tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post3630137791585003444..comments2024-03-24T13:45:25.132-05:00Comments on Bookfoolery : Books I Have Set Aside and Why - A DNF PostBookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-35428836469759564172009-05-13T19:08:00.000-05:002009-05-13T19:08:00.000-05:00Monica,
I've meant to post them as I set them asi...Monica,<br /><br />I've meant to post them as I set them aside. Ah, well. It worked, right? :)Bookfoolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-60233022266163118852009-05-13T16:14:00.000-05:002009-05-13T16:14:00.000-05:00Good for you! I recently did a post like this, but...Good for you! I recently did a post like this, but it was 3 books over the course of 4 weeks... lolMonicahttp://www.monniblog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-62588620011730717202009-05-12T16:41:00.000-05:002009-05-12T16:41:00.000-05:00Jo-Jo,
I've seen mixed reviews on Deborah but For...Jo-Jo,<br /><br />I've seen mixed reviews on Deborah but Forever Lily . . . mostly negative. I still wanted to read the book, even though I read reviews before acquiring a copy, but it just didn't work for me.Bookfoolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-43960879894008888742009-05-12T15:45:00.000-05:002009-05-12T15:45:00.000-05:00I haven't read very many good reviews of Forever L...I haven't read very many good reviews of Forever Lily, but I LOVED The Triumph of Deborah. Although it does have its steamy and intense moments, it is in a tasteful way.Jo-Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12529212026658169288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-11489086819205623062009-05-12T07:18:00.000-05:002009-05-12T07:18:00.000-05:00Stephanie,
I thought about you, as I was writing ...Stephanie,<br /><br />I thought about you, as I was writing up my post. I don't remember you posting about it, but it's been quite a while since you went to China. I'm glad you felt the same!Bookfoolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-13304287861906525362009-05-11T21:10:00.000-05:002009-05-11T21:10:00.000-05:00I read Forever Lily too (and was excited to do so ...I read Forever Lily too (and was excited to do so since I was in the process of adopting my youngest from China at that time) but had the same exact issue as you did. It was really a dissapointing read!Stephaniehttp://thewrittenword.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-73786253268516365842009-05-09T22:21:00.000-05:002009-05-09T22:21:00.000-05:00Care,
Doesn't it sound great? I can only tell yo...Care,<br /><br />Doesn't it sound great? I can only tell you the book started out well. My son, however, will be happy to bend your ear about how much he enjoyed A Lever Long Enough.<br /><br />You just never know when one of those books might work on a second attempt. Mood can be everything.Bookfoolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-6282645949426659332009-05-09T20:47:00.000-05:002009-05-09T20:47:00.000-05:00I must say the Time Traveling Israeli book does so...I must say the Time Traveling Israeli book does sound interesting. I have a new category of books for 'I'm sure I would find it wonderful if I could just force myself to read it' to cover quite a few of my DNFs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-44260637657834112992009-05-09T17:53:00.000-05:002009-05-09T17:53:00.000-05:00Marie,
I didn't get far enough, either time, to r...Marie,<br /><br />I didn't get far enough, either time, to really make a good judgment call as to whether or not I'll like Deborah -- really, just a few pages. At that point, I realized it was not a breezy read and would require more concentration. We'll see what happens on the third attempt! :)<br /><br />Beth,<br /><br />Thank you. I'm glad you liked the way I decided to categorize. Really, I wish I'd come up with the idea of doing this, sooner. I tend to be a go-against-the-flow person, so I know my rejects aren't necessarily going to be everyone else's. <br /><br />Thanks for hopping over here to read and comment!<br /><br />Kathleen,<br /><br />Thanks for chiming in! It's nice to hear thoughts from an author's point of view. I used to just quietly set aside books that I couldn't force my way through but I'm realizing that this way makes so much more sense because at least with a DNF the author still gets some exposure. <br /><br />So true that there are too many great books to waste your time on one that doesn't work for you.Bookfoolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-54222868163889188002009-05-09T17:15:00.000-05:002009-05-09T17:15:00.000-05:00Great post. As an author, it's fascinating (and in...Great post. As an author, it's fascinating (and instructive) to find out which books people choose not to finish and why. As a reader, I have little patience for books that don't grab me in the first 50 pages. There are too many truly great books out there waiting to be read to waste time on those that don't strike a chord.Kathleen McClearyhttp://www.kathleenmccleary.