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Yvettep
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Post Number: 3097
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Posted on Saturday, July 26, 2008 - 09:39 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

The other day I finished reading a book that made me ashamed and ticked off that I had spent several hours of my life reading it. In the past, I'd simply let it go and move on to the next book. But once I hit a certain age, I swore to myself that I would no longer be a member of the literary "clean plate" club, and that I would--without guilt--abandon any book that did not strike my fancy after putting in a good effort.

In general I have stuck to this credo and have not looked back. I figure there are so so so many books, and I have only a limited amount of time left on this earth to read them all. Why waste time?

But every once in a while I get hooked into a book and keep reading. Sometimes the book is pleasurable if only momentarily. In this case I have regrets, but it is not so bad. I can forgive myself. Kind of like having the occasional treat of a cotton candy at the baseball game--sure it was too sweet, melted in my mouth aas fast as I could eat it, and was full of empty calories. But really--no long term harm done.

But every once in a while I can't understand why on earth I kept reading, and I feel upset that I did. This is one of those times. Every time I look at that book cover I want to take a seat in a time machine and go back to the moment when I took the book off the library's shelf. I just can't let it go.

So, board family: Anyone else ever experience "reader's regret"? Was is your prescription for a cure? Certain bawdy old folks used to say "The quickest way to get over a man is to get under another one." ;-) I have tried to apply the same principle here in starting two new books to get that other nonsense out of my head. But so far, no good.

Help please, good literary doctors! :-)
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Authorterralittle
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Post Number: 35
Registered: 05-2008

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Posted on Saturday, July 26, 2008 - 10:52 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Wait now, before I respond more fully...it wasn't my book, was it?
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Emanuel
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Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2008 - 12:44 am:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Whoa! You kept reading a poorly-written book you got from the library? Um, why?

The only time I've read a poorly-written book throughout was when I was paid to review it. Otherwise, I had no problem shuckin' that sucker and starting something better. I've even purchased books that caught my attention or because I wanted to support the author. I still kicked them to the curb.

I've given up on books after 100 pages, and sometimes after the first chapter. Life is too short to waste on reading bad material.

What's the cure? Read better books to exorcise those demons!
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Cynique
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Username: Cynique

Post Number: 12594
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Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2008 - 12:01 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

My time is valuable. I don't waste it on a book that doesn't grab me. I always feel I'm doing authors a favor by reading their books, in the first place. In the twilight of my years, my taste has gotten very restrictive so I wouldn't go so far as to say that just because I don't like a book, doesn't mean it's no good.
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Yvettep
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Post Number: 3100
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Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2008 - 12:05 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Whoa! You kept reading a poorly-written book you got from the library?

ExACTly, Emanuel: Which is why I now feel so....so dirty! LOL Like I said, I ha dlargely stopped this practice. At one time I would pretty much never not finish a book. It was something psychological, I am sure. Again, I liken it to that mother-voice inside of your head imploring you to clean your plate because there are starving kids in Africa or something.

I don't know why I continued to read this one. Partly, the author is a popular one and I just kept thinking that the book had to get better. Maybe next chapter? Or the one after that? (And no, Authorterralittle, I do not think the book was one of yours :-))

Anyway, I am trying to move on **sniffsniff*** I'm thinking I may even go back to some classics. All the talk of Faulkner on here makes me want to go back and read some of those books I haven't read in years. I guess I'll just have to take my recovery one day at a time... LOL
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Libralind2
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Post Number: 1083
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Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2008 - 02:16 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Im guilty
LiLi
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Authorterralittle
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Post Number: 38
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Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2008 - 03:32 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Yvettep,

After I woke up from a boredom induced coma and got out of a two year relationship, I asked myself, "What the hell was I thinking?" Was beating myself up about wasting so much precious time and one day someone says to me, "Well, look at the bright side. At least, by being in the relationship, you learned more about yourself and what you don't want in a relationship or a mate. You'll be better for it next time around."

Maybe you could liken your experience to mine, in that you got what you could from the book and learned a little something more about yourself and your likes and dislikes. Don't think of it as time wasted, think of it as time spent further evolving. Damn shame we can't get time back (I'd pay good money for that).
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Ferociouskitty
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Post Number: 381
Registered: 02-2008

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Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2008 - 03:38 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I will not read a book that I don't like, for whatever reason. No qualms about putting it down. Once, someone questioned me about why I've only ever written generally positive reviews of the books I've reviewed, and I realized that it's because I don't read books that I don't have some appreciation for before I start reading full out. I can tell from the jack, the cover, the blurb, and/or skimming the first few pages.

