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Life’s Too Short to Read Bad Books

January 2, 2013 by Kenna Griffin

It was inevitable. I had the same algebra teacher for three versions of the subject in as many years of high school. An uninformed student asked the question every year. The rest of us just shook our heads and waited for the answer.

Naive student: “Mrs. Poplin, I don’t know why we have to learn this anyway. We’re never going to use it.”

Mrs. Poplin: “Because if you don’t pass, you won’t graduate. If you don’t graduate, you’ll spend the rest of your life slinging tacos at Taco Tico.”

I had never eaten at Taco Tico, but I knew for damn sure I didn’t want to work there. The knowledge got this word nerd through algebras one, two and three. It also taught me a lesson—sometimes you’ve just got to get through it.

IMG_6906A bad book is an exception to this lesson.

You should quit reading bad books. It doesn’t matter if your friends think the book is great or the general public accepts that it’s a classic. If you hate it, drop it. If it’s required reading, say for a college course, power skim and move on.

Life is too short to read bad books.

A friend and fellow book club member, Kelly, can’t leave a book unfinished. It breaks my heart to see her waste her time. So much so that when our book club decided to read The Casual Vacancy, a poorly written epic waste of time, I texted her and told her not to pick it up.

Yes, I understand The Casual Vacancy is in the Top 10 on most best seller lists, but I couldn’t even get through the free sample.

If reading doesn’t enlighten you and/or entertain you, it’s not worth the time.

Bad books waste your time, bore and frustrate you, make reading a chore instead of a pleasure, and suck up the time you could spend reading things you enjoy.

There are simply too many options to devote your time to something that doesn’t fulfill you.

Just say no to bad books!

Related Posts:

  • My 28 Favorite Fiction Books of 2021
    My 28 Favorite Fiction Books of 2021
  • My 37 Favorite Fiction Books of 2020
    My 37 Favorite Fiction Books of 2020
  • My 12 Favorite Nonfiction Books of 2021
    My 12 Favorite Nonfiction Books of 2021
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above (typically those to books) may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I promise that I only recommend products or services I use personally and think will provide you value. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Comments

  1. DanaCollie says

    January 2, 2013 at 8:39 pm

    Love it & I agree totally!!!  No bad book reading here!!! Preach on Prof!!!!

    Reply
    • Prof KRG says

      January 3, 2013 at 1:34 pm

      Now if we can just convince Kelly!

      Reply
    • profkrg says

      January 8, 2013 at 2:25 pm

      DanaCollie Now we just have to convince Kelly!

      Reply
    • Valerie Andrews says

      August 14, 2019 at 1:28 pm

      OMG! You are so right. This is a life lesson that took me decades to learn. I thought that, once you started, you HAD to finish a book, no matter how bad. Until I realized that too many other books – always potentially good – were being published every year and that I was wasting my time reading stuff I hated.

      It was tough but ultimately liberating. I agree, Kenna, that life’s too short.

      Reply
  2. TammyL says

    January 2, 2013 at 9:59 pm

    I’ve been reading a lot more lately, but 100 books in a year would take the fun out of it! I agree that life is too short to read bad books. That is why I give them 50 pages to capture my attention or down it goes… or sooner if 50 pages feel like torture.
    Some of my enjoyable reads lately have been:
    Jailbird by Kurt Vonnegut
    Citizen Vince by Jess Walter
    and Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis

    Reply
    • Prof KRG says

      January 3, 2013 at 1:34 pm

      Thank you so much, Tammy, for your recommendations!

      Reply
    • profkrg says

      January 8, 2013 at 2:25 pm

      TammyL Thank you for your recommendations, Tammy. I’m not sure how 100 books will go. I just wanted a goal worth reaching. So far I’m really enjoying it, but I’m still on winter break. Things may change once I get back to a more regular schedule. I hope it doesn’t start to seem stressful. I’d love to know more about what you’re reading, even if you don’t want to read 100 books.
      Kenna

      Reply
  3. dbvickery says

    January 7, 2013 at 12:44 pm

    I still get most of my books from the Library. I cruise around with both the Amazon and GoodReads apps up-n-running. I scan the books to see what other readers thought before I check them out.
    I’m not good at putting down a bad book. I will trudge through it. These apps mitigate my risk of wasting time on bad books!

    Reply
    • profkrg says

      January 8, 2013 at 2:25 pm

      dbvickery Recommendations usually do help in avoiding bad books. However, I still find that I don’t like some books that everyone else raves about. It’s just a difference in taste, I guess. 
      I don’t really read from the library. I tend to mark all over my books. Libraries don’t like that.
      Kenna

      Reply
      • dbvickery says

        January 8, 2013 at 3:35 pm

        profkrg Been loving the Kindle App for my iPad for “marking up” my business books.

        Reply
        • profkrg says

          January 9, 2013 at 8:20 am

          dbvickery It’s just not the same for me. I guess it’s one of those old lady things. I really have to highlight to learn. The process makes me think more about what I’m reading. 
          I do love the highlight feature on iBooks. It has different colors and styles. I’m all about visual appeal.

          Reply
  4. KoriCasey says

    January 12, 2013 at 5:40 pm

    I hated The Casual Vacancy! I could not get into it no matter how much I tried to force myself to enjoy it.

    Reply
    • profkrg says

      January 13, 2013 at 4:58 pm

      KoriCasey I don’t like her other books (I understand this is a controversial statement.), so I didn’t have high expectations for it. I didn’t give it a ton of time, but I think I gave it enough.
      What have you read lately that you liked?
      Kenna

      Reply
  5. Akos_Fintor says

    January 22, 2013 at 12:59 pm

    What read  do you recommend on spirituality?
    thanks 
    Akos

    Reply
    • profkrg says

      January 22, 2013 at 3:24 pm

      Akos_Fintor I haven’t read a lot in this area. I did read Confessions of a Pastor by Craig Groeschel. I loved it. I also read The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. On the other side of that, I read Losing My Religion by William Lobdell. It was amazing!
      I hope these recommendations help. Nothing else is coming to mind.
      Happy Reading!
      Kenna

      Reply
  6. ErinMFeldman says

    March 26, 2016 at 2:03 pm

    profkrg Agreed!

    Reply

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Prof KRG

Prof KRG aims to create an ongoing educational dialogue among media professionals, students and educators.

Please let me know what resources you need or topics you wish you better understood. If I don't know the information, I'm happy to seek out someone who does.

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About Kenna Griffin

I am a mass communications professor, journalist and collegiate media adviser. I teach classes including those on writing, reporting, media law, media ethics, social media marketing, and public relations. I am married, have two children and live in Oklahoma. More about this site's purpose

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