READING LIFE
Do you really have to finish every book you start?
You are reading the same page for the third time. The bookmark barely moves, and each evening you find something else to do. Still, the book stays there. You bought it, someone recommended it, and you would like to know what you think of the ending.
It can be hard to tell whether a book bores you or you simply have little attention to spare. Try to name what is getting in the way. Is the language more demanding than you expected? Have you lost interest in the plot? Or would tiredness make any book difficult tonight?
If you still want to know what happens, give it another moment. A book read on a crowded journey may feel different on a quiet Sunday. Going back a few pages might also help you pick up the thread.
Putting it aside leaves the door open
You do not have to choose between finishing now and giving up forever. Set it aside and note what originally drew you to it, along with where you stopped. If you want to return, you will have somewhere to begin.
This also applies to a book you find interesting without wanting to continue. Caring about a subject does not guarantee that you will enjoy how it is presented. Another book may give you a different way in, or you may prefer to move on.
If the purchase price is keeping you there, think about what the remaining hours would give you. You can lend it to someone with different tastes, give it away or keep it for later. It can have another life without you finishing it.
When someone asks what you thought, be specific: “I stopped about a hundred pages in because I wasn’t getting into the story.” That describes your reading experience rather than judging the entire book. There is nothing to hide.
If you have mainly lost the thread, resuming a book after a break may only require returning to the start of the chapter.
Keep track of where you left off.
Read Today keeps your books and reading progress together, including when you take a break.
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