Obligated?
Do you feel obligated to finish all books you start reading? A friend of mine asked me this question the other day and it started me thinking. So I thought I would blog about it…
I usually do feel obligated to finish all books. There’s something in me that says “You started it, you have to finish it”. But I tend to feel that way about most things.
I can only remember not finishing two books. They were A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (I blogged about this one).
I actually read both of these novels for much longer than I wanted to–because of this sense of “obligation”. I end up being disappointed at the end of books every now and again, only because I don’t go with my gut, and just stop reading when I know a book isn’t going to be any good. I know good writing, and I know–pretty early on–when a story is going to be good.
I just need to start paying attention to myself–to my sense about writing and story lines–and put bad books (or books that I’m not engaged in) down!!!
So what about you? Do you have the same sense of obligation? Or are you able to stop reading a book you’ve started–no problem?
I’m glad I’m not the only one who has this obligation! I read all of War and Peace, Anna Karenina, and Gone with the Wind because of this need to finish reading them, even though I found them excruciatingly dull. The only ones that I couldn’t force myself to finish no matter how hard I tried were 700 Club’s Pat Robertson’s conspiracy theory laden book, The New World Order, and everything written by Maeve Binchy.
🙂 SO glad to know I’M not the only one!
I actually loved Anna Karenina–although it took me about 100 pages or so to feel that way about it! I’ve not read Gone with the Wind or War and Peace though. I’m afraid I’d feel the same way, and be stuck reading them because of this sense of obligation.
And oh my! I have a good friend who “warned” me about Binchy’s books! So funny though, because she’s actually a really popular writer. To each her (or his) own, right?
Have a good day!
~m
I do not feel this obligation, but I don;t take the privilege lightly when I do. If I honestly believe it is a total, utter waste of time that is boring me to death, I will put it down. This usually doesn’t happen very often, and I finish almost everything I start.
I hear ya’! 🙂 I’m gaining some ground in this–in learning to trust my instincts and just put bad books down.
Thanks for stopping by. You’ve got a great blog.
~m
Thank you very much! I am brand new to blogging and I am just getting started, so hope ll is going well!