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-8588330892484243502009-05-09T17:13:00.000-05:002009-05-09T17:13:00.000-05:00I love the way you posted about several books at o...I love the way you posted about several books at once and they way you categorized them -- revisiting vs. not revisiting. And I also like that you recognized that some books weren't for you but might be terrific for someone else.<br /><br />I decided just a couple of weeks ago to start posting about DFNs. I think it is as useful to know what didn't work as it is to know what did.<br /><br />Thanks for tweeting the link.Beth Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08627666337961326265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-338348203398807412009-05-09T17:00:00.000-05:002009-05-09T17:00:00.000-05:00I gave up on Deborah too but I just didn't like it...I gave up on Deborah too but I just didn't like it! :-) I thought it fell into the so-bad-it-was-good category but unfortunately,that wasn't enough to keep me reading.Marie Cloutierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14938166831865436287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-91381880067671182282009-05-09T16:52:00.000-05:002009-05-09T16:52:00.000-05:00Rainy,
I'm pretty moody, too. I think a huge par...Rainy,<br /><br />I'm pretty moody, too. I think a huge part of my reluctance to give up on books has to do with the fact that we've always been one-income (by choice) and our budget is typically pretty tight -- not as bad as it used to be, of course, but I became accustomed to feeling like I had to get my money's worth out of the books I bought. You're right -- it gets easier to figure out which ones you're likely to enjoy later, although taste does change. I have some books from my manic chick lit phase that I'm pretty sure I'll never read and probably ought to pass on. I still love chick lit, but only slotted in on occasion.<br /><br />I think it's great that you buy books for their covers, too. I've done that. Sometimes a book is so pretty it can just be ornamental. I've got a copy of The Blood of Flowers that is just gorgeous. When I bought it, I really wanted to read Divisadero (I was out seeking something to read immediately), but the cover of Divisadero was so hideous that I went for The Blood of Flowers . . . and then couldn't get into it at all. But, it's so pretty, it's still sitting on the shelf. <br /><br />Bellezza,<br /><br />It took me such a long time to reach this point. The only advice I can give you is to think about the time you spend reading. You want it to be time well spent, right? I seldom get upset with authors (exception: Nicholas Sparks has ticked me off enough to have the distinction of being the one author whose book I remember literally throwing at a wall) but if you're mad while reading, you're definitely not using your time in a good way. I'll work on you. Les' ability to abandon books has really helped me. :)<br /><br />Booklogged,<br /><br />That's so sweet of you, calling me a "good example". :) I really feel so much better about my reading, now that I'm setting things aside but mentioning who might like them and saying enough (I hope) for other readers to decide whether or not they're interested. I felt a lot like Bellezza, last year -- not so much angry with the author, but angry with myself for wasting my time and, like you, finding that if I pushed myself through a book that wasn't working, the reviews ended up a little bit on the mean side. This way feels like more of a win-win method, to me. It's nice to have confirmation of that; thank you for saying so!Bookfoolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-10395588028680375382009-05-09T15:49:00.000-05:002009-05-09T15:49:00.000-05:00Kelly,
"Slog books", maybe. :) Been there, done...Kelly,<br /><br />"Slog books", maybe. :) Been there, done that. It's particularly irritating when you drag yourself through a huge book and it never improves. Shorter books at least don't eat up as much time.<br /><br />I seriously do <I>not</I> think DNFing (yeah, I think it's a verb, LOL) books that everyone else loves is shallow. You and Trish need to get together and tell each other you're okay. Really, we all have such different taste. I tend to dislike a lot of books that everyone else loves, too, but I tend to go against the flow in a lot of ways, so it doesn't bother me a bit. <br /><br />Nikki,<br /><br />You <I>have</I> set aside a lot of books, but I think you've found some great authors recently, too (Jill Mansell -- and she loves you as much as you loved her book, which is all kinds of awesome). <br /><br />Thanks, it's nice knowing so many people think a DNF post is a good idea. I was really hesitant to write about books I didn't finish, at first, but now I kind of enjoy it because this way the author still gets some exposure and other people can decide for themselves whether the book sounds interesting. Everyone wins, right? :)<br /><br />Joy, <br /><br />Dream sequences used to not bother me, but they seem to be jumping out at me in fiction, lately, too -- I guess because they usually make too much sense to be believable. I'm glad I'm not the only one!