How do you push through a book you aren't enjoying?

ModernRisk , 5 months ago

I don’t. There way to many books that I want to read and oh so little time.

If it doesn’t grab you and you are truly not enjoying it, just DNF the book and move on.

If that doesn’t work for you, you could try to make a “goal”. Like “read 60-70 pages before DNF”.

Chainweasel , 5 months ago

If it isn’t for a test or essay for school, why would you push through a book you didn’t like?
If the phrase “time you enjoyed waisting wasn’t time wasted” is true, then spending time doing things you don’t want do is wasting time. Life is too short to waste time on a book you’re not enjoying

Capitao_Duarte , 5 months ago

I usually just stop reading it. My problem is with books I’m liking, but not vibing with at the moment. I used to keep going, but realized that by doing this I’d give it “bad review” because I wasn’t feeling it at the time. Now I just put it aside and come back later. Even if many months or years later

huf , 5 months ago

normally i put them down and forget about it. i think there’s only one book i finished despite hating it, and that was to be sure that i was right and it was an incredibly shit book and i didnt make a snap judgement. it was this: en.wikipedia.org/…/The_Man_with_the_Golden_Touch

s0ckpuppet , 5 months ago

I have a hard time making time for reading, so I want that time to count. I don't let myself get caught up in a sunk cost fallacy and will just move onto another book.

GeekFTW , 5 months ago

I don't. DNF that bitch and move on!

hitmyspot , 5 months ago

I alternate between books that are important to read but more work, and books I just enjoy. Soemtimes the important works are just as enjoyable. Sometimes they are not, but rather than joy, they bring knowledge, or understanding or broaden the mind in some way. Sometimes it’s the classics and the story and themes are great, but the language is dated and just takes more mental effort.

I only read one at a time. I used to keep two on the go, but I found I always went for the easy, joy bringing book. I still enjoyed it, but I felt I’d get more by not always reading easy and fun. However, if a book is such a slog that I dread it or it makes me read less, then I drop it.

jordanlund , 5 months ago

It depends. There have been books that I have HAD to read and I survived by making notes in the margins about how everything they are saying is wrong. :)

For stuff I didn’t HAVE to read? Fuck that, life is too short. I might consider going back some day, but in most cases, never have.

I got 100 pages into Dune and walked away, that was probably 40 years ago now.

Sarcasmo220 , 5 months ago

I check out books from the library, which of course jas a due date. If I like the book I finish it before it’s due. If I find myself struggling to get into and haven’t finished it by the due date, I just return it and never look back.

rekabis , 5 months ago

Why would you want to?

If a book isn’t working out for you, then it’s not working out for you. Don’t get held hostage to the Sunk Cost fallacy - your time is precious, drop that book and pick up something different!

And if you are just unsure about that book, jump ahead by half of the remaining pages and check out an additional 2-20 pages at that point to see if things have improved. If it still doesn’t grab you, dump it and move on.

Melatonin , 5 months ago

Audiobooks on a long trip? It’s been the answer for me on occasion, but some books are impossible to put up with

Nougat , 5 months ago

Okay real answer here, not just "don't."

You can read it with the goal of having a solid understanding of why you think it's bad, in a way that can be communicated to other people. Having that kind of understanding is better than not, and it'll make it so that you have a better perspective on what you do like, and why you like it.

squiblet , 5 months ago

I skip to the last chapter, and if I don't understand it, keep skipping back until I do. Or just put it down for a couple of weeks.

BustinJiber , 5 months ago

Pushing through a book that is not working is detrimental to every party involved - the author, the book itself, and primarily to yourself and your time. You should never do that.

FuckyWucky , 5 months ago

Skip the chapter.