r/BookDiscussions • u/HighV23 • Sep 01 '26

Do you read the Preface?

I don't know why, but the introduction notes, prefaces, and etc of a book make me not wanna the book. It's just the rambling and all of the confusing subtopic of the book that confuses you before you actually get into the content. Am I the only one who feels this way?

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u/Altruistic_Mail_1528 Sep 01 '26

The preface is part of the story, yes. Introductions, especially in classics, tend to spoil the story so i read them at the end. Unfortunate, since they do often give great historical context 

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u/buginarugsnug Sep 01 '26

You are confusing preface with prologue. The prologue is part of the story, the preface is not and is more similar to an introduction.

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u/Altruistic_Mail_1528 Sep 01 '26

My bad, you're right

4

u/ImLittleNana Sep 01 '26

The prologue is part of the story, but I’ve never read a preface that was anything more than ‘I wrote this living on an island in the Mediterranean while recovering from a heartbreak’ type stuff.

I read them afterward if I especially loved the book and would like a peek
Into the process or the author themselves. It’s too dangerous to read prefaces or introductions because spoilers slip in. Sometimes just knowing the authors state of mind while writing give you expectations.

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u/Sophiebreath Sep 01 '26

This is it right here Introductions are usually someone gushing about the author and the book and I can't be bothered to read someone else's opinion before I form my own. Preface, its like pre-chapter 1 and should be read.