I tried. I really tried. As noted in my year-end summary, I read 711 pages and listened for almost 10 1/2 hours, but for a variety of reasons, couldn't finish these books. Some of them I've even tried to read more than once. The audiobooks remain in my audio library, but the others have been donated and quite honestly, I'm glad they are off my shelves. I realize that many of these books are highly regarded by you and others, but they weren't for me.
Les, you make me laugh - 'I tried...'. It's OK, friend, to not finish a book. Ha! I know that you know that - wink! I have The Latecomer on my Kindle, but haven't felt the urge to try it as yet. And I think I tried to read A Little Life several years ago and decided it wasn't for me. Otherwise, I don't think I've tried any of the others. Aren't you glad we don't all have to read and like the same things? I mean - not everybody likes a 'nice' murder as I do. LOL
ReplyDeleteKay, I remember many years ago seeing someone's message about not having to finish every book we start. I've taken that to heart, but I also feel I should give books a fair chance. I try to read at least 50 pages since so many of my favorites took at least that many, but a lot of the books in the above collage wound up in my stacks only because they were either passed along to me or came highly recommend by other readers. They didn't necessarily catch my eye in a bookstore. Yes, it's a good thing we don't all have to read and like the same things!
DeleteI couldn't finish North Woods and something about that Anne Enright book seems familiar...in a way that I did not finish it either. Have not gotten the Tucci book yet but I sure did like his previous one titled Taste.
ReplyDeleteMy feeling is if a book isn't grabbing you move on. Life is too short to make yourself finish a book. We aren't in college anymore so no obligations! Maybe that's my age talking, haha
Tina, several of these books were passed along to me by my mom. I might have enjoyed them more had I read them a decade, but my reading tastes have changed over the years. The Tucci book was on audio and while I enjoyed Taste, in this one he came across as a snob and elitist. No thanks!
DeleteSometimes you just have to put a book aside and be okay with not reading it fully. There are so many fantastic books out there that will work for you, why waste time on the ones that didn't. The only one I loved on this list is A Little Life.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Helen. I have so many on my shelves that I really want to read, so I have no trouble saying no to the ones that don't grab me after 50+ pages. I wish I had enjoyed A Little Life. So many readers loved it!
DeleteI have to say I wish I had not finished North Woods. I persevered because of all the 5*. It just wasn't for me. I haven't read any of your other ones.
ReplyDeleteI admire you for stopping when you realized that these weren't for you. I have a terrible habit of wasting time on books well after I realize that I dislike them and I never will like them. Then I get in a reading slump because I don't want to read them but I don't want to move on to something else either.
ReplyDeleteI didn't love Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. All those footnotes drove me bananas. But I persisted with it because so many people loved it. I think Piranesi is on my TBR but I'm not rushing to pick it up.
And since you've got a Stanley Tucci book on the list I'll mention that we streamed an old movie of his on New Year's Eve, called Big Night. I don't know if you've seen it (It was released in 1996, I believe) but it was really good! He and Tony Shalhoub are Italian brothers trying to save their failing restaurant in New Jersey.