quit that one early on. The others held my interest.

I absolutely believe life is too short to read a book you don't like, but one example of continuing with something I was "eh" about is The Magician's Assistant, by Ann Patchett. I was on a mission at the time to read something other than murder mysteries (which are terrific and wonderful but I got a bee in my bonnet) and chose this title. For about,oh, 60% of the book, I was just reading and suddenly the book became MAGIC for me. But as a rule? There are more than 200 books on my TBR list...

I have no problem abandoning a book I don't like. There are so many to read, why waste time on one I'm not enjoying? The kiss of death for me is characters I don't like. If I'm not invested in what happens to them, the story doesn't really matter. I have definitely abandoned books and come back to them later. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon is one. I hated it when I first tried to read it, but tried again a year or two later and enjoyed it. Some, I know I will never, ever go back to (50 Shades for example).

The only book I've put down without finishing so far is On the Road by Jack Kerouac. I started it cause I felt that it was one of those books that you should at least read once in your lifetime. It got great reviews and I wanted to read it before the movie came out. I never finished the book, never saw the movie. Felt super guilty about putting it down too. I just couldn't get into it.

If it doesn't grab me in the first few pages I am DONE!

Catherine wrote: "I absolutely agree that life is too short to finish a bad book! I usually give up after a chapter or two, but I once got halfway through a long novel by one of my favorite authors before I realize..."

Just add a never-finished shelf

I typically enjoy books that have garnered accolades, but the YA award-winner "Going Bovine" by Libba Bray was a dud for me. I got about halfway and abandoned it. Instead of creative, it was simply weird.

As a rule, I always finish a book I start. I guess I've become pretty adept at choosing good books because rarely do I find myself reading something awful. I like a sense of completion once I'm finished and then feel justified in criticizing if necessary.

Great comments here. I will no longer feel guilty about abandoning books that don't capture my attention. (Sadly, that list seems to be getting longer and longer...)

I wish that I had abandoned Gregory Maguirre's Wicked. It was so long,depressing, and a rip-off of the Harry Potter series.

Saskia wrote: "Catherine wrote: "I absolutely agree that life is too short to finish a bad book! I usually give up after a chapter or two, but I once got halfway through a long novel by one of my favorite author..."

I tried that, but as I recall they also have to be in one of the to-read/reading/read shelves when "none of the above" is appropriate!

Jodi wrote: "I usually try to finish everything, no matter how much I dislike it. However, I recently came very, very, very close to abandoning Kate Atkinson's "Life After Life". Not only did the story move at..."

Jodi, thank you so much for this comment! I feel like I'm the only person who struggled with "Life After Life." I have loved so many of this author's books but simply could not get through this one.

Joan wrote: "I may be the only one but I hated The Kite Runner, boring, boring"

I trashed this one. Couldn't get past the graphic, disturbing scene of the boy getting raped. You're not the only one that hates this one.

Laura wrote: "My own personal most abandoned classic is The Sound and the Fury. I tried to read it several times. I would come back to it, perhaps get a bit further and then abandon it. It always made me sad a..."

That's funny because this is one I keep trying to get through and just can't seem to finish...

I put down "Skippy Dies" by Paul Murray after 200+ pages. It got such great reviews that I kept trying but the book was just stupid & not the least bit comical as reviewed. Plus, it was over 600 pages - way too much of NOT a good thing. I kept on because when I read "The Thorn Birds," I suffered the first 150 pages, then it turned into a wonderful book that I very much enjoyed & was glad I perservered.

Moyasser wrote: "Actually, it is catch 22, not finishing a book."
Funny, I thought the same thing when I put it down.

I also like to finish a book, but first I have to be able to get into, I have tried on a nuber of occasions to read 'The Stolen' a Sci-fibook, but my brain cant even take in the jibberish written on the pages. I actually find myself drifting into day dream. So abandoned it, I tried another book by the same author, almost made it past the prologue before once again my mind wished it was somewhere else. It's rare I chose books like this anyway, but I do find that if they are incomprehensible I may as well give up.

