How long do you persevere with a book?

[posey]

If you are struggling to get into it, are bored with it, just don't like it....do you keep on going in the hope it will improve, or do you think life is too short?

I have always been a bit of the persevering type. I only remember not finishing one book. That was until I joined a book group. I couldn't finish Wolf Hall, and am also struggling with the current one, but think I will keep going.

So which camp are you in, generally speaking?

I hate abandoning books but when I do it'd normally after reading about a third of the book.

I have read a few pages of Tom Jones by Henry Fielding every year or so since I was a teenager. I am about a third of the way through. I am determined to finish it to prove I am cultured and intelligent. I cannot remember anything of the storyline each time I return to it though! I should probably just start again.

THAT BOOK WILL NOT BEAT ME!!!

My dad (who is a French Litterature teacher) always told me to give a book 10% (ie if a book is 500 pages read 50) if it hasn't grabbed you by then give up. He says that to his pupils as well (about the extra curricular recommended reading) as he says nothing will turn off a child from reading more than plowing on with a book that they aren't interested in, getting more and more demoralised.

50 Pages - life is too short to read books you don't enjoy. By 50 pages, something should have grabbed your attention - either the story, a character or the writing style.