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.
ReplyDeleteSharon, my book group read North Woods a few months ago and the reviews were mixed.
DeleteI 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.
Jen, I think with so many books on my TBR bookshelf, I felt like I could give up more readily on the ones that didn't pull me in. The problem with Tucci's book (on audio) was his attitude. He is one of my favorite actors, and I loved Taste, but this new book hints at snobbery and elitism. And, it's basically a diary of what he ate throughout the year, so it's a bit repetive and dull. I do want to watch Big Night! It's been on my watch list for a long time. Thanks for the recommendation!
DeleteYou made me laugh, too, Les! I see books here that I've loved, books still waiting on my tbr shelves or kindle, and even books I've abandoned. The one I'll comment on is the new Stanley Tucci. After loving Taste, I've started this one twice and haven't gotten very far. I figured the time was just not right, so I'll give it one more shot on my walks this winter and then I'm giving up. Since Jen mentioned it above, I did watch Big Night last year... so good!
ReplyDeleteJoAnn, I'm cutting & pasting my comment to Jen about Tucci's book: The problem with Tucci's book (on audio) was his attitude. He is one of my favorite actors, and I loved Taste, but this new book hints at snobbery and elitism. And, it's basically a diary of what he ate throughout the year, so it's a bit repetive and dull. I do plan to watch Big Night, though!
DeleteI have both a paperback copy and a Kindle copy of A Little Life, but, after being warned that it was a downer, I have set it aside. I probably should just set it aside permanently.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the characters in Goats and Sheep a lot, and North Woods and Piranesi were both well done, I thought.
But not every book is for every person. If there is anything I have learned as a librarian, it is that!
Deb, with the emotional turmoil of the coming four years, I think we have enough to bring us down without reading A Little Life. I recommend putting it in your LIttle Neighborhood Library. I tried Goats and Sheep twice, but it still didn't grab me. Piranesi is still in my audio library so who knows. I may give it another chance.
DeleteI loved Piranesi but everyone in my book club felt that the main character was having a mental break. That is not at ALL what I took from that story. A Little Life absolutely gut punched me but I did appreciate it by the last page. It killed me like We Need to Talk About Kevin killed me. Ruined me for months.
ReplyDeleteTi, as I told Deb, I still might try Piranesi sometime in the future. As far as A Little Life, I really don't feel like I need to feel gut punched, so I have no regrets calling it quits on that one!
DeleteIt's certainly okay to put down what you don't like. The only one I've read of those you've listed is Lydia Millet's Children's Bible and I thought it was weird and not really likable either. I'm not sure I'm tempted by these but it's too bad about Cormac McCarthy's book. hmm
ReplyDeleteSusan, I'm enjoying the freedom to pick and choose what I want to read, not stressing out about all the books that I've set aside. I don't even read all my book group selections! Yeah, The Children's Bible was weird. I did enjoy another book by her, though. Have you read Dinosaurs? It was very good. McCarthy's book was just plain weird. I'm waiting to see if Rod will enjoy it...
DeleteSometimes the timing for a book just isn't right or the book itself isn't a good fit and that's okay. It's not worth our time reading books that aren't working for us. Fortunately, there's plenty of other books out there for us to try. I haven't read any of your DNF books from this past year, although a couple are on my TBR shelves. Then there are a couple others I for sure don't want to read. A Little Life being one of the latter. I've heard great things about it, but I can't. I just can't.
ReplyDeleteWendy, I agree about timing. Who knows if I would have liked any of these had I tried them a few years ago (or later on down the road). Yeah, A Little Life is a bleak story, but honestly, I couldn't get interested in any of the characters. I hear it's a heart breaking story, so maybe it's better that I couldn't read it.
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