Books That Many Begin but Few Complete: A Closer Look
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Chapter 1: The Unfinished Books Phenomenon
Have you ever wondered which books people start reading but rarely finish? A mathematician named Jordan Ellenberg analyzed Amazon Kindle data in 2014 to identify the titles that readers often abandon. He created what he called the Hawking Index, named after Stephen Hawking, whose work, A Brief History of Time, is known for being one of the most frequently unfinished books. Below, we explore ten additional titles that many readers leave behind.
Section 1.1: Thinking, Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman's acclaimed work provides a detailed look at over a hundred psychological biases, including the well-known concept of loss aversion, which illustrates how losing something is more painful than gaining something of equal value. Other biases such as anchoring, the endowment effect, and the framing effect are also discussed. Despite its valuable insights, the book is lengthy, requiring about 13 hours to read, and only 7% of those who started it managed to finish.
Section 1.2: Atlas Shrugged
I read Atlas Shrugged in the summer of 2021. While it spans 561,996 words, it’s not impossible to read. The challenge lies primarily in its sheer length, which demands approximately 41 hours of reading time. With just four hours a day, you could finish it in ten days. It's worth the effort!
Chapter 2: Books with Complex Themes and Length
In the video "Reading the 10 Best Books of the 21st Century (so far)" by @nytimes, viewers are taken through influential works that have shaped modern literature. The discussions surrounding these books highlight not only their content but also the challenges readers face with longer texts.
Section 2.1: Capital in the 21st Century
Thomas Piketty's Capital in the 21st Century created quite a stir when it was published in the early 2010s. The book tackles the relationship between economic growth and inequality in a 239,365-word format. Unfortunately, it was criticized for its complexity, with only 2.4% of the 1.5 million buyers completing it. Many purchased it for its prestige rather than its content.
Section 2.2: Ulysses
James Joyce's Ulysses is often regarded as one of the most challenging novels of the 20th century, thanks to its unique style and extensive vocabulary. Clocking in at around 18 hours of reading, many start this literary journey but do not see it through to the end.
The second video, "10 Books To Read Once That Will Stick With You Forever," offers recommendations for impactful reads that have left a lasting impression on many. It serves as a reminder of books that, despite their complexities, are worth the commitment.
Section 2.3: Other Notable Mentions
Hard Choices by Hillary Clinton and War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy also feature on this list of unfinished books. The former sold 340,000 copies but was completed by only 1.9% of readers, while the latter, with its intricate narrative and 40-hour reading time, poses a significant challenge due to its length and depth.
Conclusion
Interestingly, most of these titles, with the exceptions of Piketty and Clinton, are considered literary classics. This raises the question: do their reputations contribute to the difficulty in finishing them? They are often recognized as challenging, leading many to start but not complete their pages. However, some widely acknowledged books, like Harry Potter, manage to captivate readers universally, proving that while many books may be challenging, there are exceptions that resonate with all.
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