As someone else said, time is precious. Plus, generally I review books of my own choosing. Once or twice I've been asked to review a book that someone else chose for me, and fortunately, I liked those too. ;-)

My boyfriend insists on finishing any book he starts. I've tested him by giving him books I know he will HATE. And he still finishes them. I read your question and asked him why he does it. He shrugged, "I just have to finish what I start."

*whisper* I think it's OCD. But I can't point fingers. I have a thing about puzzle pieces and game pieces; I can't rest if any go missing.

TMI?
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Chrishayden
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Username: Chrishayden

Post Number: 7241
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Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2008 - 03:38 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

What's to regret. It was the author's fault, not yours.

I have no compunction about giving up on a book I don't like--that first book by Minister Faust was an example. For the first 30 pages I absolutely loved it. Then it bogged down. I tried to give him a chance and hung up on him finally after getting to about page 100.

When I think I want to read a book I generally read the first couple of pages. A couple from the middle. Sometimes even the end. I know if I want to give the author a break.

I go away from this rule when I am dealing with an author like John Edgar Wideman or Toni Morrison. I know they put you to work so you gotta stick with them.

About the only book I ever invested a lot of time in was Samuel R. Delaney's DHALGREN. Everybody insists it is a classic and a work of genius so I have tried to read it several times. The last time I got about 500 pages through it before I decided I had been right the first time I read it....it is an incomprehensible mess and those who think it is great are afraid to say so.
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Ferociouskitty
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Post Number: 382
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Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2008 - 04:00 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

About the only book I ever invested a lot of time in was Samuel R. Delaney's DHALGREN. Everybody insists it is a classic and a work of genius so I have tried to read it several times. The last time I got about 500 pages through it before I decided I had been right the first time I read it....it is an incomprehensible mess and those who think it is great are afraid to say so.

I've been trying to read "The Brothers Karamazov" (the translation I have is entitled, "The Karamazov Brothers") since 2002. ;-)

The size of it is just overwhelming to me, and the story is hard to follow, but overall I've enjoyed it off and on. I was first drawn to it by a friend who insisted that the part about the parable of "The Grand Inquisitor" was a must-read. I agree!

From wiki:

"The tale is told by Ivan with brief interruptive questions by Alyosha. In the tale, Christ comes back to earth in Seville at the time of the Inquisition. He performs a number of miracles (echoing miracles from the Gospels). The people recognize him and adore him, but he is arrested by Inquisition leaders and sentenced to be burnt to death the next day. The Grand Inquisitor visits him in his cell to tell him that the Church no longer needs him. The main portion of the text is the Inquisitor explaining to Jesus why his return would interfere with the mission of the church."
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Cynique
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Post Number: 12601
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Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2008 - 06:41 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Stephen Carter's weighty tomes have always compelled me to stick with them. I am fascinated by his word mazes.
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Yvettep
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Post Number: 3106
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Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2008 - 06:44 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

FK's Boy-toy: Another proud member of the literary clean plate club.

(And Ima just ignore your OCD diagnosis :-))
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Yvettep
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Post Number: 3108
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Posted on Monday, July 28, 2008 - 10:29 am:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Terra: I like your analogy to relationships. Reading a book is something of a relationship, isn't it? Maybe I'll have to adopt that attitude... "It's not you, darling, it's me... Well, actually it is you..." LOL!
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Yvettep
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Post Number: 3109
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Posted on Monday, July 28, 2008 - 10:30 am:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

**waving** Hi, LiLi!
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Thumper
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Posted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 - 09:29 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Hello All,

Yvette: I use to be a semi member of the "clean plate" club. Actuall, I had a 100 page rule: if the book had not grabbed my full attention by page 100, I tossed it. A few years ago, when I said that I was asked why did I do that and that I was wasting my time reading the book that long if it wasn't hitting on nothing. Now, I no longer wait till page 100...its more like if I have to have a few attempts to get to page 10, I'm outta there.

Now that I review some of the books, I have to read the ones I review in their entirety. For those being reviewed, if they bore me, or if, under ordinary circumstances I would have tossed it; I get real, low down Cynique evil. Somebody is going to pay for getting my blood pressure up!

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