The books that I feel compelled to finish are those for our neighborhood book club. The household that picks furnishes dinner, so I feel that there is a contrac

The books that I feel compelled to finish are those for our neighborhood book club. The household that picks furnishes dinner, so I feel that there is a contract there. (Not every one does. "Well, I've been really busy, and I listened to most of it.") This has led me to finish a few rotten books that I'd never have gone past page 20 on if I had encountered them at a beach house. But you raise an interesting point. I really like The Hall of Uselessness by Simon Leys, but have I read every essay in it? I think so, but am not sure.