How long do you stick with a book when you’re not enjoying it?
I’m currently 15% of the way through Don Quixote, which I’m reading as part of a challenge to read The Telegraph’s top 100 books of all time. I’m finding it incredibly hard going, though, and I have a desperate desire to give it up and move on to something I like better.
In general, I read for enjoyment, and I’m not enjoying Don Quixote.
What worries me is that if I give up on this book, I’ve got a built in excuse to give up on any others I struggle with, in which case I might as well give up on the challenge now. If I stick with the book and the challenge, however, there’s every chance it will take me many years to get through it, and that isn’t a prospect I like.
I’d love to hear what you think; would you stick with the book, or allow enjoyment (or lack thereof) to be the deciding factor.
Alex R Carver 
I might try a different translation before I gave up entirely. Sometimes, that can help a lot.
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I hadn’t considered that possibility, good thought. I’ll have to nip off to amazon and find and alternative.
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I usually finish any book I start. That being said, I may take a break from a book, read a few others, and then go back to finish it. If it’s a series, I will read the first book but will only continue if I enjoyed book 1.
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I don’t like the idea of not finishing a book, so taking a break from it may be a good way to go, that and looking for a different version, as reprobate typewriter suggests.
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I don’t mind not finishing a book. Life’s too short to waste on boring books. 🙂 Not all books are meant to be enjoyed by everyone right?
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That’s true, and it’s what I’m trying to decide on. I set myself the challenge more so I can brag I’ve read the books than anything else, and now, since I’m so busy with writing, marketing, reading for reviews, it feels like I’m putting myself under pressure to read these weighty tomes when I should be reading for pleasure.
I don’t like quitting, but I do want to dread reading a little less
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I take a long time to read a book because I immerse myself into it so much and savour every word. I’d struggle if I ended the first chapter and wasn’t at least intrigued enough to continue. However with a really good review or recommendation I’d delve a little deeper
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I like the concept, and the central character is interesting, but because the book is four hundred years old, and translated from the Spanish, the language is a little convoluted and difficult to deal with.
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I totally understand and it can draw you out of the moment sometimes. That’s why I find it odd that people are sometimes so against movies being made etc of books but I think it brings great stories to audiences that may otherwise not be able to enjoy them.
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My only problem with movies/tv series from books is when they deviate too far from the original story. It can be a great way to access a story you wouldn’t necessarily read, though
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I totally agree. I think something are changed because they simply wouldn’t work on film buy I think one flew over the cuckoos nest is a great example. It’s a fantastic film but it’s absolutely nothing to do with the book really
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