CAJUNLAWYER
Member
That is a shame as it was one of my favorite CLancy ovels. This book pretty much defined who John Clark was
Finishing a bad book.
- Thread starter mckenney99
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BLACKHAWKNJ
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I pretty much read only non-fictions, history. If an author does not use proper dates, has too many reference to obscure and little read writers. short-lived publications with few if any archives accessible, uses names of tribes, etc. with no explanations then I don't bother with that book.
Ranger17
Member
I read every day as a way to escape and be entertained. I only read fiction and normally am in the action, post apocalyptic and fantasy genres.
For me its more about characters and connecting. If I get maybe 1/4 of the way in and I just don't feel anything, I am done. Doesn't mean its a bad book and I wouldn't give it a poor review, it just wasn't for me at the time.
I am in the Kindle Unlimited plan and also am an advance/beta reader for several authors as well, I have plenty to choose from so I don't waste time. As I want to enjoy what I read. And yes same goes for me and movies lol.
For me its more about characters and connecting. If I get maybe 1/4 of the way in and I just don't feel anything, I am done. Doesn't mean its a bad book and I wouldn't give it a poor review, it just wasn't for me at the time.
I am in the Kindle Unlimited plan and also am an advance/beta reader for several authors as well, I have plenty to choose from so I don't waste time. As I want to enjoy what I read. And yes same goes for me and movies lol.
I only read the SW forum lounge!
I've read a LOT of books......
If I feel that I may get something out of a 'bad' one, I'll tough it on through. It it stinks, though, I'll toss it. There have only been a few that stunk that bad.
One I felt really disappointed with because it was very high on the recommended reading list was 'Atlas Shrugged'. I thought I should get something out of it but when I finished I thought it might have made an interesting short novella. Maybe.
If I feel that I may get something out of a 'bad' one, I'll tough it on through. It it stinks, though, I'll toss it. There have only been a few that stunk that bad.
One I felt really disappointed with because it was very high on the recommended reading list was 'Atlas Shrugged'. I thought I should get something out of it but when I finished I thought it might have made an interesting short novella. Maybe.
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Kinda minimal requirements to get a business degree...
I recall reading Atlas Shrugged when I was 19 or so. At the time I was a vegetarian and living in a yoga ashram in Tucson. I thought it was a pretty good read, but the worshipping of the gold dollar sign monument struck me as kinda weird. It was only later that I learned what a famous, influential work it was.
RW, you want something hard to stick with, try Thomas Mann's The Magic Mountain. Now there's a reading enthusiast's killer.
I was given the assignment to read Atlas Shrugged for a college class. While it was a sluggish read at times (1168 pages and especially the 70 page "speech") it gave me much to ponder.
PS: Mom gave me a merit badge for finishing Canterbury Tales.
PS: Mom gave me a merit badge for finishing Canterbury Tales.
I was searching the web for lists of hard to read books and was struck by how many had Moby Dick on them. I know it got a bit detail oriented but I never found it a chore to read. We are all wired differently.
Melville is considered tough to read by most English teachers I know.
I had them read a bit of Tonality and Expression by Cooke and they just shook their heads and put it down.
A book that I finished and still read as necessary, that would make me fall asleep while reading on the NYC subways and miss my stops, without fail, is Treatise on the Fugue by Gedalge.
I had them read a bit of Tonality and Expression by Cooke and they just shook their heads and put it down.
A book that I finished and still read as necessary, that would make me fall asleep while reading on the NYC subways and miss my stops, without fail, is Treatise on the Fugue by Gedalge.
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I was in the "plow ahead at any cost" camp until sometime in my 50s when I shifted to "life's too short". That's also about when I last read fiction.
With respect to audio books it would be nice to choose the voice.
S&WIowegan
US Veteran
Avid reader my entire life
I won't spend your time listing what I like but my tastes are very wide ranging i.e. cheap western paperbacks to really serious stuff. As a former Wall Street investment banker, I really enjoy all the scams and stupid disasters bankers do. I just finished two history books that intentionally tell the whole truth about many people and events. One author wasted paper and ink claiming Michael Millken got a bad rap. I knew Millken since we had parallel careers. He was without a doubt one of the biggest extortion bullies who darkened Wall Street. His defenders say he wasn't convicted of much. His victims were too embarassed to expose themselves by testifying.
I'm currently reading a short summary history of the Vikings(being half Swede and at least a quarter German). Amazing people who were far more complex than simple barbarians. BTW they get called barbaric savages by people who did the same things a few hundred years before.