<br /><br />Fear in North Carolina . . . not sure whether you'd enjoy it. Diary entries can be a little odd and repetitive, but my favorite way to read history is through the eyes of those who lived it, so I don't mind that it's a little choppy. I never can decide whether or not you'd like a book!<br /><br />It's funny how difficult it is for some of us to abandon a book, isn't it? I don't return to as many as I used to, but I can usually tell whether or not a book is worth a second attempt, these days.Bookfoolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-14653973058144938512009-05-09T15:13:00.000-05:002009-05-09T15:13:00.000-05:00Trish,
I don't think it's a bad thing that you do...Trish,<br /><br />I don't think it's a bad thing that you don't like most of the books "everyone else" is reading. Part of being human is having a mind of your own, including very individual taste. I reserve the right to say, "What's wrong with her??" when you hate one of my favorites, though. ;)<br /><br />I so wanted to enjoy Forever Lily! I really think I would have, if it hadn't had that dream sequence. Apart from that, I thought it was nicely written and a good read. <br /><br />Iliana,<br /><br />Since you used the words "any more", I'm assuming you used to have trouble setting aside books, like I did, yes? It sure does seem to get easier with age. <br /><br />Jenn,<br /><br />I'm glad my wordy comment didn't drive you nuts. I've just recently realized how little of that information I put to use and I could relate to your post. Thin Within is the one I was referring to, I think. <br /><br />JustMom's comment is great. I agree 100%. Yep, just eat right, move more -- it's really wild how many diet books there are, given the fact that you could summarize losing weight in so few words (calories in, calories burned), isn't it? I need to work on discipline and self-control, too. I'm getting the exercise, now that I'm in a marathon training group, but I still love my sodas. Sigh. <br /><br />Bybee,<br /><br />You poor thing. It must be much, much more difficult setting books aside when it's so hard to even acquire them in the first place.Bookfoolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-17645563579662853722009-05-09T13:23:00.000-05:002009-05-09T13:23:00.000-05:00I liked how you didn't dis on any of your DNF book...I liked how you didn't dis on any of your DNF books. It's true that some books just don't grab a hold for some reason, but they still will be enjoyed by others. I need to take a lesson from you because I recently wrote about two books I didn't like and I was not very nice. Thanks for the good example, Bookfool.Bookloggedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00651016653247142255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-58411489804618530572009-05-09T10:30:00.000-05:002009-05-09T10:30:00.000-05:00I'm still hoping you'll give me lessons on how to ...I'm still hoping you'll give me lessons on how to abandon a book. I'm so ripping compulsive that I absolutely must finish what I've started to read, and that means that if I don't like it I am mad, mad, mad until the end. Not good for the author, me, or the home I live in. ;) Maybe, though, with encouragement from you and Les, who are obviously more mature than I, I'll pick up this much needed skill.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-12490731440631208242009-05-09T10:17:00.000-05:002009-05-09T10:17:00.000-05:00Oh wow i enjoyed those short views into stories. P...Oh wow i enjoyed those short views into stories. Personally I'm moody so I learned that If I still can't get into it after 50 pages that I should stop reading it. Some books I get into immediately, others takes me a while and get there eventually and there are those, that no matter how hard I try, I simply can't stand. So yes i can stop anywhere, anytime. Some I've left and went back a few years later and enjoyed very much. We learn along the way what we like and what we don't like and since that also changes we just never know lol ;) I've ever bought some just 'cause I fell in love with the cover and will probably never read a single page...but books can be great decorative objects ...Great post as always dear Booky ;)Lorrainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14667955555940467301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-396705076465108232009-05-09T08:35:00.000-05:002009-05-09T08:35:00.000-05:00Interesting post. I don't like dreams in books, s...Interesting post. I don't like dreams in books, so Forever Lily would be a DNF for me, as well. Fear in North Carolina sounds like a good one. I'm going to look into that a little more.