Books You Couldn't Finish

[emmie]

have you any books you picked up, put down, then thought this is rubbish, not working, or can't get into.
I have tried with a number of books, one was Gullivers Travels, but somehow i don't actually like it, not sure why...

[jake-the-peg]

Had a few attempts at Lord of the rings - just ended up getting bored half way through the second book.

Agree with Thomas Hardy! I do remember being at school and we did McBeth - we all loved it - murder, intrigue brilliant stuff

Then we had to study the Mayor of Casterbridge - after about 3 weeks they gave up trying to get us interested into it and went back to Shakespere and Julius Caeser!

[emmie]

i didn't like the constant gloom of Hardy, and having seen a number of TV adaptations determined never to watch another, nor read any more of his books. Same for DH Lawrence, really don't understand the book Women in Love and couldn't stand the film.

[craft1948]

I struggled my way through Mantel's Wolf Hall, and have been attempting her Bring Up The Bodies for the last 2 months.............

[chaptazbru]

No. Because if I see a book I might like (or know I'll like if it's by one of my favourite writers), I'll read the first sentence or two and the back cover to see what it's all about and I always seem to know from doing that that I'll enjoy it. This is why I will always prefer books to a kindle.

[craft1948]

I use a kindle but before I buy a book I always read the previous buyers' reviews, and on many of them you can read the first couple of pages before ordering.................

[ChillDoubt]

Think we did this before....

Anyway, there's only one I couldn't finish. I got 100 pages in and had to give up, which is not like me. I thought it was dire.



It was Captain Corelli's Mandolin.

[emmie]

i love a proper hard backed book, and keep a small but well read library of classics, and some not so classic, which get read from time to time. Eyesights poor now so have to be careful not to overdo it,
never liked so called romance stuff nor the horror genre.
Whoever mentioned Bleak House should persevere if possible it's a great story, and if you really can't face it see if you can get the tv adaptation with Gillian Anderson that is very good..

[emmie]

chill, that is in my favourite top ten, loved it from first page to last..

[craft1948]

CD I gave up on Captain Corelli as well, it was dire.

[chelle7272]

Very rare I give up on a book but could not get into One Day by David Nichools depite all the raving reviews about it.

[ChillDoubt]

My sister said she's read other stuff by Louis de Bernieres and enjoyed them just as much as CCM but I'll just have to take her word for it.

I buy fewer books these days as I prefer audiobooks, but will only listen to those read by the author (usually autobiographies, obviously). Great for holidays too, I can keep my hands free for drinking instead!

[shaneystar2]

Corellis Mandolin for me too and Wolf Hall ..got half way through and took it to the charity shop .
Da Vinci code and Shadow of the Wind went the same way .
I've never been able to get through any tomes of dreary "must read" classics either apart from Lorna Doone .
Give me a good thriller or murder mystery any day.

[chaptazbru]

Much prefer the feel of a book in my hands. Love books.

Someone recommended Anna Karenina once, didn't think I'd like it, but it was excellent (imo).

[emmie]

Captain Corelli's mandolin is definite a favourite as is David Nicholls One Day, funny and so shocking..
half way through Ford Madox Ford Parade's End, but so far it's sitting their forlorn

[society]

So many most of them I donated. The rest, I hope to finish someday.

[emmie]

one i would recommend is Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, a psychological thriller, and is a corker, best book for years...

[chaptazbru]

I'm madly into Tess Gerritsen at the mo - can't get enough of her books !

[ichkeria]

Ulysses is a wonderful book - you just need to get past the Sandymount Strand chapter and enjoy the ride until the really difficult scene in the hospital ...

I'm afraid Finnegans Wake did for me after two chapters but I will return to it in due course

[yogasun]

Mandolin, Dragon Tattoo, and oh dear, someone's told me I MUST read Wolf Hall and I have seen a lot of you struggled with it...