In terms of books, I happen to know a lot of people who will put down a book that they do not “get into.” The cutoff will usually be within the first 25%. The peak-end rule would explain how people judge the last thing they read as more important than what they have read before that. If they end part way through the book, those last few pages will matter more.
In terms of a book’s quality, I am not sure that the peak-end rule is the appropriate way to judge the book. It may be a good way to judge the experience of the book, but the book itself can have a great ending and still be terrible. I can also immensely enjoy a terrible book.
In terms of Twilight, I am fairly certain that even if I enjoyed the ending I will not enjoy reading the series as a whole.
I do not enjoy reading most biographies but I consider the information gleaned to be good. The book as a whole is worth reading but the experience of reading the book is not high on my list of good experiences. I suppose the end result of knowing more can be wrapped into the term “experience.” I, however, am more thinking of “the experience” as aesthetics.
Also, if I read the same book twice I will have different experiences. Does the quality of the book change? If I read a book out loud with my significant other the experience will have much more meaning than the book provided on its own.
This is just a fact about how humans experience events—the end matters more than anything. See the peak-end rule.
In terms of books, I happen to know a lot of people who will put down a book that they do not “get into.” The cutoff will usually be within the first 25%. The peak-end rule would explain how people judge the last thing they read as more important than what they have read before that. If they end part way through the book, those last few pages will matter more.
In terms of a book’s quality, I am not sure that the peak-end rule is the appropriate way to judge the book. It may be a good way to judge the experience of the book, but the book itself can have a great ending and still be terrible. I can also immensely enjoy a terrible book.
In terms of Twilight, I am fairly certain that even if I enjoyed the ending I will not enjoy reading the series as a whole.
It seems strange to judge the experience of a book differently than the book itself. Does the book have value other than in ways that affect you?
Maybe I’m misreading you?
I do not enjoy reading most biographies but I consider the information gleaned to be good. The book as a whole is worth reading but the experience of reading the book is not high on my list of good experiences. I suppose the end result of knowing more can be wrapped into the term “experience.” I, however, am more thinking of “the experience” as aesthetics.
Also, if I read the same book twice I will have different experiences. Does the quality of the book change? If I read a book out loud with my significant other the experience will have much more meaning than the book provided on its own.