Last book you couldn't finish?

corblimey · 10-03-2010 06:53PM #1

Title says it all really. What's the last book you read that was just too bad to finish?

For me, it's The Damned United. I just couldn't. Stand the writing. Style.

raah! · 10-03-2010 08:04PM

For me it's currently Don Quixote. I had it at my brother's house and was half way through, but then after some drinks I broke his table and now I'm not allowed back till I pay for the table. So I can't get it till then.

Also I was unable to finish a Terry Goodkind book 7 books into the series because my brother owned them and took them back or something. Those books were terrible anyway.

Eliot Rosewater · 10-03-2010 08:30PM

raah! wrote: »

I'm not allowed back till I pay for the table. So I can't get it till then.

Interesting twist on the topic :pac:

I don't think I ever gave up on a book. Recently I was tempted to, reading Jennifer Government by Max Barry. What an awful waste of time. But I got through it anyway! Before that it was Crime and Punishment which I really struggled to get through.

I remember I stopped reading Obama's book Dreams From My Father, but that was because he discussed racism in literature. He mentioned Heart of Darkness, so I got curious, bought that, and never came back to Obama.

D.R cowboy · 10-03-2010 08:46PM

The confessions

Cyril Squirrel · 10-03-2010 08:52PM

We need to talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver

JesseCuster · 10-03-2010 09:17PM

Then We Came To the End - Joshua Ferris

Over-hyped rubbish.
I normally hate not finishing a book but in this case I was happy to make an exception!

deelite · 10-03-2010 09:18PM

Amanda Brunker - Champange Babes

mal1 · 10-03-2010 09:23PM

Shantaram. I actually lie, I did finish it but wish i didn't.

i-digress · 10-03-2010 10:00PM

The Infinities by John Banville. I should have been clued in to how awful it was when my dad said if I didn't want his copy it was going in the recycling bin.

dioltas · 10-03-2010 10:07PM

Blackwater - Jeremy Scahill. It was interesting, but just tough going.

My girlfriend bought me Mort, and I just dropped Blackwater. Now I've started the Girl in the Dragon tatoo, so don't know if I'll ever finish Blackwater but I haven't given up hope.

fontanalis · 10-03-2010 11:45PM

The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad
Brighton Rock by Graham Greene

kevin_de_big · 11-03-2010 12:59AM

Cyril Squirrel wrote: »

We need to talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver

I have that on the go currently; I could understand disliking it.

kevin_de_big · 11-03-2010 01:02AM

Atlas Shrugged

I started this while I was in fourth year of college. Whether it was due to the looming thesis deadline, the author's style or the length of the book that turned me off is unknown. I think I may go back to it, though I'm not looking forward to it. Cynically, I reckon if I finish it it will be for the mere sake of it.

LenaClaire · 12-03-2010 11:44PM

Robinson Crusoe. I just could not get into it, the main character made me insane.

Denerick · 12-03-2010 11:58PM

Closing Time by Joseph Heller. I was genuinely offended by how bad that book was.

emeraldstar · 13-03-2010 02:20AM

deelite wrote: »

Amanda Brunker - Champange Babes

Whatever about couldn't finish, how could you start?

For me, 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being'.

Plowman · 13-03-2010 03:43PM

This post has been deleted.

Mink · 13-03-2010 07:46PM

Norwegian Wood by Murakami.

I know a lot of people like it but I found it really boring

susanroth · 13-03-2010 08:16PM

I cannot finish the historian. I am gonna try again tho itll be my 3rd attempt:rolleyes:
I have friends who couldnt put it down, think my expectations were too high;)

HalloweenJack · 15-03-2010 05:36PM

I had a lot of trouble with Anna Karenina when I read it. It took me about four months altogether and, ultimately, I felt like I wasted my time.

I also started Doctor Zhivago a while back but I moved recently and left that book at my family home. I don't know when I'll get to finish it.

Anonymous1987 · 15-03-2010 05:55PM

kevin_de_big wrote: »

Atlas Shrugged

I started this while I was in fourth year of college. Whether it was due to the looming thesis deadline, the author's style or the length of the book that turned me off is unknown. I think I may go back to it, though I'm not looking forward to it. Cynically, I reckon if I finish it it will be for the mere sake of it.

Had to put it down too. Heard great things about it before reading it but the one dimensional characters put me to sleep.

uncleoswald · 15-03-2010 06:05PM

corblimey wrote: »

For me, it's The Damned United. I just couldn't. Stand the writing. Style.

Try The Cold Six Thousand. James Ellroy. Similar Style. Or David Peace's other. Tokyo Year Zero. This isn't exaggerating. Their style.

fontanalis · 15-03-2010 06:30PM

uncleoswald wrote: »

Try The Cold Six Thousand. James Ellroy. Similar Style. Or David Peace's other. Tokyo Year Zero. This isn't exaggerating. Their style.

Dig. Feature.

kerash · 15-03-2010 08:03PM

Gave up on Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks - just thought it was awful, didnt like any of the characters and had no interest in anything that was happening.

kerash · 15-03-2010 08:04PM

corblimey wrote: »

Title says it all really. What's the last book you read that was just too bad to finish?

For me, it's The Damned United. I just couldn't. Stand the writing. Style.

Really?! I thought the Damned United was written brilliantly, it really brought Cloughs character to life...

allprops · 16-03-2010 03:44PM

Brooklyn by Colm Tobin was truely awful. He is an amaxingly over-rated self-hyping waste of paper. Very smug self satisfied style. I submitted a less than glowing submission to the IT book club and it was not put in.