Sometimes I don't finish...

Books...

I just don't for a whole variety of reasons.  Sometimes if a book is just wrong and makes me mad I move on.  If it is overly political when it is not a book on politics I move on.  If it is just fluffy I move on.  Sometimes books go a direction I am not interested in or I feel like they are wasting my time when there is another book in the stack I want to read more and know I would love it more.  Sometimes they are just due at the library and I have rechecked them three times already and, well, I just know I need to get back to it later when I have more time so I let someone else read it while I wait to come back to it.

I know I tick people off when I say I don't love an author or a book but it is my opinion and you can love what you want.  I just don't have to.  Love what you like and I will respect that.

I don't love Anne Lamott's books.  She just tends to be ugly to groups of people, making sweeping generalizations based on political preferences in her books... at least her earlier books and so I put a book of her's down when I was 3/4 of the way through.  Dan asked me why I did not just finish it.  I just did not want to read that anymore.  He did not get that.  She was making me angry and I don't need that.  I don't need to be insulted for my preferences so I put it down.  The writing advice was great and she should have just stayed with that.  I would have finished it if that were the case.  I have not picked anything else of her's up since.  Maybe she has matured in her "spirituality" and someday I might try another of her books but for now... nope.

I did finish Julie and Julia and, honestly, I read it because I knew the movie was coming... what a waste of my time.  Again with slamming large groups of people for their beliefs... *shakes head*  I wish I had just watched the movie.  It was SO MUCH BETTER than the book!

I have put books down that go against the Bible because I don't need to fill my brain with things that are not true.  Other religions do not intrigue me.  Reading about someone's quest that does not end at Jesus is not appealing to me.  I pray they keep searching...

Fluffy women's ministry books just wear on me, too.  Mommy books do, too.  Fluffy fiction... both Christian and non-Christian wear me out with the treacle.  Books where people are all about "me, me me" wear me out, too.  I turned one away recently that is HIGHLY touted by Christian circles because I could not wade through the guy's ego.  I don't want to know how wonderful YOU are... I want to know how amazing GOD IS!

So, I took three books back to the library unfinished for three different reasons...

The Winter of Our Disconnect was wearing me out... I disagreed on just about everything she does as a parent and the worldview kept standing in the way.  Not gonna finish it...  I have a better one on my own shelf I want to read MUCH more that is in her bibliography at the back of the book... The Shallows... I am digging into that one soon.

Annie Dillard's The Writing Life... my brain was not ready for the scattered thought of this one... it is meant to be poetic in nature I think (I do not love all poetry) but it seemed like it drifted in and out of thoughts too much for me.  It was like reading a journal and I just could not stay with it.  Is she an amazing writer?  I think so but it is not my style of reading.  I might like something else of her's better and so I will try something else of her's later.  I like her... I just don't relate all the time to her.  I am not a writer and don't really want to be... which is probably why I could not embrace this book.  Other people that are more "artsy" in their reading will probably love this book.

One more I returned because I decided I am going to just buy this one... Growing a Farmer by Kurt Timmermeister.  It is a great reference book and when I am ready to be a "farmer" I will just buy the book.

See, lots of reasons not to finish a book.  LOL  All my opinions and you have to know that I don't judge your reading preferences.  If it makes you better or helps you in some way then go ahead and read it.  Just know I won't show up to the book club meeting unless you let me hang out in the kitchen eating the scones and drinking tea.  ;)

So, I am marking three books off my list with no regret and moving on...

Anyone else have a book they could not finish?  Why did you close it an walk away?  I would love to hear your stories.  It is good not to feel alone!  LOL

Oh, and one link to a great read about not finishing...

Ok, two more...

Know when to stop...

Did Not Finish...