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  I Couldn't Finish It Shelf

  Shelfari needs another shelf--besides the "I'm reading" or "I want to Read" or the "I've Read" shelf--we need an "I couldn't finish it" Shelf.
  
  I've got about 6 books right now that are...okay. They're not Bad. One of them is probably pretty good. But it's a little too intense for this wimpy reader. Most of the time, I avoid buying books that I know will scare me too much, that will be too hard for me to read--but this author came to our writers group to speak. And she's a really nice lady. And the book didn't Seem too scary in the beginning. So I bought one, and had it autographed--and I'm chickening out about 1/3 of the way through. I'd kinda sorta like to pick it back up and finish it--but probably won't. And I need a separate shelf to put it on.

  Gail Dayton started this discussion 4 months ago. ( reply )

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  lady_ice 

  i have i book i could not finish either well there have been a few in my life time that i have put down never to pick up again. Catcher in the Rye, Tuck Everlasting, Lord of the Flies, Of Mice and Men (could not get past the first sentence on the first page), The Great Gatsby. Why do they all seem to be "The Great American Classics"? i could not pick any of them back up once i put them down and i had to read all but CITR for school. i have tried and tried to re-read them as i got older and nothing has changed for me. CITR on the other hand i tried to read as an adult and just could not do it. Some have said maybe i am to old to understand it now. But what ever the case i agree we need an "I Could Not Finish It Shelf."

  posted 4 months ago. ( reply )

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    Judi 

    I'm 55 pages into "The Great Gatsby" and hoping it gets better!

    posted 3 weeks ago. ( reply )

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  Anne G 

  Great idea! I seem to switch a couple books per month from the "I'm reading" to the no-mans land of "I couldn't finish it." I have found that Shelfari makes me a more discerning reader because I have SO MUCH on my "want to read" shelf that I feel like I don't want to waste time anymore on the stuff I don't like.

  posted 4 months ago. ( reply )

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    Paula 

    I think an "I just don't have the time to waste on this book" shelf would be fabulous! I am much more discerning when I read than I used to be. Why waste the time on a bad book, just hoping it will get better. ugh. I'd rather start one of the many books on my "want to read" shelf. One book that I can never get through, no matter how many times I try, is Red Badge of Courage. I used to groan every time I had to label it when i worked at a bookstore.

    posted 4 months ago. ( reply )

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  Alina B 

  I totally understand what you mean!!! For me it was Under the Volcano!!!! I can't understand for the life of me why this is considered a masterpiece.... It was boring, boring, boring and although I finished it I don't think anyone would consider my scanning through it actually reading it.

  posted 4 months ago. ( reply )

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  Mrs. Lumpy 

  I have more books than I care to admit that would fall under that shelf... If I can't get into it within the first few chapters, I just don't waste my time... therefore, my REAL bookshelves are cluttered with reminders of my failed attempts.
  I usually loan out (and therefore never see again) the books that I truly enjoy!
  Go figure...
  I think a "Tried to Read" would be great!
  It might help to weed out the "What is wrong with me! This got such GREAT reviews" feeling that I get each time I get to page 100 and deem the book unreadable...
  Most recently that shelf would include The Rule of Four, Of Mice and Men (although I intend to give that one another shot!) and Prince Caspian...
  

  posted 4 months ago. ( reply )

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    Haka92 

    Currently on my "Tried to Read" list is:
    
    Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace
    Mason & Dixon by Thomas Pynchon

    posted 4 months ago. ( reply )

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    lady_ice 

    In my opinion Of Mice and Men is not worth another shot. i tried and tried to read that for school when i was in high school and i could not get past the first sentence of the first page without falling asleep EVERY TIME. But that is just my opinion.

    posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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  Adian M (edited)

  I would love to have a "I couldn't finish it!" shelf. It would bump up my book count...hee hee. I don't know if it is just my own perversness or what but I find the books that "everyone has to read" are generally the ones I can't finish.

  posted 4 months ago. ( reply )

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  tatertot 

  You should seriously post this suggestion on the Shelfari Group, it's a great idea!! I have several books I couln't finish and they currenty sit on my I"ve read shelf with a 1 star and explanation in the review part.

  posted 4 months ago. ( reply )

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    teobesta 

    done

    posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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  Gail Dayton 

  Well--I've come up with two more books just lately that I'm not sure I can finish. I really, really liked the first book in one series, and in the other--also an urban fantasy series--I sorta liked the first book, but not that much. That one, I'm having much more trouble finishing. Yeah. Guess I ought to go join that other "Shelfari Groups" group and make the suggestion.

  posted 4 months ago. ( reply )

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  andiepoo 

  I couldn't finish Moby Dick. T_T I can finish Dickens and love it, but I can't finish Moby Dick. I tried and tried, but I just kept falling asleep.

  posted 4 months ago. ( reply )

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    Jacquelyn T 

    I've been reading Moby Dick since Nov '07 and I'm maybe 1/4 of the way through. I only read it when I am having trouble sleeping and it puts me right to sleep.

    posted 1 month ago. ( reply )

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  KHT 

  I am all for your suggestion of having the "I couldn't finish it" shelf and the other one from Mrs. Lumpy for "Tried to Read". I am in that predicament right now. I have tried to read "We Need to Talk About Kevin" since December and cannot seem to get beyond p. 30.

  posted 4 months ago. ( reply )

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    KHT 

    Another thought...I had the same feeling with Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar" as well, but I kept gnawing at it one page at a time and did finish it. So why did this book get so much rave reviews and became a classic?

    posted 4 months ago. ( reply )

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  angel 

  There will probably more books on that shelf for everyone--I got several right now waiting for this new shelf--it would be a blast and new topic for discussions too. Probably make some new friends and groups--wonderful idea.

  posted 4 months ago. ( reply )

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  Tricia042 

  The Age Of Innocence. Three times I've tried to read this one.

