I've read all the Herman Hesse books apart from one Steppenwolf for some reason I just can't finish it. It's not that I dislike it, it just doesn't keep my interest which is strange.
I can and do finish every book good or bad, although the bad ones take a lot of effort.lol So I can't understand exactly why I can't finish Steppenwolf.
Is there any books you have tried and just not been able to finish even after umpteen attempts?
[question posted by Foxfire1875]
responses and comments:
Sadly, I've never been able to read the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I can read The Hobbit just fine, but beyond that, I get started reading, and just get so bored! It's unfortunate, because I really love the movies, but the books are just so dry! [scarywhitegirl]
There are really good bits in the Lord of the Rings trilogy but to get to them you have to read a lot of boring bits especially The Two Towers. sleep All the Tolkien purists would want to kill me for saying this but Lord of the Rings trilogy could be cut down by at least a third and would make a better read. [Foxfire1875]
Gone with the wind.I have tried many times and borrowed from our library a couple of times.But i just can't finish it.I may say that i have no time to read,but actually i did have free time. Well,i gusee what makes me stop reading is that this is a long story,and some translation is hard to understand.the name they tanslated into Chinese is so weird. Altough I know this is a famous,intellegant book and worth of reading,ummmm,i find it hard to finish it.whatever,i will try again sometimes later : ) [liuqian]
Long stories do and it's easier for them to lose their way a bit and become boring. I might try reading it next time I get insomnia.lol [Foxfire1875]
It's Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich. It was the last book i'm reading but i only borrowed it from a friend in my building. she transfered an apartment now so i have to return it to her. i lost interest of it anyway 'cause of mylot. hehehe.. [thaMARKER]
Mylot never gets boring there's always plenty of interesting things to read here. I wish that had been the case with some books I've read that the owner wanted them back before I finished them.lol [Foxfire1875]
I normally like to read books about parapsychology, but every now and then, one will get so bogged down in studies and statistics that I can't finish it. I've been trying to finish a book on Your Infinite Ability to be Rich, but I sort of do and don't want to finish it. Every time I apply something in it, something cool happens. But when I do finish, I will start reading it over again. Mostly I'm learning about all the opportunities that present themselves, but my eyes have been closed to them or I was so down and didn't present a positive image, so I lost out. Now I see opportunities everywhere. [writersedge]
Just find books about seeing opportunities and you will. It's amazing. We all have many more opportunities than we ever see. But once we learn to see them, there are many books like that out now, The Secret is a book about seeing opportunities. The book I'm reading is along the same lines, just more religious and cheaper. There was an ad in the newspaper that asked, "Do you like animals? Do you want to talk to people? Call __________" So I called, it was selling dog and cat food. Never did sales in my life. But it was at PetSmart and it sounded like fun. They wanted a resume and a letter of recommendation. So I wrote an abbreviated resume with just animal experience and my letter of recommendation was me writing what my cat would say about how great a Mommy I am. Of course at my interview, I gave a real resume and real letters of reference, but what I sent intrigued him. Showed I had a sense of humor, could put myself in my animal's place, etc. He liked that I had taught since I would be teaching about pet food and pet nutrition. Before that book, I would never have applied. Turns out it was an opportunity I would have missed. This past June 16th was my first anniversary of working selling dog and cat food for Blue Buffalo. Also, I'm up to three job offers for sales now. The door for teaching closed, but the one for sales opened just because I saw an opportunity when I could have said, "What kind of gimmic is this crap? Or "Sales, I've never done sales." A lot of sales is teaching about a product. When you teach why it's so great, you're doing sales. Never thought about it that way until it was presented that way by the guy who hired me for Blue. The book and the sales rep taught me about opportunities. Books really can change your life. Esp. if they help you to see what you've never seen before! [writersedge]
The one book that I was not able to finish was Needful Things by Stephen King. It started out OK for me but after I got into it for awhile, I just could not "get into it". The book just turned out to be boring for me and was moving rather slowly. Too slow. That's the only book that I remember not being able to finish. [bluerubymoon53]
