The Goodreads tick is such an honest detail. Once finishing becomes the reward, the book turns into a task. I've noticed the same trap in self-study, where completed courses feel like progress. One thing that helps me is counting what a book changed in my thinking instead of how many I got through. A slow month with one good argument beats ten skimmed ones.
I like to think the books find us at just the right time. The classics, as much as I love them too - can be dense reads(!) your dilemma reminds me of how I am with wuthering heights - it’s a book I’d love to finish but for whatever reason I only ever seem to start it and leave it a third in. 🫣 I have no excuses. No faults in the writing not to enjoy it.. it is just one of those things 🤷🏼♀️ I still have hope that one day I’ll start it again and it will grip me throughout until I finish it.. hopefully then will it make sense to me why I have waited so long. 🤞🏻🤭
I think it's an advantage to read the book first. I didn't, watched thd series and now really will probably skip the read which is a pity because I really enjoyed reading The Pearl & Of Mice and Men.
As you say, reading habits are cyclical, there are times when you feel like one thing and not another and I think what you describe happens to most readers. I cope with this by cycling through different book types, guilt free, according to my mood 😃
The Goodreads tick is such an honest detail. Once finishing becomes the reward, the book turns into a task. I've noticed the same trap in self-study, where completed courses feel like progress. One thing that helps me is counting what a book changed in my thinking instead of how many I got through. A slow month with one good argument beats ten skimmed ones.
That’s a great way to reframe the book you’ve read! I’ll incorporate that into my reading habit
This was a really interesting read…I’m still ploughing through East of Eden and not enjoying it! Will persist
Oh thank you so much! Me too (sigh) will do an update as soon as I make it through…
I like to think the books find us at just the right time. The classics, as much as I love them too - can be dense reads(!) your dilemma reminds me of how I am with wuthering heights - it’s a book I’d love to finish but for whatever reason I only ever seem to start it and leave it a third in. 🫣 I have no excuses. No faults in the writing not to enjoy it.. it is just one of those things 🤷🏼♀️ I still have hope that one day I’ll start it again and it will grip me throughout until I finish it.. hopefully then will it make sense to me why I have waited so long. 🤞🏻🤭
I think it's an advantage to read the book first. I didn't, watched thd series and now really will probably skip the read which is a pity because I really enjoyed reading The Pearl & Of Mice and Men.
As you say, reading habits are cyclical, there are times when you feel like one thing and not another and I think what you describe happens to most readers. I cope with this by cycling through different book types, guilt free, according to my mood 😃