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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    Erin 

    This is in my top 3 favorite books of all time I think - but I just fell in love with Edith Wharton. Anyway, I'd recommend watching the movie - it's lovely...one of my favorite movies as well.

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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  Jacktastic 

  Yes! I have a stack of these - Anna Karenina being the shining example.

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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  Starr 

  I know it's supposed to be one of the greatest books of all time, but I absolutely could NOT finish "The Fellowship of the Ring". I never thought I would say this about a book, but it was just too descriptive. It's like Tolkien spent so much time describing everything and the history of the lands and his characters that I was left wondering,"when the heck is something going to actually HAPPEN?!" I am ashamed to admit that this series of books are the only ones I can think of that I actually enjoyed the movies more.

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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    Selly T 

    I don't blame you. I finished the Fellowship of the Ring, but I absolutely cannot finish The Two Towers. I always stop about two or three pages into chapter seven when the Ents are talking. Ironically, The Two Towers is my least favorite movie in the trilogy.

    posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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    Starr 

    Have you read "The Hobbit" or any of Tolkien's other books? I haven't tried yet, but I would be willing to give one a shot. I am steering clear of The Rings trilogy though. Thank God for movies is all I can say on that one.

    posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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    Gail Dayton 

    I was MUCH younger when I read all the Tolkien books--but even then, I skipped huge chunks of them. (Tom Bombadil, anyone? Notice the movie left him completely out...) When I went back to attempt to read them to one of my sons, I kept tripping over the endless description and passive language, etc. Of course they Were written about 70 years ago, when writing styles were different, but--yeah. Becoming a writer has made me much more critical...
    
    Starr, the Hobbit is a faster read than any of the Rings books. And honestly? The Rings trilogy is better than any of T's other books... for whatever that's worth.

    posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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  Starr 

  I know what you mean about Tom Bombadil. I found him to be a completely annoying, time-wasting character. Ugh!

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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    Jacquelyn T 

    I actually enjoyed Tom Bombadil's story.

    posted 1 month ago. ( reply )

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  Sofia Q 

  Fantastic idea, Gail. Now most folks are naming classics, but I'm my most recent, "To #$!! with this" book is DERAILED by james Siegel. Tried to watch the movie once and found it utterly boring despite the intriguing premise. My agent warned me the book wasn't itself good, but she didn't offer details. Saw it the library last week and picked it up because sometimes Hollywood does butcher a good piece of fiction. Not in this case! I didn't like the writing style at all and found it to be terribly racist to boot.

  posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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  SouthWestZippy 

  Lost Continent by Bill Bryson
  Has nothing nice to say about small towns in America. He is such a whiner!
  I made it just a little over half way then I just could not take it any more.
  "WTF!"

  posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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  Steven 

  terrific idea!!! as of right now i put every 'i couldn't finish book' on the read shelf and just rate it 1 star. I reserve 2-5 stars only for those I've read. recent books to add:
  2012: streiber
  
  classics to add:war and peace (didn't get far enough to rate even a one)

  posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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  Erin (edited)

  This is a good idea - I've definitely had a few books I put down and never picked back up, or I tried and failed...here they are in random order...
  The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie
  100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
  The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
  Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

  posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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    Gail Dayton 

    I finished THE HISTORIAN. I wished I hadn't. I kept thinking "Surely there's something to all the hype. Surely it gets better than this..." Nope. In fact, it gets worse. *le sigh*

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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    SouthWestZippy 

    I don't read a lot of fiction but I have had three friends tell me I would like The Historian. After what I have read on here and looking over the reviews I am not so sure I want to read it now. I have not put it on my plan to read list, it is already a LONG list. I just can't make myself add the not so sure books.

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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    Gail Dayton 

    Zippy, it depends on what you like. The pacing is slow and there's a LOT of scenery. In places, it sounds a lot more like a travelogue than a novel. It's creepy-ish through a lot of it, but the final denouement leaves a lot to be desired on the creepy/scary scale. The writing itself is nice, but with the slow pace, the weak plot and ending, and the distancing structure (I thought the letter/journal/memoir-ish feel held me at a distance from the main characters.), it didn't work for me.

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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    Erin 

    I would agree Gail - at least you had the stamina to finish it. I just felt there are way too many books out there worth reading and not enough time to be slogging through this one...

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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    SouthWestZippy 

    Thanks Gail and Erin for your input.

    posted 1 month ago. ( reply )

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  Starr 

  Ok, I have another one to add to the list. I tried to read The Satanic Verses last week, and I was completely mystified. I have read some complicated books, but dear Lord! I would stop, re-read some of the pages and still be stumped. I just couldn't get interested in it enough for it to hold my attention. Maybe that's why I just wasn't getting it. I promptly returned that bad boy to the library post-haste.

  posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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