Stephen King can go on a bit but I didn't find Needful things that bad. It's definitely not one of his best though. [Foxfire1875]
I've never been able to finish Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. It's the language. It's just too difficult for me. Also, for some reason, I can't ever get through Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I've tried multiple times. I've seen two movie versions (one movie, one mini series) but I can't finish the book. I've managed to read one of her other books (Sense and Sensibility) all the way through, but Pride and Prejudice is just one that defeats me every time. [Angelwriter]
That's a shame as they are good books but I know what you mean about the language. I found that I couldn't just pick up and read small sections, I needed to read a fair bit just to get into the style/language of them because they are so different to modern literature but the stories are worth it. [Foxfire1875]
I have to say right now that the last book I was not able to finish was Grisham's Appeal, you knew how the whole story was going to end 1/4 of teh way through the book and after that chapter the book just dragged, which was unusual for a Grisham book. Its unusual fo rme to not be able to finish a book because I am an avid reader and love reading....especially legal mysteries, and legal thrillers Mooch [oneandonemakesix]
There is nothing worse than a book that gives the whole story away so near the beginning. sad It just makes it a chore to get to the end. [Foxfire1875]
The classic book I've never been able to finish was that famous book by Lawrence of Arabia - his memoirs. I literally tried for years. Everytime I started I was discouraged by something. The stuffiness of it. The unending explanations of Arabian politics, the descriptions of the countries and the customs which was most of the book, and, of course, the negotiations, which took years and dedication that made the author famous. Another such book was War And Peace by Leo Tolstoy. Russian books are heavy and this one is a massive work of literature. I can only admire the patience and effort of these authors. That alone is stupendous. [Bluepatch]
Lawrence of Arabia would be a great book to read but after what you said about the stuffiness I doubt I could oersist either. I find biographies/memoirs really dull anyway and have read only a few as the amount of tedious details just drive me mad. [Foxfire1875]
i am into this book entitle RED ZONE for over 2 months now and i cant simply read through it...i read it whenver i am bored or i have nothing to do or to read left in my shelves...i am a novel fan but not this one...it is about a crime made by the animals (close to that) the idea is good because it is a true story but on how the author narrates the sotry is really boring...once you start reading it you will just wind up and realized you have fallen asleep...hays [petiksmode]
The good story ruined by a boring writer, there are a lot of books like that.lol Maybe you should just read it when you can't get to sleep. [Foxfire1875]
Hello Foxfire1875. This is an interesting discussion about what book one has not been able to finish. Usually, I am like you, if I start reading a book, I finish it, even if it kills me! No matter how boring, I trudge through it. However, there is one book I couldn't finish several years ago when I tried to read it. And, I often wonder if I went back and tried to read it now, would I be able to finish it this time? That book is, "A Time to Kill" by John Grisham. And here's the thing, I love all his books and think they are just great, interesting, suspenseful, etc. But this book, I could not hack. Wonder if I should try it again... PearlGrace [PearlGrace]
I didn't realise when I started how interesting it would be but I thought that it would be good to find out what books if any were most likely to not be finished. I can't think of any authors I've read that I liked all the books they had written, so maybe "A Time to Kill" by John Grisham, is the one of his you just don't like. [Foxfire1875]
I've never been able to finish the Choosing Civility book, and the High School Confidential book, and the Jonathan Livingston Seagull book. [mikexsandy]
Not heard of the first two but surprised that you didn't finish Jonathan Livingston Seagull, as from what I remember it wasn't that long a book but maybe it was the story that was too dull for you.confused [Foxfire1875]
I have read the first few chapters of Paolo Coelho's "the Alchemist", but unfortunately wasn't able to finish it. I only got to read it because i borrowed it from my HS guidance counselor, only for a short while though. Then I graduated HS, and never got to visit her again. Everytime I visit bookstores, i really want to have a copy of that book, only to finish it...SAd thing is, i couldn't afford it. [chocolateiscreams]
Maybe you could borrow it from a library? I thought it was okay and have read it twice but I think there are better books to read. [Foxfire1875]