<br /><br />I've had to learn how to abandon books - it's been a long process. Reminding myself of the fact that there's too many good books out there to waste my precious time on books I'm not enjoying is a constant. If I don't keep that thought, I will continue reading. I have said that I will return to a book and have, but that doesn't happen often. Usually, if I'm done - I'm done.Thoughts of Joyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05572910467988997432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-4859593500589552112009-05-09T06:06:00.000-05:002009-05-09T06:06:00.000-05:00I agree on not reading something you don't like. ...I agree on not reading something you don't like. Unfortunately for me lately the ratio of DNF books to F books is high. I'm going to keep pressing. <br /><br />I think a DNF post is a great idea though. Maybe someone else will want to read a book I wasn't really into. Or I'll keep someone from wasting their time.<br /><br />Have a great weekend!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02853980637566992330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-18000266878645424642009-05-08T23:46:00.000-05:002009-05-08T23:46:00.000-05:00I think that we might need a category for books we...I think that we might need a category for books we finished and then wished we hadn't wasted the time on! It took me forever to slog through Stephen King's It...then I was mad at myself for wasting my time on it!<br /><br />I hadn't DNF'd (is that really a verb?) a book for a couple of years until this month. I just couldn't get through Joanna Scott's Follow Me. I know...I know...everyone else in the world LOVES this book. It's "lyrical". (Note to self...avoid books described as "lyrical"....)<br /><br />Of course, the last book I DNF'd (there I go with the verb thing again) before that was Life of Pi,and before that The Historian. Both wildly popular books...go figure, I guess I'm just more shallow than your average bear....Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05811292947565794018noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-17755592252224043412009-05-08T23:37:00.000-05:002009-05-08T23:37:00.000-05:00I already have 3 DNFs this year...as in, there's n...I already have 3 DNFs this year...as in, there's no way I'm going to read this again. Weep.Bybeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10061186489010154661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-31446114398449736092009-05-08T20:47:00.000-05:002009-05-08T20:47:00.000-05:00This is totally unrelated to your post (sorry), bu...This is totally unrelated to your post (sorry), but I wanted to respond to your comments on my blog. ;)<br /><br />Yes, it was "Thin Within" that I was referring to, for diet/weight loss books that helped me. I actually go back and reread "The Weigh Down Diet", though, when I need to be inspired, as TW is a little *too* preachy for me, and WD was the one that really started me off -- it's practical. Mind you, I'm thinking of rereading "Intuitive Eating" by Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch (own that, too), as it has all of the basic how-to's, but none of the "off" theology of WD.<br /><br />And, yes, I so totally agree with "knowing what to do, but just not doing it"... I don't NEED to read any more weight loss books, as they all basically tell you the same thing: eat less, move more. Duh! LOL. :P<br /><br />It's all about discipline & self-control: two things God wants us to have, right? So, "JustMom"'s comment on my post -- about praying for help -- was good, too. <br /><br />Pop is also one of MY downfalls... along with chocolate. I recently gave them up for 2 weeks, and lost 2 lbs. LOL. Go figure, eh?<br /><br />((sigh)) It's a crazy cycle.<br /><br />Thanks for your comments...much appreciated! :D<br /><br />~MizBMizBhttp://shouldbereading.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-45786973895090326472009-05-08T20:21:00.000-05:002009-05-08T20:21:00.000-05:00I don't have a problem giving up on books any more...I don't have a problem giving up on books any more. I figure if it's just not working out then there are hundreds more waiting for me. That said, I also set aside some DNFs for later. Sometimes it's all a matter of what mood I'm in so I do go back to some DNFs. Have a happy weekend!Ilianahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07026669671843769219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-80870452657979115192009-05-08T19:18:00.000-05:002009-05-08T19:18:00.000-05:00There are very few books that I set aside never to...There are very few books that I set aside never to finish, but I do have a pretty big pile of "hopefully I'll finish later" and an even bigger pile of books I've read and have kept around hoping for a second read where I'll like the book better (ones that I didn't like but everyone else loves that have me thinking--what's wrong with me!!). :)<br /><br />And I think there's a lot to be said about, doesn't work for me but might work for you. Glad you decided to share! I've heard interesting things about Forever Lily.Trish @ Love, Laughter, Insanityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17225576485797030511noreply@blogger.com