What is the book you have started the most times but couldn't finish?

[Splync]

It might be cheating, but The Wheel of Time series. I loved the first three books, but have never finished the series. I had last finished book 8 (it's a 14 book series), but it was so difficult to get through that book. Too many characters and plotlines that I just do NOT care for.

[Martin]

Probably THE TALISMAN, believe it or not. Huge SK fan, though.

I read The Talisman recently for the first time and really enjoyed it.

[James Newman]

Probably THE TALISMAN, believe it or not. Huge SK fan, though.

[goathunter]

I used to never give up on books, but do now. I don't have enough reading time for the good stuff, I'm not going to waste it on junk (or something that just doesn't engage me).

I can only think of one book that I actually tried multiple times to read. I tried three times to read Gone Girl. I started it, got about 100 pages in, hated it, quit, then saw everyone raving about how great it was. Decided to try again, same result. Then a couple of friends told me I should try again, that it was really good. So I tried it again---and gave up for good. That book was not for me.

[tyree]

"...and I was just afraid someone would glance over and see something a little disturbing on the page."

HA ! Reminds me of the time I was reading an Ed Lee book with a VILE cover in my doctor's office. Fuggit. My doc had Training Day blasting through a massive TV.
I miss that office...

[sholloman81]

That was my exact reaction upon finishing The Silmarillion as well. I love LOTR & The Hobbitt and would willingly reread them at any opportunity; however, I don't think I'll ever pick up another of the random Tolkien books.

[Dan Hocker]

Tolkien's The Silmarillion....impossible (for me) to get through. I tried...and tried again.....and again.....

sk

It's a tough one. It took me a long time to fully tackle that one. It actually kinda soured me on reading any of the other random LOTR books that weren't LOTR or The Hobbit.

[frik51]

Tolkien's The Silmarillion....impossible (for me) to get through. I tried...and tried again.....and again.....

sk

[TacomaDiver]

AMERICAN PSYCHO by Brett Easton Ellis.

This was one I worried a little bit about reading on the train. People's eyes wander (mine do too so I'm not all high and mighty here . . .) and I was just afraid someone would glance over and see something a little disturbing on the page.

There was another book that while I didn't have this problem, an acquaintance on the train did - I was reading Jon Krakauer's Under the Banner of Heaven, and she came over and said it's a great book, but beware she got "lectured" by a rider one day on how it was filth and pornography and you should be ashamed for reading it.

[njhorror]

AMERICAN PSYCHO by Brett Easton Ellis.

I tried to read it 3 times and threw it against the wall, threw it in the garbage, bought another one and cursed as I threw it across the room, then picked it up one day read every page from beginning to end, often howling with laughter.

Loved it!

It finally drove me nuts.

[fanatic]

Stephen King's IT. I know, I know I know. Tried three times, was a hardcore King fan so daunting fat suckers from King no problems.
But never finished IT.

I'm with you Tyree. I have read IT but didn't like it at all. My wife on the other hand loved IT. I guess it's an 80's thing.

[tyree]

Stephen King's IT. I know, I know I know. Tried three times, was a hardcore King fan so daunting fat suckers from King no problems.
But never finished IT.

[Insurgent]

Oh, "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy. It's huge. I tried to read it to the end 5 times, but never finished

[Sock Monkey]

I’m with a few others here in the sense that I almost always finish books I start, even those I find infuriating (here’s looking at you, 68 KILL). One book I didn’t finish was RAGE by Steve Gerlach, though I might swing back around at some point.

[TacomaDiver]

I have this unfortunate need to finish a book, regardless of how I feel about it, so I can't say that I've never not finished one . . .

BUT I can at least offer that I struggled with was Michael Chabon's Summerland. I believe when I first tried reading it (it take me a few attempts so maybe my first statement isn't entirely correct) I had only one read one other book from him (The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay - which I remember loving!) Couldn't finish it.

I'm sure it was years later, and while I eventually got to the end, I wish I had my time back. I even spoke to an author friend (of sorts) who LOVES everything from Chabon and he said he could see how I struggled with it, especially my distaste of baseball.

Currently I've been reading N. K. Jemisin's How Long 'til Black Future Month? since February (!!) and it's been rough.