stephen kings novel. a lot of critics give him really good feed backs thats why i started reading his books. but everytime i start to read his book im finding myself not wanting to read it. i dont know how he good those good feed backs really. interesting thing is no matter how i dislike the book i finish it but somehow ill end up buying a stephen king book again lol. [Chibakeru]
Stephen King does drag things out a bit too much, although I do like his books and have read quite a lot of them. If you find the novels too long and boring try the short stories. [Foxfire1875]
Hi Foxy, I got three quarters of the way through Paula Radcliffe's autobiography and gave up. A good book is The History of Glue. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. [Scoop_Dogg]
The History of Glue hmmm not sure I'd like to get stuck reading that, as there are so many other books I want to read. I doubt I'd even get three quarters through most autobiographies. I just can't get into them at all. [Foxfire1875]
Some book, I'm interested in it's name. And then I really read it find it's a little boring, then I stop read. I may read it again someday, I maybe will read the book, I don't like if I need that knowledge. But some I don't really give up, and don't read it forever, just put it there. [ynigz1]
You might find that books you couldn't get into in a few years time you might be able to. I just don't like giving up on books at all as I know that some books can hit a boring bit but then get good. [Foxfire1875]
I would have to say the Lord of the Rings trilogy, most certainly. I could read the Hobbit, just like another poster here mentioned, but I couldn't get halfway through the first book of the trilogy! Too dry... boring. Loved the movies. There's another book I haven't ever been able to finish and I've started it like four or five times. Battlefield Earth. It's only a thousand and some pages (I read the entire Terry Goodkind Sword of Truth series, all 1000 some pages apiece) and just couldn't finish it.. too long for some reason. Weird that I could read the fantasy so easily, but not the sci-fi. [duskyshadows]
Sci-fi can get bogged down in too much technical stuff for me but I usually just skim over the too detailed parts. I'm not surprised at all about the Lord of the Rings trilogy appearing in this discussion as it does take a lot of persistance to get through it but it is a good story with interesting characters as is shown by the fact that the movies are liked so much. [Foxfire1875]
I am not able to finish series of Harry Potter because its movies are so fantastic and incredible but its books are so boring and dry.The one scene of the movie is described in 40-50 pages in the novel which diverts one's mind to somewhere else. [cool_aks]
I've only read one of the Harry Potter books - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - and it was okay. I thought it moved at a fairly brisk pace but maybe it's the only one that does. [Foxfire1875]
I have never been able to finish reading the bible. I have read a lot of it, but I can't say I have read every verse. I also skip around a lot in it. [mscott]
The language/style of the bible is what puts me off reading it properly but I don't really look on it as a book to read through really. [Foxfire1875]
I haven't been able to finish a book called Sign of the Qin by L.G. Bass. I got it from Barnes and Noble like 5 or 6 years ago and it is a very interesting and enthralling book, but for some reason I always forget about it when I near the end. I think its because a new book that I've been wanting to read comes out. Now I'm very curious about what happens at the end, I think I'll go read it. [imagenius128]
I get round that by having about 3-5 books on the go at the same time so I never leave a book almost finished for long. [Foxfire1875]
closiest to me is reading a book of literature, social.Many things i can not identificate what the book explore, so i've read carefully and concentration to that [luki_aj]
That can be frustrating and I find books written a few hundred years ago the most difficult but not impossible you just jave to as you say concentrate more and sometimes when you read that is good sometimes it's not though. [Foxfire1875]
I can remember two - The Bible and Anne Rice's Taltos. lollollol [TheManager24]
Never attempted it but not really interested in reading the bible anyway.lol I used to read Anne Rice but stopped for some reason probably couldn't afford to buy the books. [Foxfire1875]
Well, there's a couple of them. To my husband's dismay, I have never been able to get through Dune. Great movie, love the story, can't get through the book, don't know why. Much to MY dismay, I can't get through Wizard and Glass by Stephen King. I think it's the 4th book in the Gunslinger series (which I have loved so far). At some point in Wizard and Glass, I guess it got a little slow and the suspense building just got to me and I just haven't been able to pick it up since I put it down. I am thinking about starting to read the whole series over again to see if I can manage to get through it this time. I have also been thinking about giving Dune another chance. [phoenix25]
