A Post of Unfinished Books

The trouble with borrowing library books is that they have to be returned. Most of the time it's ok, because I can renew them, and I get to finish the book. For popular books it's a bit more difficult though because people go and reserve them! So, one of the books I was reading in May had to be returned unfinished... and a couple of other books had to be returned as well. I just don't know what's wrong with my reading this year. It seems to take forever to get through a book and I'm just not that patient anymore.

I've been abandoning book club books as soon as the meeting is over so Shadow of the Wind, The Secret Scripture, Possession and The Old Curiosity Shop are all going unfinished. Luckily the first and the last are rereads, so it's not like I don't know what happens... and I found a rather good summary of Possession which covered all the major events in a tenth of the time it would take me to read the book. I was on holidays when Secret Scripture was discussed and really couldn't get into it at all.

Other books become victim to my Book Club reading because I have to drop what I'm reading to read the set books. Victims of this include: Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother - Amy Chua, which is also had to be returned because there are reserves on it, and... well actually I don't remember any others. Books that I own also suffer the same fate, but are much more easily picked up again - The Complete Polysyballic Spree by Nick Hornby is one of these. However, it is suited to being picked up, read and put down.

I do have a policy that if I can't get into a book by between 50 - 100 pages then I'm ok with abandoning it... I can always try it again later when my frame of mind has changed. Some books I have to be in the right mood for and won't enjoy it if I force myself to read it. I think that's what happens with some of the book club books.

We've had discussions in book club about where people stand on finishing books. Many of the group members are strict book finishers. They feel like they owe the author the courtesy of finishing... I wonder why... I wonder if it is a generation thing? What do you think?