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/lit/ - Literature

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14630902 No.14630902 [Reply] [Original]

>Give a book 50 pages. When you get to the bottom of Page 50, ask yourself if you're really liking the book. If you are, of course, then great, keep on reading. But if you're not, then put it down and look for another. (Always keep in mind that there's nothing to stop you from going back to it later, whether that might be in six days or six years. Or 60 years. There is many a book that I couldn't get into the first time, or even two, that I tried to read it, and then, giving it one more chance, totally fell under its spell. The book obviously hadn't changed - but I had.)

>This rule of 50 worked exceedingly well until I entered my own 50s. As I wended my way toward 60, and beyond, I could no longer avoid the realization that, while the reading time remaining in my life was growing shorter, the world of books that I wanted to read was, if anything, growing larger. In a flash of, if I do say so myself, brilliance, I realized that my Rule of 50 was incomplete. It needed an addendum. And here it is: When you are 51 years of age or older, subtract your age from 100, and the resulting number (which, of course, gets smaller every year) is the number of pages you should read before you can guiltlessly give up on a book. As the saying goes, "Age has its privileges."

Was he right? Is this a good rule for books?

>> No.14630921

>>14630902
It make perfect sense, yeah. I gave Foucault’s Pendulum 400 out of 600 pages before I dropped it even though I knew at 50 I disliked it.

>> No.14631018

>>14630902
Stop smearing the memory of Bloom with your lies and deceptions, you filthy kike.

>> No.14632246

I gave Mainländer's philosophy of redemption about 100 pages before I started skipping paragraphs, one day later I stopped reading altogether.

>> No.14632387

>>14631018
This. Who the fuck is Nancy Pearl anyway?

>> No.14632404

>>14632387
I dont care what or who she is but as someone who hates reading despite being addicted to it I think it's an excellent rule.

>> No.14632514

>>14632404
We usually end up hating the things which we are addicted to. Though yours is an unusual addiction these days.

>>14630902
As for the role being good or not, does anybody know if any books that might show it to be wrong, that is books which become good after page 50?

>> No.14632520

>>14632514
>As for the role being good or not, does anybody know if any books that might show it to be wrong, that is books which become good after page 50
Most Russian /lit/ in my opinion

>> No.14632521

>>14631018
>>14632387
While Bloom emphasised a lot that you have to learn to read and appreciate good literature, I don't think he'd disagree too much with the core proposition. One of the reasons he gave for studying literature is that life is too short to read garbage.

>> No.14632540

I will keep the 50 page rule from now on.

>> No.14632556

>>14630902
Borges said the same thing

>> No.14632559

If you don't like a book just put it the hell down. Why fast and pointless numbers? Books, good books, should win you over and over, page after page. Good books feel like a conversation with a genius. 50 pages is like an hour of reading even at a quick pace. Would you talk to a dunce for an hour in vain hope that he'll wisen up before telling him to piss off?

>> No.14632569

>>14632559
At 50 pages in, the book can change for the better.

>> No.14632588

>>14630902
Nah anon
Old dude was dead wrong

>If you're the kind of person who would drop a book because you don't like it, your only reason to not-drop is fomo

Otoh, if you're the kind of person who comprehends putting yourself through difficulty & learning to comprehend what disagrees with you, you're in for a life of adventure no matter how you spend your time

>> No.14632589

>>14632559
>50 pages is like an hour of reading even at a quick pace
ONLY at a quick pace. If you read 50 pages per hour and the book is not Harry Potter you're doing it wrong.

>> No.14632981

>>14632514
I think I am more addicted to the hubris of the "book reader" than the actual act.

>> No.14632988

i have a lot of time, i dont mind persevering for something

>> No.14634471

harold bump

>> No.14635548

>>14634471
harold blump

>> No.14635553

Sounds like autism