Few topics are more controversial among readers than the dreaded decision to mark a book DNF, or Did Not Finish. Some people can DNF a book whenever necessary. Other people have to keep reading until the very last page.
There’s no right or wrong way to read, but personally, I will DNF a book when necessary. This isn’t a value judgment or even a strategy I’d recommend to anybody else. I just have too many books to read, and I need to keep moving in my reading life.
It’s worth remembering that no DNF is ever final!
Ever since college, I kept DNF-ing “The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman” by Laurence Sterne. The prose is super challenging and the story always confused me.
Then, a couple of years ago, I joined a virtual book club for the book, proudly moving the book from my DNF pile to my Books I Loved But Probably Won’t Recommend To Anybody Else Because They Are Way Too Strange list.
But enough about me. I want to hear how and when you decide whether to DNF a book.