That is a pain and one thing that I hate in some books. I'm surprised I finished Moby D as there was a lot of terms and older words that I had to look up in the glossary. Dune is worth having another go at though. [Foxfire1875]
Thomas Mann's Felix Krull. I loved the first two or three chapters, and I just love the author's language style. Krull just wasn't able to sustain my interest. I tried a few more times to read through it... failed. [NonaSaile]
It is strange that happens as I keep doing the same with Steppenwolf. I start to read it thinking this time I'll finish it and it goes so well and then I abandon it again!! [Foxfire1875]
I just cannot bring myself to read Moby D. Unfortunately it was required reading for me in a couple of courses and I just faked it by reading Cliff Notes and seeing the movie. The only time I ever skimmed by like that... How hysterical--the mylot terms of use won't let me say the whole name of the book--you know what I mean though, I'm sure. [Bevsue]
I read that fairly recently and liked it apart from all the details about everything to do with whaling. sleepsleep It would have been a lot better if he had written two books one just the story which is great and one a factual book about whaling. [Foxfire1875]
Smila's Sense of Snow. I've tried at least a dozen times. It goes into great detail about how many words the eskimos have for snow. Shocking, considering there in no change in climate during the whole book... [Adelida2233]
I sometimes wonder what goes through authors minds when they decide to write a book as the number of books that are so dull because of the incessant details that authors think readers want is unbelievable. [Foxfire1875]
I have started and stopped reading "The Complete Idiots Guide To Psychology," but never been able to finish it. I read "Psychology For Dummies," with no problem. Maybe I need to dig it up and force myself to finish it. [Rozie37]
I just can't finish non-fiction. To me they are just reference and I can't think of any I have read completely. [Foxfire1875]
I read 'Watership Down' and 'Plague Dogs' by Richard Adams but have never managed to get further than the first few chapters of 'Shardik' [Wizzywig]
It was years ago but I managed all three. Although Shardik was the most difficult to persist with and I'm not sure I could again. [Foxfire1875]
many many books I haven't finish read! he he..I will try to finish some good books! [monaliu]
Good or bad it's always good to finish a book. Good luck in your quest to finish them. [Foxfire1875]
i was unable to finish my course book and it is too difficult even to read only then i have to study, and the thing is i don't have any interest in studying this subject. but forcefully i had to study this. luckily i completed my course [aswinbio]
Even now I won't touch Steinbeck because of school, which is a shame I might try and read one as his books are said to be good. Nothing can make you hate a book or author more than if you are made to read them. [Foxfire1875]
Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell & someone else. I can't figure out why I couldn't go beyond even one-third of the book; left it on my shelf for almost year, hoping to pick it up and continue. In the end, I totally gave it up. [lazeebee]
I have done the same with Steppenwolf so many times and the only reason I keep trying is that I've read all the other Hesse books and I refuse to let it beat me. [Foxfire1875]
I could never finish "The Hobbit", they get lost in the forest way too long and I just get bored with it. it's a shame as it means I've never been able to get into "The Lord Of The Rings" even though people tell me it doesn't matter if you haven't read "The Hobbit". I don't know why as I've enjoyed other so called "Sword and sorcery" books, it's just something about Tolkien I can't get on with. [nancyrowina]
If you can't finish "The Hobbit" then the "The Lord Of The Rings trilogy" isn't a good idea, not because you have to read "The Hobbit" first but "The Lord Of The Rings trilogy" is so long and so detailed which really makes it drag and trust me if you thought that getting lost in a forest was too long just look at the movies and remember how long it took Frodo to get rid of the ring.lol Tolkien just goes into too much detail with everything so unless you really like that sort of thing is slows the story too much. It is a shame as it is an amazing story. [Foxfire1875]
Ulysses by James Joyce. I guess I share that with a lot of people. I have heard it is the sort of book many people have in their book shelf but hardly anyone reads. I just did not get into it. I really disliked the writing style. [teison2]
Thanks for the tip! I am reading the last in a series of ten crime novels. It might be time for a challenge in a little whilehappy [teison2]
