I am a quitter!

I have been having trouble blogging this week because I have been having issues reading this week. Not technically having issues with the words, just issues with getting into books. I have this problem occassionally, though I am not sure why. My currently theory is that after I read a really awesome books, or a few really awesome books in a row, I get into a mind frame of "Nothing will be as good!" I find that this book ADD happens after reading Meg Cabot books, Charlaine Harris books, and David Levithan books. It probably wasn't a smart idea for me to read Meg Cabot, Charlaine Harris, and David Levithan pretty much exclusively for the past few weeks. I did this to myself. One good thing to come out of it is that it finally gave me an idea for a great blog topic...Not finishing books that are started.

Many people think that if you start reading a book, you have to finish it. I am of the other mind. If I start a book and am not enjoying it, I put it down. I've never felt the need to waste time on a book that I do not like. Even in high school and college, I did not always finish assigned books. Most notably, I only read the first 5 chapters of The Grapes of Wrath, the first section of Gulliver's Travels, the first part of Faust, and about half of Madame Bovary. That is correct, when it came to assigned readings, I was a bit of a slacker. Shocker, I know. However, I think it is hard to enjoy any book that is required reading. It takes all the fun out of books. I have enjoyed numerous books that were required, but have also hated reading some books that I otherwise would have enjoyed. I love Mark Twain, but really disliked reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

More to the point, I do not finish books that I choose. And sometimes they are books that by all rights I should enjoy. I read and loved Redwall by Brian Jacques, but have not been able to get through Mossflower with repeated attempts. I read the first 3 Hitchhikers Guide books, but could not get through the 4th. I love Stephen King, but could not get more than a few chapters into Christine or Insomnia. I also did not finish Pet Semetary, but that was due to the fact that the book wigged me out and I did not want to find out what happened next. I also never finished Interview with a Vampire, The Historian, Digital Fortress by Dan Brown, American Gods by Neil Gaiman, and many more.

I have three main reasons for not finishing books.

The first is that I get busy/distracted. This happened a lot during high school and college. The Historian specifically fell for this reason. I was reading it and really enjoying it. But than midterms happened. And projects started to be due. And reading for fun, especially something long and intense, had to be dropped. I have wanted to reread it since I stopped reading it, but didn't want to reread what I had just read. I am planning on reading it again soon since I have no forgotten everything about it.

The second reason is that I do not read very fast and sometimes forget what happened at the beginning if a book is really long. American Gods was one that was discarded for that reason. That books is super long and super complicated and about half way through I had no idea who any of the characters were. I love Neil Gaiman books, but dude...that books just confused me.

The last main reason is just because I am not enjoying the book. Oh, Interview with a Vampire. You were so hyped and loved by so many people. Just not me. I found the book boring and just finally gave up on it. Vampires can only sustain my interest so long if the rest of the plot is lame. I decided to watch the movie instead of finishing the book. I still have no idea what happens in either because I found the movie boring also.

I find that if I am not enjoying a book and I stop reading it, I tend to find a great book after. My advice to you all is that if I book is not holding your interest or you are just not enjoying it...stop reading. Put the book down. No one will know. No one will care. It gives you more time to read something awesome. I am not advocating not reading assigned reading though. Be a good student, read everything. Do as I say, not as I did. But seriously, don't torture yourself. Reading should be fun!