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Original poster

Ever forced yourself to read a book?

35 replies

celandine · 27/02/2004 09:58

Go on...admit it, have you? Even though it's REALLY boring and just not gripping you at all? I'm currently doing this with a Susan Howatch book called 'High Flyer' and so far I'm just past halfway and I started it at Xmas! I really want to finish it cosa there's so many other books I want to read, but I keep putting it off. The frustrating thing is that it's part of a series and I loved the previous ones, so I want to finish it.

I've also done this with the classics, i.e reading them because I feel I ought to, not out of enjoyment. I really didn't like Thomas Hardy but forced myself to finish Tess of the D'urbervilles. And I do it when I buy some modern stuff on offer (3 for 2 kind of thing) and then just can't get on with them e.g. Douglas Coupland 'All families are psychotic'

Am I all alone in this literary masochism?

OP posts:
Bron · 27/02/2004 10:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

crystaltips · 27/02/2004 10:12
  • PS I love you - too chatty for me
  • Death of Vishnu - too disjointed
  • captain Correllis Mandolin - Started twice and NEVER finished !!
Northerner · 27/02/2004 10:13

If a book doesn't grab me I give up I'm afraid!

twiglett · 27/02/2004 10:15

message withdrawn

wilbur · 27/02/2004 10:17

The Mill on the Floss for A-level. Just not my thing and I never really got what happened.

Crystaltips - I had to force myself through that chapter about Mussolini at the beginning of Captain Corelli, but then it got truly wonderful. Give it another go!

Eowyn · 27/02/2004 10:20

I have found The Silmarillion by Tolkien the hardest book ever to get thru, brilliant story (if you're interested) as it is the whole history of middle-earth before Lord of the Rings. But the driest read Ever. Have managed it twice now but until you're near the end very difficult, but so good. I'm a bit of a fan.

CountessDracula · 27/02/2004 10:30

"If This is a Man" by Primo Levi

Not because I found it hard to read but because it was so traumatic and harrowing. (it is the autobiographical account of an Italian Jewish Chemist's time in Auschwitz for those of you who don't know it)

I read a lot of it in tears and had to have several breaks. It really is a book that everyone should read IMO. His other stuff is good too esp "If Not Now, When?"

sis · 27/02/2004 12:35

I read the Lord of the Rings when I was about 20 and didn't like it from start to finish and the experience helped me decide to stop reading a book if I didn't like it after a couple of chapters.

dinosaur · 27/02/2004 12:37

I am a lazy cow and find it very hard to force myself to read things if I'm really not enjoying them. I got halfway through "Crime and Punishment" and then gave up.

Agy · 27/02/2004 12:45

If I've bought it I feel I have to finish it or its a waste of money (tight git)! Lord of the Rings is the exception, just couldn't read past first few pages! One day I will though. Loved The Hobbitt but I think that's actually a children's book!

Original poster
celandine · 27/02/2004 13:40

Agy, exactly. I've bought lots of mine and HATE wasting money, so I have to read them. Then again, it's the same with freebies. There are some I got free from the Amazon/Kellogs giveaway and still haven't read them, namely Ben Elton's 'High Society' and Frank Skinner's biography. Don't know why I ordered them really.

CountessDracula, I've just looked on Ebay and that book 'If This Is A Man' is very popular. Now you've got me ebaying again, aaaagh, it's a downward slope now....!

OP posts:
tamum · 27/02/2004 13:42

I forced myself to get to the end of The Remembrance of Things Past. He didn't half go for long sentences, did Proust, one of them went on for two thirds of a page. I absolutely loathed Heart of Darkness too, but ploughted on til the bitter end. I have been forcced to come to the conclusion that I'm a complete philistine.

I'm with CD on Primo Levi, a wonderful, wonderful writer.

Just previewed and I'd written Remembrance of Thongs Past .

tamum · 27/02/2004 13:43

...and was evidently so distracted that I missed all the other typos...

CountessDracula · 27/02/2004 13:51

I really enjoyed Frank Skinners autobiog despite not being a bit fan of his

roisin · 27/02/2004 13:56

Snap celandine - I do this all the time. If I am really struggling with a dreadful turgid book, I just can't bring myself to give up on it. I keep thinking that there must be something of value and worth in it, otherwise it wouldn't have got published, and I struggle on to the end, and then feel completely cheated when it fails to improve! Am I the endless optimist, I even turn the last page expecting a little gem. The two recent books that spring to mind in this category are the books by Pamela Stephenson about Billy Connolly .. fascinating content, but the writing style and authorial voice just irritated me.

donnie · 27/02/2004 14:02

I read a lot and always feel I HAVE to finish a book, I hate being 'beaten'! but I found 'Underworld ' by Don de Lillo very difficult ( and 800 pages long) and I actually did give up on 'Cosmopolis'. I just re-read Pride and prej - fabulous!!!! I've had to teach books I dislike which is also hard since you can't pass on your negativity to kids as it would be unfair ( Cider with Rosie - pass the bucket!)

CountessDracula · 27/02/2004 14:20

I have tried to read two books by Iain Sinclair but just can't do it

Blackduck · 27/02/2004 14:22

I'm a 'I've started so I'll Bl**dy well finish' kind of person too....which means I can have more than one book on the go at a time - put down one that really isn't doing it for me, and pick up something else.....Have to admit just could not finish 'Birdsong' thou' everyone else has raved about it......and 'scarlet and white' I just found a load of pretentious tosh

spacemonkey · 27/02/2004 18:35

oo CD I'm with you on Primo Levi - just rereading If This Is A Man/The Truce for about the third time - it's one of my favourite books ever.

I never force myself to read books if I'm not enjoying them because I read for fun, full stop!

Freckle · 27/02/2004 18:43

Yes. My middle son chose a book for me - based on the fact that he liked the cover! It was very unusual and difficult to assimilate, but I felt that I had to persevere so that I could tell him I had read it.

Posey · 27/02/2004 19:14

Can't think of one recently, but the first book I forced myself to read and kept going to the bitter end despite being bored out of my brains was Watership Down at the age of 11. My best friend read it and seemed so grown up reading such a big book I thought I should give it a go after her recommendation. Since then our taste in books has differed so wildly, I never read anything she raves about

miggy · 28/02/2004 21:25

Just forced myself to start "northern lights"-philip pulman. Completely not my kind of book-don't like fantasy/childrens fantasy, wouldn't read h.potter etc, but ds loved it and am taking him to see the play so thought I should ,rather than not follow the play. I love it-its fab! read half last night in bed and will finish tonight-just shows how wrong you can be

3GirlsMum · 28/02/2004 21:56

I cant do it. I read loads of books and if I have trouble getting into one I move on to another. I do however try it again at some other point and in general do end up reading all my books. I think it depends on what frame of mind I am in when starting a book as well!!

suzywong · 28/02/2004 21:57

miggy
I've got that hanging around, someone lent it to me, and I' m not keen on all this wizard demon stuff, is it really worth getting in to do you think then?

spacemonkey · 28/02/2004 22:51

YES suzy - it's brilliant! nothing like harry potter, much bigger issues