I hope no one from my writing group is reading this right now!blush As members of a writing group one of our roles is to support one another. So when someone gets a book published we should buy at least one copy. The latest book published by one of our members if a very short book entitled "Memoirs of a Fly Fisher". Since I'm not all that interested in fly fishing, I am having a hard time getting through it. It's 197 pages and I'm on page 62. As a rule, I never DON'T finish a book I start so I will eventually finish this one but it could take a long time. There's other stuff I'd rather be reading. [patgalca]
There is nothing worse than reading a book which has a subject that you are just not into at all. My boyfriend keeps saying I should read Q but I tried once and it was so dull that I gave up. I have been told by friends who have read it that if I can get past the first 300 pages shocked then it gets better. Good luck finishing "Memoirs of a Fly Fisher" I doubt I could. [Foxfire1875]
I started "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver several times and have never made it all the way through. I like it but it is a very long book and apparently it has not just grabbed me by the neck and pulled me in. Someday I will finish it. [makingpots]
I find with long books that I start something else and go back to it later as you do get bored of a book sometimes and a break can rekindle interest. [Foxfire1875]
I just can't get through anything written by Ernest Hemmingway. I know that's terrible because he is a great writer but his books either bore me and I don't like his style of writing. I can read just about anything, just not his books. [Aussiepup113]
I find with Hemmingway it's the subject matter so have never tried to read his books. Sometimes you just have to admit defeat with an author no matter how many people say they are great. [Foxfire1875]
As much as i've found the movie of the same title very intriguing, i was never able to get passed chapte one of The Da Vinci Code...it bore to tears!! It probably did get more interesting as the book went on, but i just couldn't concentrate and get into the story for how boring it was!! Also, a book I did want to finish, but had to return to the library where i had borrowed it is The green mile..that book was very good, but i never got to finish it. [jewel76]
If you got past the first chapter it probably did pick up a bit more pace but it's not the sort of book I would say to go read again as it isn't that good. [Foxfire1875]
I've started a couple of Clive Cussler books. They are well-written, adventurous, exciting..all in all...they are really good books! But, they are LONG! LOL. If I don't get it finished in a weekend, I have trouble picking it back up a week later and trying to remember the characters and what is going on. This last one I started several weeks ago. I'll probably have to just start over. [estherlou]
I don't have that problem as I'm always starting books even though I haven't finished the one I'm on but I've always done that.lol Also sometimes I don't have the time to read and leave gaps but my mind is so used to it I never forget characters or plots. [Foxfire1875]
The Catcher in the Rye. I tried several times to read it, but I never could get past the first few pages. I'll read it someday, because I usually force myself to read the ones I don't like. [Bd200789]
I can usually make myself read books I don't like but I definitely wouldn't read anything else by the author unless a friend persuaded me. [Foxfire1875]
yap!! exactly.. i tried reading C.S. Lewis' books. one of those is Problem of Pain.. the title excites me because somehow the title relates to my own problem. but for some reason i just couldnt understand the book! i liked the topic a lot. but starting the first few pages, somehow i find it boring and caused me to stop. but i struggled a lot that after many days i then started reading it all over again, but i just cant grasp his ideas and knowlege. i inquired to the owner of the book, my aunt, and she told me that the author is philosophical that is why we can't or i can't fully grasp what he is talking or telling me about. hehe, it made me realize that i am really not into philosophical things. and C.s. Lewis other books like the chronicles of narnia, i still find it boring. i had a copy of some of his series but i just couldnt apprehend or like what he is talking. it was the same like that of harry potter, but i really could not finish the book in one setting.. hmmm, i managed to finish the last book of the series because somehow i find it interesting though.. but i was under struggle doing so... [jingbautista]
It's a long time since I read the Narnia books but I really liked them but then I read a lot of fantasy and science fiction. Sometimes it isn't the time to read a book as we aren't the right age yet, so maybe it is a book you might read later. Philosophy is difficult though and I haven't even attempted any.blush [Foxfire1875]