how many pages usually do you give a book before putting it down?

Question

some times we have to decide to give up the reading of a book when it is bored.

Answer 1

I am the sort of person who will struggle through a book even if it gets rather boring, though if it really starts to annoy me I may just skim through the pages, not really reading them, just so I can get to the end already and be done with it.

If it's a really, really horrible book, I usually give myself half the book before I totally give up on it. I don't like doing this much, though...

Answer 2

maybe it's really bad, but i decide if i'm gonna read a book or not after the first paragraph. i read the blurb, decide if i'm even going to try it, and then read the first paragraph. it's not about judging the content, cause i already did that by reading the blurb, it's about judging the style of writing. if the author's style doesn't grab me, then i don't bother.

having said that, if i'm reading a 'classic', then i'll persevere anyway because i know it's going to be a great book.

the only books i've read where i didn't do this were 'The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever' by Stephen Donaldson. It took me about a month to read the first 200 pages but I stuck with it and boom! I couldn't put it down. I then read the other 5 600-page books of the series in about 3 weeks.

Answer 3

Depends on why I'm reading the book. If it's for entertainment I generally give it at the very least 50 pages, and more if I feel like it's well written but just not very interesting. Lots of good books take ages to get going, but we seem to be culturally developing ADD.

You just have no idea how a book is going to be from reading a couple pages, in fact most of the classics are extremely dull a couple chapters in. We're overlooking a lot of great literature because of our dwindling attention spans.

Answer 4

Usually the first chapter or about 60 pages although I find that I'll give a lot longer to authors whose books I've liked before. For instance Clive Custler, some of his books get staight into the action but others he's got a two/three chapter set up before things get interesting. Same with Christopher Brookmyer. Have to admit though.. I never could get into Lord of the Rings, love the film mind.

Answer 5

I have a really hard time giving up on a book. (even after I found out that giving up on a book is a sign of maturity...) So, I tend not to give it an exact number, ie, after 100 or whatever. What I do is after two or three days, I notice that I'm not picking it up as often as other books or I find things to do other than reading it, then I know that it's time to put it away...

Answer 6

I like the way words "pull me along" on a page. I can usually open a book and read a few lines and know whether I will be able to continue reading. This process comes in ahnd in book stores.

1.Grab a book.
2.Open it randomely.
3.Look for the first piece of dialog.
4.Read the parapheary the dialog is in
5.Set the book down or buy it! :-)

Answer 7

For a fiction book that is already in my home (whether owned or borrowed) probably three or four chapters and the last two or three pages. If it hasn't improved at all...then I might give up. If it's slightly improved, I'll keep reading for a little longer. If I was browsing in a bookstore or library....I look only at the first three to four pages and maybe the last two or three as well.

Answer 8

Usually when I choose a book to read I will read it all. There have been books that I have read several chapters before I truly got really interested in it, so I give it a good chance before I give up on it...

Answer 9

I usually read about the book first to get a feel of it, then I ditch it
if it does not interest me after the first chapter or before if it is dire.
Sometimes, after a few words if it truly annoys me. I recently read a book on the healing powers of water - what a waste of time and I actually am ashamed to have read it - my reading time is precious and this was a waste of it.

Answer 10

If I´m getting bored after the first chapter I read the last few pages to see if it´s worth reading any more or not!