Musing Mondaysâ€”July 18, 2011

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Musing MondaysThis weekâ€™s musing asksâ€¦

What is the last book you struggled to read through to the end, even though you werenâ€™t really enjoying it? What made you keep reading?

The last book I had to force myself to finish was Dexter Palmer’s [amazon_link id=”B003A7I2PU” target=”_blank” ]The Dream of Perpetual Motion[/amazon_link] (review). I think the review covers why I didn’t like it, but the reason I slogged through it anyway, even though I wasn’t enjoying it was that I had purchased it on my [amazon_link id=”B002Y27P3M” target=”_blank” ]Kindle[/amazon_link]. I bought it a long time ago, and I am not sure if you can/how to return books you don’t like. The positive side of reading paper books instead of e-books is that if you don’t like them, it’s very easy to unload them. You can donate them, trade them at used bookstores or PaperBackSwap, or give them to someone else who you think might like them. With Kindle books, it’s a little harder to unload them. You can delete them, but there is no way to get any satisfaction, either of feeling like you handed it to someone who might enjoy it or to get books in return.

I read the book because I paid for the book, and I had been telling myself I wanted to read it and would probably like it for a year. I can tell you, I will be less hesitant to take a chance on books on my Kindle in the future. I will probably only buy Kindle books I am reasonably certain I will enjoy, and I certainly won’t try a new genre. This was my first steampunk book, and while I am still willing to give the genre another try, it wasn’t a great introduction to steampunk (at least not for me). I am usually pretty good about putting aside books I am not enjoying, but this time, I slogged through because I didn’t want to feel I had completely wasted my money (one could argue I wasted my money and my time in the end).


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2 thoughts on “Musing Mondaysâ€”July 18, 2011

  1. This is the reason I never buy books unless I absolutely know I'm going to like them. At least, rarely. It's not worth it if the books end up being terrible, and if they are wonderful they will be just as wonderful when got from the library and received a few years later as a Christmas gift.

    1. It's funny, but I was reasonably sure I'd like it. I can't say that this sort of thing happens to me a lot, though. And at least if I have bought it in paper, I can trade it or give it away. Not so with Kindle. Now I feel kind of stuck with a book I didn't like and won't read again. I plan to be much more careful about Kindle purchases after that one.

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