I’ve thought about this quite often, but more deeply when I read Aaron’s comment on my overdue library book confessions post. Quite sensibly, he had this to say about his large pile of library books:

If it doesn’t “hook” me in the first 10 pages, it goes in the pile to be returned early. I don’t suffer books any longer, there are too many other good books to push myself to read something that isn’t any good or takes to long to get started.

And in principle, I fully agree. Think of the millions and millions of books out there and how no matter how long you live, you’ll only ever be able to read a tiny portion of them. Why waste valuable reading time on books that are no good?

But in practice, I just don’t do this. I very, very rarely give up on a book. I always think I can learn something from reading it through to the end, even if it is only to learn how not to write. Plus I’m eternally optimistic that the book might turn out better. I would rather get an overdue fine from the library than not finish a book.

The big exception to this – have I complained about this before? – is pretty much any book by Irvine Welsh. I did manage to get to the end of Trainspotting. But I’ve given up on two or three other Welsh books because the dialect is so strong in the dialogue that at times I simply can’t understand, or I have to read it so slowly it’s like reading in a foreign language.

Don’t think for a minute that I have some determined, follow-through kind of nature or something. I’ll willingly turn a video off in the middle and have been known, fairly regularly, to fall asleep in the cinema, watching a movie I’ve actually paid to see. Last week I gave up vacuuming halfway through the living room, and I have no follow-through when it comes to sticking to an exercise plan.

It’s just a book thing.

Am I alone? Do you finish every book you start?