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If you're not enjoying a book, give up, Reading Agency says

A book group enjoy Fifty Shades Darker by E L James - PA
A book group enjoy Fifty Shades Darker by E L James - PA

Every dedicated reader will know that sinking feeling of battling through a book they are not enjoying just to get to the bitter end.

But reader’s guilt should be officially at an end, according to The Reading Agency, as it advises simply putting down any novel which does not bring you pleasure.

A poll, commissioned by the agency, found more than a fifth of British readers refused to give up on a book, no matter how much they are struggling, while others will wait weeks, or even months, before conceding defeat.

It also indicated that the majority of Britons will avoid reading material that they believe will make them sad, with a considerable proportion saying they see reading as a form of escape and want to be transported to a happy place.

The Reading Agency, which commissioned the survey to mark World Book Night on Monday April 23, suggested that anyone who finds themselves facing "book block" should not force themselves to continue with the book in question.

The great unfinished: top six

  1. Fifty Shades Of Grey by EL James

  2. The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring by JRR Tolkien

  3. Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix by JK Rowling

  4. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

  5. Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights.

The poll, of 2,000 people, suggests that readers are more likely to have difficulty with modern-day novels.

Overall, more than a fifth (22 per cent) said readers should always finish a book they have started.

Around one in six (15 per cent) said that they would give up if they were struggling with a book after one to three weeks, with 11 per cent saying they would stop reading after four to six days, 13 per cent after two to three days and 6 per cent would stop up to a day after.

Frodo (Elijah Wood), Gollum (Andy Serkis), and Sam (Sean Astin) in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - Credit: AP Photo/New Line Productions
Not that precious: Lord of the Rings is one of the least-finished books, according to the study Credit: AP Photo/New Line Productions

Sue Wilkinson, chief executive of The Reading Agency, said: "At a time when one in five of us will experience anxiety or depression, and world events can leave people feeling confused or scared, reading has never been more important.

"As this research shows, reading can have a hugely positive impact on our health and wellbeing; it can build empathy and help us understand the world and the people around us.

"At a time when so many brilliant books are being written and published, you should never force yourself to read something you're not enjoying. World Book Night is the chance to find a book that works for you."