I won't spend your time listing what I like but my tastes are very wide ranging i.e. cheap western paperbacks to really serious stuff. As a former Wall Street investment banker, I really enjoy all the scams and stupid disasters bankers do. I just finished two history books that intentionally tell the whole truth about many people and events. One author wasted paper and ink claiming Michael Millken got a bad rap. I knew Millken since we had parallel careers. He was without a doubt one of the biggest extortion bullies who darkened Wall Street. His defenders say he wasn't convicted of much. His victims were too embarassed to expose themselves by testifying.
I'm currently reading a short summary history of the Vikings(being half Swede and at least a quarter German). Amazing people who were far more complex than simple barbarians. BTW they get called barbaric savages by people who did the same things a few hundred years before.
I read quite a bit, I can get interested in a subject and read three or four books in a short period of time. I don't like to only read one author on a subject and prefer to get at least three or four different takes on the subject and make my own decision. I've recently been reading black history from James Baldwin to Ta-Nehisi Coates. I am constantly amazed at the people that get 90% of what they know from television or the internet, I know people that haven't picked up really any kind of book since high school. The only book my son has read from cover to cover was the State Driver's manual.
I'm getting ready to read Ron Chernow's "Grant".
I'm getting ready to read Ron Chernow's "Grant".
charlie sherrill
Member
Mark Twain is one of my favorites although I read a little of everything. If he ever wrote anything I didn't read it's only because I didn't know about it. If I start a book and it bores me after a chapter or two I get rid of it. The last one I did this with was with was Ada, by Vladimir Nabokov. After a couple of chapters I still didn't have any idea what I was reading. Not for me. I've read the Bible several times from cover to cover but skipped all the "begats" in the Old Testament the last few times I read it. I like well written historical stuff,especially WWII and some WWI stuff. I don't care for Civil War stuff that much. We lost that one. I wish Lewis Grizzard was still alive and writing. Clancy, Grisham (his Ole Miss room mate was one of my neighbors and I met Grisham at his funeral), and a few others. I find most of my books at thrift stores and estate/yard sales. I don't like paying the prices for new books. I have a lot of gun reference books and use them for just that. I'll read most anything that interest me unless it starts getting too progressive or anti 2A.
I'd like:
Jean Simmons
Audrey Hepburn
Keira Knightly
and some French actresses as well.
Other than Tarzan, Moby Dick, Kon-Tiki and required reading in school, I read/use technical/music books.
The study of Naval Architecture included the magnificent seaworthy boats of the Vikings.... and not Bayliners.
Combing the lines of Viking boats and whaling harpoon boats into our P5 Sealuge caused Melville to only say... "nice boat"
Just kidding.
European Spruce from the Austrian Tyrol, where my Grandfather lived, made great masts and the finest fiddle/guitar tops.
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Chubbo
Member
Kindle
My memory has become deplorable, and reading from my Kindle, book, has been disturbing. I have hundreds of books stored on it. The last three books were lost before the last chapter ended. Needless to say, I've turned the Kindle Off, and I'm now reading actual books only.
An actual book that I've started, and stopped several times, is G. Gordon Liddy's, only novel; entitled, Out of Order. The reason for my starting, and stopping, to read it is; This book is very complex, and I've been repeatedly, interrupted, and lost the plot. I don't want to have another, book detracting my attention, while I read this superbly written book. Liddy knows of what he writes, and writes it well. This book is in a class all its own.
My memory has become deplorable, and reading from my Kindle, book, has been disturbing. I have hundreds of books stored on it. The last three books were lost before the last chapter ended. Needless to say, I've turned the Kindle Off, and I'm now reading actual books only.
An actual book that I've started, and stopped several times, is G. Gordon Liddy's, only novel; entitled, Out of Order. The reason for my starting, and stopping, to read it is; This book is very complex, and I've been repeatedly, interrupted, and lost the plot. I don't want to have another, book detracting my attention, while I read this superbly written book. Liddy knows of what he writes, and writes it well. This book is in a class all its own.
mmb617
Member
I have a hard time not finishing a book even if I don't like it, but I do have some limits and there have been a few books I just couldn't read to the end.
kamloops67
Member
I really enjoyed Canterbury tales , the volume I have has the original text ,followed by an abridged edition for each tale
I found it very interesting . I felt I could actually savour the meanings of the old words I truly believe that reading old literature gives me a better understanding of modern language
And yes I'm one of the guys that(usually) won't throw down a bad book
