I probably DNF 1 out of 3 books I read (am I just making that number up?) and I tell myself it's completely fine, per the Nancy Pearl rule*. And yet I seem to harbor guilt or feel like a lesser reader because of it, especially in comparison to my husband who finishes everything AND reads twice as much as I do, which never fails to boggle my mind.
LIBRARIAN/CRITIC NANCY PEARL'S RULE: "When you are 51 years of age or older, subtract your age from 100, and the resulting number (which, of course, gets smaller every year) is the number of pages you should read before you can guiltlessly give up on a book."
This is so fascinating! I love anything behind the scenes so this made me giddy.
And I love the Nancy Pearl rule below! I find if I've been reading the same book for over a week and it's of pretty average length, this means I'm not into it and should consider not finishing. I actually read more books a year if I allow the DNF. But I still feel guilty!
Your typical DNF situation sounds SO reasonable, and like it adds up to you reading even more, and yet you feel guilty! I relate! WHY is there such DNF guilt?!
So interesting! I have a lot of trouble DNF a book, especially when I buy it. I have less trouble if it's something I got from the library but still feel like I need to finish things! I'm working on it.
I probably DNF 1 out of 3 books I read (am I just making that number up?) and I tell myself it's completely fine, per the Nancy Pearl rule*. And yet I seem to harbor guilt or feel like a lesser reader because of it, especially in comparison to my husband who finishes everything AND reads twice as much as I do, which never fails to boggle my mind.
LIBRARIAN/CRITIC NANCY PEARL'S RULE: "When you are 51 years of age or older, subtract your age from 100, and the resulting number (which, of course, gets smaller every year) is the number of pages you should read before you can guiltlessly give up on a book."
Hmm...I wonder how long the average chapter is. I might have been reading like someone in her seventies.
This is so fascinating! I love anything behind the scenes so this made me giddy.
And I love the Nancy Pearl rule below! I find if I've been reading the same book for over a week and it's of pretty average length, this means I'm not into it and should consider not finishing. I actually read more books a year if I allow the DNF. But I still feel guilty!
Your typical DNF situation sounds SO reasonable, and like it adds up to you reading even more, and yet you feel guilty! I relate! WHY is there such DNF guilt?!
I think it's because my other guilts just wanted a new friend!
So interesting! I have a lot of trouble DNF a book, especially when I buy it. I have less trouble if it's something I got from the library but still feel like I need to finish things! I'm working on it.