/lit/ - Literature

>>17660852
>reading introductions
NGMI.

>introduction
>"this book is great, if I was in your place I'd skip this introduction right now"

based

>>17660857
But I'm afraid that I will miss important context and my understanding of the book will be incomplete.

>>17660852
Introductions suck. They spoil stuff, they usually offer little insight, and they usually feature some blowhard gushing about how great the book is and how the reader is in for a treat. I skip them every time.

A decent introduction would just give some background on the time period or the author if it's needed to understand the book.

>>17660852
As if book introduction were some kind of unscippable cutscene.
Only your stupidity prevents you from starting reading the book at once.

Just don't read them, or treat them like a mini essay after you finish the book

>>17660852
i chop off me dick off and listen to yt and twitter desu

>>17660883
Read the introduction after you've read the book.

>>17660852
Just turn to the right page Stan.

>>17660908
This. The introduction of the book that I'm currently reading just flat-out says a MAJOR action that the main character does 600 pages into the book.

>>17661001
YOOOOOO

>>17660852
But you must, the introduction can give you good info about the author, or the context where the book was written.

>>17660852
The introduction can be the best part. You ain't chained from progressing one-by-one. Just turn the god damn page quicker.

>>17660852
>reading books linearly
>not just skipping back and forth to chapters that interest him
ngmi

>>17660852
Every single introduction written in the past 20 years serves no other purpose other than to place the name of the editor right next to the name of a great author.
Just skip that trash

>>17660908
We aren't splitting the right hairs here. An introduction can be multifaceted and it's unfair to pin it into biography or geography. It is highly dependant on the material that proceeds it. You can introduce it however you like. It depends.

Now the conclusion better damn well be spot-on or the book is getting burned.

>read a book by a western author published during commie times in my Warsaw pact country
>50 page introduction goes into explaining how stuff are actually about people's struggles and the bourgeoisie this and that and quoting "the great Russian" whoever
All in all everything is about fighting fascism, even if the book is set in 14th century France or whatever.

>>17660852
It's so they can have a copyright on a public domain book.

>>17660852
>introduction
>spoils every major plot event

never
read
intros

>>17661001
This. Introductions should be at the END of the book, not the beginning.

When I finish my book I will put the introduction at the end. Soon everyone will be doing it and my name will be revered throughout the land.

>>17660852
>Read the 70 page introduction to Fagles Odyssey
Am I doing something wrong?

>>17660908
>A decent introduction would just give some background on the time period or the author if it's needed to understand the book.
I agree with this wholeheartedly

>>17664283
why do they do dis

>>17660852
The introductions give context and important ideas to look out for and consider. How is that not valuable to you?

>>17664584
No, it’s an important introduction which gives historical background to the odyssey. Knox’s introductions are generally brimming with interesting and useful information.