Introduction to the quit list

Below is a list of books I have started but not completed, which I call my quit list. I typically give a book somewhere around 75 pages before I make the decision to quit it. Books that I otherwise enjoy but happen to drift apart from (more typical of non-fiction) I consider closer to a “pause” of sorts and don’t list them here. In fact, I don’t know how comprehensive this list will end up being.

This project began in September of 2022, with one backdated entry (A Tale of Two Cities).

Why maintain a quit list?

My general inclination is to not quit books. Inevitably this results in starting a book that takes an inordinate amount of time to get through. This eats up my potential time spent enjoyably reading and exploring. Spending time on a book that is not, at a minimum, interesting enough to pull you in represents a substantial opportunity cost.

My primary goal is to build some confidence and awareness (for myself) around the when and why of dropping books, perhaps also to set some sort of example. In a very minor sense, I holdout slight hope that some stranger may reach out with regard to one of my dropped books with a compelling reason to reconsider the decision.

You can read my original thoughts on the quit list in my post on this topic.

Don't let me quit!

For better or for worse, quitting a book typically leaves me with a sense of doubt as to whether it’s the right call (this uncertainty, incidentally, is what results in not quitting most books).

If you happen to know a book on this list and have a strong endorsement as to why it is worth picking back up, let me know!

The quit list

• (Sept. '22) Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurty, read to ~p.70. Writing style felt very clean and easy to read, but overly descriptive, lots of "telling" and less "showing". Characters felt basic compared to Cormac McCarthy's writing about cowboy life in a similar era.
• (Aug. '22) A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, read to ~p.220. Enjoyed the characters, dialogue, historical style and general wit. Overarching story arc felt a bit quaint, not deeply exciting or intriguing.