BUYING BOOKS, STARTING BOOKS and then...abandon ship!

Some people buy books and but then don't read them--you've probably heard that those are two different hobbies. I do something many readers can't: I start a book, truly invest, and then don't finish it. (NOT a humble brag) 

Are there any texts you started and then abandoned? I say never feel guilty for buying a book, spending precious time reading, or even not getting to the last page. My wise college buddy Robin threw BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY across the room. That's fair.  Phd. candidate Petra says, "Sometimes I can't finish books because I love them. Like maybe 5 pages left...It's like a cryo chamber for the characters I love so much." 

Books I've started...

MOBY DICK:  One summer I started a challenge with my friends to read it! I got 1/3 through it--the Pequod sailors had just sighted the big white whale. Who would stop THERE? I taught snippets of it from an American  Lit anthology for years at my first job in the eighties: I know who Queequeg, Tashtego, and Ishmael are, and I and how it ends--but not because I finished it with my friends. (Hats off to Donisue who did!) I did buy a cool t-shirt of Moby facing off with Ahab. In my defense, I went back to school, BUT I will finish it someday! My copy is large print--ha!

DON QUIXOTE: My brother's favorite book...I'm 60 pages in--his insanity made me uncomfortable, but I would've gotten past that--Don Quixote's, not my brother's. Sadly, I probably won't finish it. Thoughts?

WAR AND PEACE: It's entertaining and I've gotten 120 pages in this summer (that's 1/10 of the book!), but I stopped because I started reading PARABLE OF THE SOWER--which I finished!  I will finish WAR AND PEACE.

But now (because I watched GENIUS) I kind of want to start LOOK HOMEWARD, ANGEL. 

"There's got to be a word for people like me who start so many books," I told my husband.  

"English teacher?" he said. 

However,my guess is that would NOT be true for many of you. I do not regret reading a single page of any of those books! (It took me so many tries to read CRIME AND PUNISHMENT and BROTHERS K, but I did it!)   

I'm also about half-way through I CHEERFULLY REFUSE, and was listening to DEMON COPPERHEAD and then it got so sad. (My friend Doug IS going to finish it!) I just started WHITE TIGER! I'm listening to THE WEDDING PEOPLE (playful summer book). I promise I HAVE finished many books. I read almost every day. (Humble brag)

Please share what you are reading? 

Also, my friend Kelly needs a suggestion for a book club title? 

Doug later informed me that he did finish DEMON COPPERHEAD: "I’m glad I was able to focus long enough to do so. I thought it was amazing. I think I always finish because I’m stubborn!" He's a librarian though--special, beautiful breed.