Comments on: Rich White Dudes: Mini-Reviews

By: Catherine

Catherine — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 01:01:48 +0000

In reply to Priscilla. Bad writing is an automatic DNF! You're absolutely right about "audience" which is a great way to look at it.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 17:47:10 +0000

In reply to Ann @ Books on the Table. Oh, Ann, I was one of those people- even more so when I was younger! I did it with books and movies. I felt some kind of obligation- that someone had put time and effort into creating this thing so I had to finish what I started. Really silly, I know but it was a kind of mercy reading. Now, I'm much more brutal. I can't even imagine how many books you must have to choose from so can see that you'd have to be ruthless about what you stick with and what you ditch.

By: Priscilla

Priscilla — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 15:08:17 +0000

I bail. I used to worry about finishing everything I started (that said, I’ve never had a problem abandoning a book for bad writing), but I don’t so much anymore. I think it’s perfectly okay to abandon something when I realize I’m not the right audience.

By: Ann @ Books on the Table

Ann @ Books on the Table — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 13:22:57 +0000

I totally do not understand the concept of “powering through” a book I’m not enjoying. I probably finish 20% of the books I start. Partly this is because I’m a bookseller and I bring home piles of books to choose from, but I did this even as a child — I would bring home stacks of books from the library and read some and abandon others. What I don’t get is how people who feel they must finish every book they start ever have the courage to open a book! Do they feel that just because they read the first chapter they must grimly read on, even though there are countless books out there they would enjoy?

By: Sarah's Book Shelves

Sarah's Book Shelves — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 11:56:44 +0000

I read Fall of Princes until the end and, while I didn’t love it (like you said, I’d read the same book before…Vanities, Wolf of Wall Street, a bunch of nonfiction about the 2008 crash), I did end up appreciating the more melancholy tone that was different than other debauchery books. I gave it 3.5 stars.

I remember hearing about A Good Family at BEA and briefly considered picking it up, but didn’t. I’d completely forgotten about it until now!

And – I used to finish every single book I started, but made a 2015 resolution to be quicker to DNF and I’ve gotten a bit better, but still…ha!