Introductions that give it away

[Pollopicu]

I've been noticing this in a lot of the new edition of old classics. I don't know why they feel the need to walk you through the entire story before you even begin. Sometimes going a bit too far.

One of them was Don Quixote. Another Madame Bovary.

wtf?

Now I read the novel first, and intro's and extras last.

is anyone else annoyed by this?

[Annamariah]

I am. Most of them don't even have any spoiler alerts, so you don't know to skip them before it's too late. I learned it the hard way and nowadays I never read the introduction until after I've finished with the book. Why can't they place those "introductions" to the end of the book instead, if they really have to tell all the plot details in it?

[Desolation]

I've noticed that too, with many classics they expect you to already be familiar with the text, and so in the introduction they don't shy away from giving out the plot. It's really annoying.

[Stargazer86]

I've come across the same problem. Luckily, the times when I came across this, I was re reading a book.

I love reading the timelines/intros/editors notes etc but it is generally best to save for last or for reference during the reading

[Barbarous]

I always found it helpful rather than annoying. Yes, I read the introduction last, but after I read the piece, insights that I probably wouldn't have grasped on my own pleasure reading of the piece are in the introduction.

[Pollopicu]

I always found it helpful rather than annoying. Yes, I read the introduction last, but after I read the piece, insights that I probably wouldn't have grasped on my own pleasure reading of the piece are in the introduction.

Exactly, which is the way I felt after I finished Madame Bovary. The minute I realized how much they were giving away in the intro, I stopped reading it. Once I finished the book, I returned to it for insight.

[kiki1982]

I'm not that big on spoilers, so I don't mind too much. I still have to read how it happened, even if I know what it is that is going to happen.

But, I like to have a whole picture before I think about it and I am usually too enthusiastic to wait and read the introduction first. Pushkin recently was the first I read in years and that was a great help. The French are always serveral tens of pages long and I don't have the stamina to read all that. But I usually do afterwards. When I start, I start. :)

[Dark Muse]

I never read introductions, but pretty much every English teacher I have had say that you should always read the introdutions last. It is a bit silly how introductions give away they whole plot of the book.

I am someone who does detest spoilers.

One of my teachers says she thinks intros should be placed at the end of the text instead of of before it.

[grotto]

I almost never read an introduction, the only time I do is after I have read the book. I don't like to have my mind polluted by a long winded explanation before I make up my own mind first, then, well, if I want another opinion, I'll go back and read it!

[mayneverhave]

I could care less about spoilers. The more information the better.

[Mathor]

I find that most often, knowing the end affects how you interpret what is to come. The ending of Brothers Karamazov is eluded to from the beginning and althroughout. Having a pretty good idea what is going to happen helps you to enjoy the ending.

[mal4mac]

All the "Wordsworth Classics" having a big warning at the start of the introduction to suggest that new readers read the book before the introduction - it's nice to see an inexpensive paperback publisher who cares enough about their readers enough to flag up a spoiler...

I notice Penguin are now starting to do the same (see "Demons"). About time.

[JBI]

I dunno - I don't think, if it is a good book, you can really spoil it - generally, if I'm really interested in the book, the plot won't matter, and if knowing the plot ruins the book, I doubt I should bother reading it in the first place.

As for spoilers, well, that's to be expected if the introduction is any good.

[Pollopicu]

edited..

[LitNetIsGreat]

Yes it tends to irritate me too. Of course it is true that we hardly read only for plot, but even so, I would rather read the book as nature intended. Besides, knowing major plot lines does affect your personal experience and reaction to a work in some way.

I tend to read the introductions until I reach what I feel is becoming deep water, then I skip it for later.

[mal4mac]

Well but for example:
DON Quixote *spoiler alert* scroll down...

This didn't work because I scrolled up from the previous post and read the spoiler before your alert!

Note - you can edit your old posts. To not be a spoiler you should delete your spoiler.

I wouldn't add a spoiler *anywhere* on the internet as there is no guarantee the spoiler will not be read through some mechanism that misses out your warning.

Fortunately I've already read Don Quixote :D

[kelby_lake]

The introduction is for the purposes of the student. It's best to read it last in case it changes how you see the book on first read.

[Pollopicu]

There's this wonderful "spoiler alert" feature they have in other forums.

Let me see if it works here..

hello :)

eta: I guess not.

I'm surprised this forum doesn't have that feature.

[kiki1982]

What I have had (great desillusion) was with The Vicomte de Bragelonne. There was no introduction and I did not want to read for once the summary on Wiki (because it was the last of its trilogy) and then they come with a sorrowful Dumas on the back who tells his sone why he is so sad.

SPOILER


He had killed Porthos



SPOILER OVER



Oh, my God that is just the back where it should give info on the book, not on the end or nearly the end of the plot!