I didn't even try to read The Casual Vacancy. It's not Harry Potter so why try? ;)

I used to read books all the way to the end, as a discipline form, until I started to be overwhelmed by the amount of monthly publishing. It was a different feeling before the internet, you made your own path and shared it with those physically close to you, but now with all these blogs and constant messages, all trying to market their product, I inevitably feel some pressure.
I still read most books, to the end, but have learned not to waste time, with those that don't seem worth it. I love revisiting some books, and I have certainly done the bookmark thing, just leave a book halfway and come back to it years later.

I'm one of those people who has to finish a book, no matter what kind of mess it is. I sought of feel like a failure if I don't. The only 2 books I've ever given up on were Sailing Alone around the World (ye olde English was a headache) & Leviathan: Or, The Whale (apparently a book can have too much descriptive text in the beginning).

I'm not wholly surprised to see Lord of the Rings in the list, despite it being a great story. There were times when I thought "get a move on already!"... Tom Bombadil anyone?

I'm now reading the girl with the dragon tattoo and i find it quite interesting and don't thing I will abandon this one.

I've read fifty shades of grey and like someone said it is not for everyone but I've to say: it's for me.

I've just left the casual vacancy half way it was very confuse, the narrator is always changing and the story is not that good. I expected much more of J.K..

Gail wrote: "I also put down Eat, Pray Love and Casual Vacancies. I also abandoned East of Eden, The Corrections, and I Am Charlotte Simmons."

Stick with the Girl...Dragon Tatoo. All of a sudden it captures your attention and I couldn't put it down and devoured the next two in the series

Last book I abandoned was Mark Halperin's "A Winter's Tale" - after 300 pages it just got too fantastic and one can only suspend belief so far.

I read for pleasure, if the book is not interesting why would I bother to finish it? Move on, find something that you will enjoy.

I have abandoned books after about 50 pages. As I frequently told my students, there are far too many wonderful books waiting to be read to waste energy on those that don't work for you.

I am a fussy reader and a slow one at the best of times but once I start a book I finish it even if it is badly written - it just takes me longer than normal. I read all 3 of the Shades of Grey series out of curiosity. They were badly written and really boring but the last one was the better of the 3! I read Eat Pray Love and The Kite Runner and I enjoyed them both. Some of my favorites I read over and over if I can't find a decent book to read.

Wicked is an interesting one. I remember when I read it, I found the first 100 pages a bit of a slog, and then it took off like a rocket. Should the first 100 pages been edited down, even though it was slow going? I don't think so because it really set up the background and pathology of the character and her reactions to the plot developments made more sense, knowing her background.

Moyasser wrote: "Actually, it is catch 22, not finishing a book."

Jodi wrote: "I usually try to finish everything, no matter how much I dislike it. However, I recently came very, very, very close to abandoning Kate Atkinson's "Life After Life". Not only did the story move at..."

Mary wrote: "Jodi wrote: "I usually try to finish everything, no matter how much I dislike it. However, I recently came very, very, very close to abandoning Kate Atkinson's "Life After Life". Not only did the ..."

Thank you!!! I thought I was the only one. It has never taken me this long to finish a book.

Fifty Shades whould be called Filthy and Shady, heh! Could not finish it. Not interested. - I am no prude but it was too much of graphic sex for me. And the writing was bad.

Usually I end up abandoning one because of stereotype characters, wilting-flower heroines, and use of purple prose. Other times, I'm just not in the mood for that type of book, so I'll set it aside and come back later, sometimes years later. If the plot's interesting enough, I don't mind slow-moving stories; I just make sure I set a one-chapter-per-sitting limit.

