Monday, June 1, 2009

Monday is here again

Musing Mondays (BIG)How much time (or how many pages) do you give a book that you aren't really enjoying before you'll set it aside? If you're reading it for a book group discussion, or for review, will you give it more of a chance then, say, a book you're reading for your own interest? Why, or why not?


Previously I used give a book 50 pages. Now I give it 20 pages. If I can't read it, I simply leave it and move on to the next. Sometimes I have plodded on only to be disappointed in the end. Then there are a few books, I couldn't go beyond 10 pages. That includes Hemingway and James Joyce.

Suppose if I was reading for a book club, I would go on. It depends. Another reader might show me something which I miss out in the first place.

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Received, read and reviewed the following books (that was fast!):

Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
Mirror Blue by Thomma Lynn Grindstaff
Visions by Jean Koning

Better than the previous week when I received none!
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It's Monday! What Are You Reading This Week? is a weekly event hosted by J. Kaye of J. Kaye's Book Blog, "to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finish this week."

Last week I finished :

Mirror Blue by Thomma Lynn Grindstaff
Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
Chinatown Angel by A. E. Roman
Death's Daughter by Amber Benson

Currently Reading:

The Known World by Edward P. Jones
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff
Now Silence by Tori Warner Shepard

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Even a bad book would merit a couple or two good passages. I try to finish a book that doesn't live up to my expectation, skim through it and call it a day.

Speaking of James Joyce, I plan to take up Ulysses again some time this year!

Ruth King said...

I've never read Joyce. I have to admit that I find his work a bit intimidating. (I'm also fairly certain that I won't like it, and there are so many other books out there that appeal to me. Why waste my time?)

Melody said...

For me, I'd give it a few more chapters. If it still doesn't interest me, I'd just give it up.

BooksPlease said...

There haven't been many books I've given up on. If I'm not liking it I usually skim through to see if it gets any better.

Mari - Escape In A Book said...

I've recently decided that I don't want to waste my time reading books that I don't like.

I have The 19th wife on my wish list!

Here my Monday post

Teddyree said...

Will have to check out some of the books on your list. I've been reading Love in the Time of Cholera for a month now, I'm sure it's good but I'm obviously not in the right frame of mind.
Happy Reading :-)
Here's my post

Sharon said...

I bought The Known World to read last year and never did. I was trying to read Oprah Book Club books last year but the ones I chose all turned out to be soooo depressing (except for Where The Heart Is) that I just put it aside for the time being. Will be waiting to see what you think of it.

Maree said...

You're doing better than me ... happy reading! :)

Serena said...

not a bad week in books. I hope you had a great weekend.

serendipity_viv said...

I am impressed you bought, received and read all those books so quickly.

Yvonne said...

I really need to discipline myself and not spend days reading a book I don't like.

Pam said...

I've posted my Monday Musings on my blog, but I wanted to comment on two of your books. I read Mudbound last week and truly loved it. I read The 19th Wife a few months ago and thought it was fascinating. I enjoyed them both.

Amanda said...

James Joyce makes me shudder, but I do love Hemingway!

Mary (Bookfan) said...

Mudbound is on my TBR list!

Ruth Schaller said...

Wow, you read three books at a time!!?!??! That's cool. I'm lucky I can handle reading 2! LOL

Happy reading!

Anonymous said...

Great list! Look forward to read your comments on Joyce (he's a little over my head)

Anonymous said...

You had such a great week! Way to go!!

Brooke from The Bluestocking Guide said...

Hmm I think 20 pages is too little. Here is Musing.

I also wanted to invite you to join Cafe Blue which is the new book discussion forum I started on my blog.

Robin M said...

For me it just depends on the book and how bad the writing or the story is. It could be one chapter or 100 pages. Lifes to short to torture myself reading a bad book. My post is up now.

Wrighty said...

Great books! I don't force myself to finish a book I don't like although I used to. I give it a chance but it it's not good I'm done. There are too many other books waiting to be read. Hemingway and Joyce aren't my favorites either.

Nise' said...

Great job reading last week. I read Mudbound too! I have a 50 page rule.

Wendi said...

The 19th Wife was one I really enjoyed, and it made for a great book club read. :)

Here's my Mailbox! ~ Wendi

Marie Cloutier said...

Wow 20 pages- guess they better make a good impression & fast! :-)