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/lit/ - Literature

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16938372 No.16938372 [Reply] [Original]

Do you feel like it's important to push through a shitty book or do you toss it? I'm on my 4th good book in a row and questioning why I slogged through so much trash for so long. It's just such a good feeling to get back into a good book rather than, "well i gotta finish this shit and hope I get lucky next time."

>> No.16938768
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16938768

>>16938372
Bump

>> No.16938793

What the fuck is the point of pushing through a shitty book. Trash it. The greatest improvement I ever made to my reading is when I started using the local library and immediately returning any book that didn't interest me in the first few pages

>> No.16938907

>>16938372
Is that Dr. Gregory Sandler?

>> No.16939301

>>16938907
Penn Jillette

>> No.16939354

>>16938793
why not read the first few pages in the library before borrowing it?

>> No.16939388

>>16939301
no its greg

>> No.16939483
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16939483

>>16939388

>> No.16939574

(you can find almost any relatively popular book by googling “title pdf”, and then you can see if you like it)

>> No.16939734

Gotta keep your house warm somehow

>> No.16939760

>>16938793
This.
I have a pet theory that you can spot a bad author based on the first sentence. It's never failed me.

>> No.16939859

>>16938372
What 4 good books did you read? Im looking for recommendations

>> No.16939895

>>16939354
I almost always read a bit in the library before getting it to see if I like the writing style. Thing is I've found plenty of books where I liked the writing style and then brought it home and found out I hate the actual contents of the writing. I could read more of it in the library but I'm usually on errands anyways so I just grab a few and one usually sticks

>> No.16939945
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16939945

>>16938372
I am very particular when it comes to reading. This is not 'nam, there are rules.

1) I need to really feel like reading a book before I start it. I start to read if I have a gut reaction to a work, and doing otherwise brings down the experience.

2) Short of me genuinely not understanding a book, I finish what I start. I have had books that are great until the last 3rd where it goes to shit, and books with awful starts that get good once they really start going.

3) With #2 in mind, I reserve judgment on a books quality until the very end. Would I consider a book with a excellent beginning and a mediocre end truly good? What about a short story collection with a handfull of good stories, but a ton of bad ones?

>> No.16939955

There's so much quality content in the world and life is short. Toss garbage immediately.

>> No.16939961

>>16939945
Forgot one

4) I cannot start another work the same day I finish a previous one. I need to let the previous one sink in, and sleep on it, so as to start fresh with the next. To me, this also helps with pace. Different books have different paces, and going from a light pulpy novel to a work of classic lit can give me whiplash, as my brain tries to read as fast as it can while trying to digest a more antiquated style.

>> No.16940053
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16940053

>>16939859
The Five People You Meet in Heaven
Dune
1984
Crime and Punishment

>> No.16940074

>>16938372
>Do you feel like it's important to push through a shitty book
No. It's a waste of time.
>or do you toss it?
No. I'm a completionist and I hate myself for it.

>> No.16940102
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16940102

>>16940074
Oof. I know the feeling.

>> No.16940126
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16940126

I think it depends on the kind of shit you're reading.
It's important to occasionally read outside of your comfort zone to see if it expands your perspective, but there's no reason to power through a book with zero value for "discipline" or "bragging rights"

>> No.16940263

>>16938372
I don't even finish books I like, let alone those I don't

>> No.16940269

I finished taipei even though only the first chapter was good

>> No.16940272

>>16939760
>it's
Still true for some books tho

>> No.16940280

>>16940272
his grammar is correct retard
it's: it is or it has

>> No.16940570

>>16940272
lol

>> No.16940664

>>16938768
please can i have one (1) grape ?

>> No.16940690

>>16940664
[access denied]

>> No.16940700
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16940700

>>16940272
Oh nononononononono

>> No.16940761

>>16938372
there are only few books which are rewarding and not challenging. some books become rewarding only after re-reading them. what have you tossed, OP?

>> No.16941590

>>16939961
I thought I was the only one. I'm pleased someone else does the same thing