Should I carry on reading this... or give up?

IT’S A conundrum faced by every reader at some point – ditch a book that you are just not enjoying, or see it through with grim determination until the bitter end.

A new poll suggests that many of us are unwilling to give up on a book, no matter how much we are struggling, while others will wait weeks, or even months, before conceding defeat.

And it also indicates 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 today, suggested that anyone who finds themselves facing “book block” should not force themselves to continue with the book in question. The poll suggests that readers are more likely to have difficulty with modernday novels, such as Fifty Shades

Of Grey, rather than works by classic authors such as Dickens or Emily Brontë.

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 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.”