Reading is fun until it isn’t.

This post is for anyone who struggles to finish a book they have started and feels guilty about leaving it unfinished.

Remember that you are reading for yourself. You are allowed to enjoy it, and you are allowed to decide how you spend your time.

If you are struggling with a book, ask yourself why. Perhaps the subject does not interest you as much as you expected. Perhaps the writing makes it difficult to stay engaged. Or perhaps it is simply the wrong book for this moment in your life.

You can put it aside. You bought or borrowed the book; starting it does not create an obligation to finish it. You can return to it later or decide that you have read enough.

Some of us who grew up in India might feel uncomfortable with this way of speaking about books. We associate them with Goddess Saraswati and are taught to treat them with reverence. I understand that sentiment. To me, that reverence is rooted in what books offer us: knowledge, ideas, and creativity. Leaving a book unfinished does not mean rejecting those things.

Knowledge is also available beyond books. We learn through conversations, observation, practice, lectures, and experience. Books are a wonderful source of learning, but our curiosity can take us in many directions.

Some books reward persistence. A difficult chapter or an unfamiliar style may deserve another attempt. The question is whether continuing feels worthwhile to you.

Give a book your attention and a fair chance. If it still does not hold your interest, put it down and choose another.

There is plenty left to read.