# Books you just couldn't finish, or almost couldn't finish **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 9, 2009, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-just-couldnt-finish-or-almost-couldnt-finish/480531 "2009-01-09T15:29:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-just-couldnt-finish-or-almost-couldnt-finish/480531/101 "2009-01-13T00:06:17Z")
I never did get all the way though _The Neverending Story_. What? \*\*\* Ponder ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-just-couldnt-finish-or-almost-couldnt-finish/480531/102 "2009-01-13T00:13:16Z")
I must be a total masochist. I have read, and finished, about half the books mentioned in this thread, some more than once . . . and \*Atlas Shrugged \*several times. The two I had to work hardest to finish were \*Dahlgren \*and \*Dune. \*Pure torture. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-just-couldnt-finish-or-almost-couldnt-finish/480531/103 "2009-01-13T01:39:54Z")
Oddly, I’m reading \*Dune \*for the third time at the moment. And I’m not even a big sci-fi fan. ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-just-couldnt-finish-or-almost-couldnt-finish/480531/104 "2009-01-13T02:02:10Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > **Stranger in a Strange Land.** Tried twice. My attempt was just a few weeks ago, really slogged on but still only got halfway. Fallen Angels (Larry Niven et al), tried a few times thinking it would get better but I’d just forgotten. It didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-just-couldnt-finish-or-almost-couldnt-finish/480531/105 "2009-01-13T03:19:50Z")
I’m really surprised at all the Stranger in a Strange Land mentions. I thought it was a really fast, fun read, and I recommend it often. Maybe I should stop that. ---
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-just-couldnt-finish-or-almost-couldnt-finish/480531/106 "2009-01-13T04:36:05Z")
I can’t believe I’m only the second one to mention “A Thousand Years of Solitude.” I can finish anything. As a matter of fact, at the ripe old age of 40, I’ve finally decided it is ok to not finish a book. Want to know what inspired it? Me being pathologically incapable of finishing ATYS. TWICE! You don’t understand, I can finish a Harlequin romance novel, I slogged through “The Rules,” I’ve tortured myself with several Mary Higgens Clark books. I’ve read so many good reviews of “A Thousand Years of Solitude” I am beginning to think I must have the wrong book, or someone switched the cover. I’ve thrown books across the room after finishing them they sucked so bad. But I was able to get more than 50 pages into them. Ya’ll are scaring me though, I keep hearing how Ulysses is such a fabulous book, I’ve got it on my ebook reader ready to go. I may go cry now. Psst! If you didn’t like Starship Troopers, try Armor by John Steakley. One of my favs. For the record, I do read good books, I swear! ---
**Author:** ![GSV\_Consolation\_of\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f1d935/32.png) [@GSV\_Consolation\_of\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GSV_Consolation_of_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-just-couldnt-finish-or-almost-couldnt-finish/480531/107 "2009-01-13T15:47:22Z")
Heinlein’s _The Number of the Beast_. Tried twice, about ten years apart. There will not be a third attempt. I know, I know… it’s a parody of pulp space opera, it’s **supposed** to be cheesy and ridiculous, but it still sucks. ---
**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-just-couldnt-finish-or-almost-couldnt-finish/480531/108 "2009-01-13T16:21:54Z")
_Interview with a vampire_ Tried to read it to see what the fuss was about. Got about twenty pages in before chucking it in the trash. I normally never destroy or throw out books, and when I start something I like to read it all the way through, but in this case I made an exception on both counts. _Diamond Age_ Made it about two-thirds of the way through before I gave up trying to find a plot. I didn’t throw this one out or even consciously decide to stop reading it; I just put it down at one point and never got around to picking it up again. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-just-couldnt-finish-or-almost-couldnt-finish/480531.md?page=5)