Do you read 100% of your book or do you skip chapters or pages?

[SteveEisenberg]

About half the time I abandon the book after a few chapters. But if I read it all, I generally read the first third or so completely, skip to the acknowledgements, and then go back and read the rest completely.

In the rare event that I skip anything while finishing the book, it is because of parts, of a novel, being too violent. I recently did that with this title. Since I had read every previous title in the series, I wasn’t going to miss this billed-as-final installment. But I do not recommend the book.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Good or bad, I never experience an urge to skip parts of a book. I read it all, or I abandon it.

Same here.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by haertig

Just watch the highlights of the game on the evening news ...

That's exactly what I do with football games now in my old age. That way if the team I want to win loses, I don't have to bother with it at all. I guess I'm not a "true" football fan anymore.

[Dazrin]

If I'm re-reading I will occasionally skip some things that bore me in order to get to a better bit that is right after.

If I'm reading for the first time, I'll skim sex scenes but not skip chapters or pages entirely.

The exception is non-fiction which I will skip around in if I'm looking for particular bits of information. Generally that's reference type books though, not one with a narrative.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by issybird

I only skip when I’m about to abandon a book and I’m mildly curious about the end, either because I want to justify my decision to abandon or because I want to make sure that in some misguided moment, I don’t pick it up again.

Otherwise, I don’t get it. The journey not the arrival matters.

Pretty much this, for me too.

It's pretty rare but every now and then I just want to satisfy my curiosity: did I guess right or not.

[tomsem]

I'll skim if I'm bored with it and just want to look for 'nuggets'. Like gold panning, however, there are usually none to be found.

I abandon books when I have an allergic reaction to the writing, or it I am just unprepared to appreciate or understand it.

It also depends on timing and my state of mind. I may very much want to read the book, but when I try, I can't seem to take it in. Just have to try again some other time.

[kacir]

I do not skip. Sometimes I do abandon the book.

[John F]

Originally Posted by theducks

I skip the puffery (raves,,,,)
I also skip sample chapters (I found those to be confusing later. Mistakenly, Oh! I have read this one.)

+1

I also skip copyright, reviews, blurbs, samples, other books by this author, acknowledgements. Forwards, I'll usually skip, unless it is an author I am interested in.

I read the whole "story". If I'm not focused, or there is a tedious part, I may lose my focus and not take in what I'm reading.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by John F

+1

I also skip copyright, reviews, blurbs, samples, other books by this author, acknowledgements. Forwards, I'll usually skip, unless it is an author I am interested in.

I read the whole "story". If I'm not focused, or there is a tedious part, I may lose my focus and not take in what I'm reading.

I do sometimes read some of the copyright. But blurbs, samples, other books, etc, I delete before the eBook even hits my Reader. So I have a lot less to skip.

[JSWolf]

If I find I'm losing focus, I may switch to a different books and then eventually switch back. That usually works. Even if the book doesn't continue to grab me, it would depend on how far along I am and/or how much I want to find out what happens

[Quoth]

For fiction I either read it all or stop one or two chapters in. Sometimes on first page!
Obviously I might skip chapters or sections in a textbook or reference work.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by John F

+1

I also skip copyright, reviews, blurbs, samples, other books by this author, acknowledgements. Forwards, I'll usually skip, unless it is an author I am interested in.

I read the whole "story". If I'm not focused, or there is a tedious part, I may lose my focus and not take in what I'm reading.

Those bits you're skipping are not really part of the book. I might particularly avoid a Preface added years later by some person picked by the publisher.

[John F]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Those bits you're skipping are not really part of the book. I might particularly avoid a Preface added years later by some person picked by the publisher.

They are in the book, so they really are part of the book.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Quoth

I might particularly avoid a Preface added years later by some person picked by the publisher.

Mandatory if you want to avoid being spoiled.

I wish they’d put spoilery stuff in an Afterword, but at least I’ve been burned sufficiently that I know to leave it until I’m done.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by issybird

Mandatory if you want to avoid being spoiled.

I wish they’d put spoilery stuff in an Afterword, but at least I’ve been burned sufficiently that I know to leave it until I’m done.

Yes, I've learned to skip prefaces for classics, then go back and read them later. Publishers seem not to care that no matter how old or how well-known a book is, there are people are reading it for the first time.

Re skipping: I don't. The only exception might be an anthology I pick up to read specific authors.