Being brave: the dreaded DNF

As an almost-rule, I am a compulsive finisher of books. I read so fast as a kid that I would read and re-read (and re-read again) most books in my collection, and a lot of books from the library, just to constantly have something with words and pages in my hand. This would include books that I wasn't really getting along with, because every book deserves a chance, right? Plus, great or not, it was a new story to plough through, and to a kid with limited pocket money and a library with a finite selection of kids and teen books, that was enough.

As a result, though, I've read some pretty terrible books in my time.

I finally DNF'ed something a couple of years ago, when I gave up Stephen King's Black House as a bad job, and moved on to something else. Over Christmas, I was reading Death Comes to Pemberley, the P.D. James crime novel set six years after the events of Pride & Prejudice. On paper, this was an exciting mixture of a brilliant crime writer and an intriguing look at some beloved characters, and yet by the time I was halfway through I just didn't care. The writing was unengaging, the plot was plodding and I cared neither about the character who was dead, or who might have done it. (My mum was, incidentally, reading it at the same time by coincidence, and although she finished it she was reasonably underwhelmed.)

So I gave it up and put it to one side, and today I finally marked some other stuff as DNF on Goodreads. Naomi Wolf's The Beauty Myth, fascinating as the idea is, failed to grab me in the first place and has been dragged from bookcase to shelf over the last three years as I've moved house again and again, only to remain largely untouched a couple of chapters in. The audiobook of Bill Bryson's Down Under was something of a chore - I was hoping for a more positive foray into audiobooks when I picked this up at the library, but the narrator is appalling. He reads in an affected American accent, presumably to mirror Bryson, and the frequent lapses into an Australian accent hurt my brain. I'm sure the book is great, and I'm a big fan of Bryson, but I've had to stop listening to this.

Although a little part of me feels bad about giving up on these books and casting them aside, I'm now free of them, and free to go and read something else that I might actually enjoy. My time is increasingly limited, and as a result I'm less inclined to carry on with a book that isn't holding my attention. It's taken a while, but I think I'm finally happy to DNF the duds!

Showcase Sunday #10

Showcase Sunday is a weekly series hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits and Tea, allowing bloggers to share any books they've acquired recently.

I already posted about these two books in TTT this week, but here they are:

Fatherland by Robert Harris

Fatherland is set in an alternative world where Hitler has won the Second World War. It is April 1964 and one week before Hitler's 75th birthday. Xavier March, a detective of the Kriminalpolizei, is called out to investigate the discovery of a dead body in a lake near Berlin's most prestigious suburb.

As March discovers the identity of the body, he uncovers signs of a conspiracy that could go to the very top of the German Reich. And, with the Gestapo just one step behind, March, together with an American journalist, is caught up in a race to discover and reveal the truth -- a truth that has already killed, a truth that could topple governments, a truth that will change history.

Death Comes to Pemberley by P. D. James

The year is 1803, and Darcy and Elizabeth have been married for six years. There are now two handsome and healthy sons in the nursery, Elizabeth's beloved sister Jane and her husband Bingley live nearby and the orderly world of Pemberley seems unassailable. But all this is threatened when, on the eve of the annual autumn ball, the guests are preparing to retire for the night when a chaise appears, rocking down the path from Pemberley's wild woodland. As it pulls up, Lydia Wickham - Elizabeth's younger, unreliable sister - stumbles out screaming that her husband has been murdered. Inspired by a lifelong passion for the work of Jane Austen, PD James masterfully recreates the world of Pride and Prejudice, and combines it with the excitement and suspense of a brilliantly-crafted crime story. Death Comes to Pemberley is a distinguished work of fiction, from one of the best-loved, most- read writers of our time.

Reviews posted this week:

The Group by Mary McCarthy (9/10)
The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach (8.5/10)

Thanks for stopping by!

Top Ten Autumn Reads!

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is: Top Ten Books on your Autumn TBR list.

Seeing as I bought new books yesterday, I thought I would join in. The problem with buying new books is then finding time to read the new books. For the last few weeks I have been picking things up off the pile of borrowed and charity-shop-bought books in my room, hence the lack of 'book haul' posts lately! But this week I have been in Brighton for a couple of days visiting The Boy, and not only do they have perhaps the best branch of Waterstones I know of (huge choice, lots of recommendations, and lots of floors!), but I found a neglected birthday gift card in my purse. Not only that, but a friend of mine recently wrote and published a short story, which is Kindle-only. I don't have a Kindle, but I got the Kindle app for my computer so I could read it, and that came with some free e-books. Now I just have to find the time to read them!

1. Pride & Prejudice - Jane Austen
This came free with the Kindle app and (SHOCK HORROR I KNOW) I have never read Pride & Prejudice, so I have dipped into the first few chapters and I am enjoying it so far. I don't like reading off my computer screen, so it might take me a while, but hopefully once I am finished it will make book #3 on this list more enjoyable!

2. Fatherland - Robert Harris
One of two new books I purchased yesterday. This is 20th anniversary edition, envisaging a world in which Hitler wasn't defeated in WWII. I like alternative history books (Philip Roth's The Plot Against America is one of my favourite ever books), and the bookseller who served me highly recommended it, so I'm excited to start this one!

3. Death Comes to Pemberley - P.D. James
Murder mystery involving the characters and setting of Pride & Prejudice. I have had my eye on this for a while, but having never read P&P wasn't sure if the novelty of it would be lost on me, much as I enjoy a good mystery.

4. Lola and the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins
Because although I loved Anna, I still haven't read this. My city library doesn't hold any of Perkins' books, and I have been waiting for the paperback to be released. I might just have to re-read Anna in the meantime!

5. The Wee Free Men - Terry Pratchett
A book I borrowed a while ago from my friend's dad, which I really need to get round to reading! One of the Discworld series.

6. The Treasure Map of Boys - E. Lockhart
Ruby Oliver #3. If you've been reading for a while you may be aware of my love of the first two Ruby books, and this is the third in the series. I am eager to find out what happens with Ruby and the many, many boys she seems to have been accumulating. ;) (And yes, I totally have a favourite.)

7. Transparent - Natalie Whipple
I have been following Natalie's blog (and Twitter) for a couple of years now, ever since (I think) she posted on the Nanowrimo YA boards the same year that I was writing an MG/YA novel. She is also part of the Friday the Thirteeners blog, which I have been following since early this year. This is her first novel, and I'm super excited to read it!

8. Turn of Mind - Alice LaPlante
Another mystery, this time featuring a protagonist dealing with the onset of Alzheimer's who is suspected of murdering her best friend.

9. Down Under - Bill Bryson
I read Bryson's book documenting his travels in small town America earlier this year, and I really want to read some of his other books now. He's written more on America, and on the UK, but I like reading about places I've never been, and I'd really like to read his book about his travels in Australia.

10. Guitar Highway Rose - Brigid Lowry
I really enjoyed Follow the Blue earlier this year, and I've heard some great things about this book. I've had it on request from the library for a while now, so I'm hoping it makes an appearance soon!

What's on your list this week? Have you read any of these?