I would enjoy reading a meme about people’™s abandoned books. The books that you start but don’™t finish say as much about you as the ones you actually read, sometimes because of the books themselves or because of the circumstances that prevent you from finishing. So . . . what books have you abandoned and why?
There are only a few books that I’ve abandoned recently, although there have been quite a few that I’ve taken back to the library unread. That’s not because I’ve abandoned them, but because they’ve been due back and I haven’t even started them. My eyes are always optimistic in the library, or greedy may be a better description and I nearly always come home with more books than I can possibly read during the loan period.There was one library book I did completely abandon completely and that was Female of the Species by Joyce Carol Oates, a book of short stories that I just couldn’t read as the first couple were too nasty.
Another book I’ve started but not finished is Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, because I kept starting it and putting it down; frankly I found it just a bit boring. Maybe I’ll have another go sometime as I know that other people think it’s a good book, but it’s not on my radar right now.
Mostly the books that I’ve started but not finished are those that are long and detailed, like Claire Tomalin’s biography of Thomas Hardy. I don’t consider that I’ve abandoned it because I do intend finishing it, but not just yet because I want to read more of Hardy’s own books first. I’ll go back to it and probably have to start it again.
I’ve also started to read Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Adichie and although I’ve stopped I certainly haven’t abandoned it – it looks just the sort of book that I enjoy – it’s because I’ve been reading other books, in particular The Verneys by Adrian Tinniswood, which is a library copy and was due back a few days ago. I can’t renew it as lots of people have reserved it. It’s a great book – a post on it is in progress.
BooksPlease 
You’re the second person today I’ve read saying Cloud Atlas is boring. It’s the next book I’m going to read too!
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Welcome crafty green poet. Do please let me know what you think of Cloud Atlas.
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I like Hardy’s work but I’m not a big fan of biographies.
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Sometimes it’s just not the right time to be reading something – when I was young I had four attempts to read Lawrence Durrell’s Alexandria Quartet. I couldn’t seem to get into it but, on the 4th attempt, I raced through and loved it. Perhaps it will work with Cloud Atlas!
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I find it quite interesting that so many of the same authors keep popping up with this meme. Though I didn’t expect David Mitchell (I haven’t read Cloud Atlas). I listed a Hardy book, not the biography.
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I should probably abandon more books — I tend to stick with them even when I’m not enjoying them, which is such a waste of time.
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Hmmmm…I have Cloud Atlas right next to me!! I just picked it up from the library! And I tend to stick with books once I start them. I hope I like it better than you did!
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I really enjoyed Cloud Atlas – but then it is a bit sci-fi.How far did you get with it, because the very first part is hard going, but the rest of the book is much easier to read.
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Thanks for all your comments. Geraniumcat I agree that its sometimes not the right time to read a book – it’s me not the book.Paul, I like sci-fi. Looking at it today the book doesn’t look as though it’s been opened, let alone read, so I didn’t get very far at all. I think I got up to about page 30-ish. I was reading it at night and kept falling asleep, but then I often do that and it doesn’t stop me enjoying or finishing a book.I’ll give it another go.
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There are, from memory, 6 different sections in the book, each with a different style of writing. Whilst I don’t remember how many pages in the 2nd section starts, it is worth at least getting to the 2nd section to see if you enjoy that more.
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I didn’t think to mention that about Library books – I do it too, all the time. Usually because I get a huge pile of books out as a form of procrastination when I have an assignment due and then have no opportunity to read them.I really want to read the Verney’s – you are the second person I have heard about it from :)Also – really enjoyed your post about public accessways recently and which I also pointed my parents to. It is something that comes up in NZ from time to time as well.
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