I'm so glad I stumbled upon this thread. I too abandoned Casual Vacancy. I didn't read Harry Potter, but was aware of the hype surrounding JK, so gave it a go. I tend to abandon books that irritate me by having annoying characters, weak plots or too much prose. I also resent having so many characters that I have to keep flicking back to keep track of an over complex plot.
Hence why my novels are based around a small amount of characters, and not too much flowery description.
The last book I abandoned was 'Real', as the lead lady was so juvenile, it became irritating to read. I read Entwined with you to the bitter end, even though it felt like a waste of time afterwards, as it was just page after page of sexual acrobatics. I think I was just expecting a bit of story to happen at some point!

When someone recommends a book that looks overly long to me they seem to always say "Just get past the first 50 pages and you will love it!". So I use the first fifty page rule but sometimes it only takes a couple of pages and I know it is not for me. Too many books to read and so little time, so no time to waste. Too many to name but one notable failure was Harry Potter. I read the first one but could not get up the energy for the rest.

I have abandoned 3 books in my lifetime,two of them are on this list. I abandoned Eat, Pray, Love with 50 pages left...I just couldn't stand it any longer. I also abandoned Catch-22 about 50 pages in. I couldn't get into it, but it is still on my list to go back and try again. Eat, Pray, Love will never get a second chance.

I agree with this list. I had trouble with all 5. I will go no further than halfway if a book does not hold my interest. I actually quit before that but recently have given the authors the benefit of the doubt. I will not go beyond the halfway mark. I recently abandoned "Big Brother" by Lionel Shriver at the half-way mark.

War and Peace. Lost count of the number of times I've attempted it! Hard copy, soft copy... Still haven't been able to get through more than one-third of it. I live in hope though :)

I abandoned the Outlander series by Gabaldon. I might pick it up and try again, I've heard it's good if you stick with it.

I have lost interest in a book if it is slow but once committed will come back to it to finish eventually. I have thrown a few trendy books in the trash for too graphic and disturbing content. I don't read to be haunted by meaningless ugly images.

I read the first book of the 50 Shades of Grey but only made it thru about a quarter of the second book, boredom set in. Personally, I think 3 books in the series is 2 too many.

I've had some books that I've tried to read but end up just putting them down (now donated to my local library). If I find one I haven't finished within a year, I donate it. If I hadn't picked it back up by then, I never will. I would much rather see someone who truely likes it, read it.

LOVED Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, although I admit I struggled with it at the beginning. Once it got going, I was totally hooked. Read the whole trilogy. Suffered through Wicked since it was recommended to me by several friends and my mother, but I hated every second of it. Never saw the musical and never will. No desire to read 50 Shades, Eat, Pray or Vacancy. As far as the classics go, I absolutely love LOTR (as well as the Hobbit). I read them first in 4th Grade, again in 6th and then again about every other year since. I don't know how anyone can not enjoy those books. Some of the language is obsolete, but Tolkien paints such a picture with his prose, it's just beautiful. I had no problems getting through Moby Dick or Catch 22 (also school required reads, but I actually enjoyed those). Had to read Ulysses for school but the motivation wasn't there. I read it, but never went back to try it again just for myself. No interest and Atlas Shrugged was alright to me. I still don't get what all the hype is/was about there.

I abandoned "Wicked" and "Eat, Pray, Love". I somehow managed to read the "50 Shades" series, skipping over the smutty parts. They were still garbage, and a waste of my time and money. Have never read a single "Harry Potter" book; just don't appeal to me. I have also abandoned, twice, "War and Peace". I am going to give it one more shot, sometime this summer. If I can't get through it on the third try, it's going in the recycle bin.

I, generally, as a rule, will keep at a book, and have found many that I thought were crappy, only to discover once I got into them, they were quite good.

Eat, pray, love deserves to be in this list lol. I tried completing it twice. I just couldn't bring myself to! Annddd I tried to complete watching the movie twice. I couldn't finish that even. Wonder why Julia Roberts would say yes to working in a film like that. The writer is so full of herself, it is very hard to sympathize with her!

The author owes it the reader to do at least two things: 1. keep things interesting, and; 2. keep things moving. Heart of Darkness and 1984 both fail in that regard.