My question is to readers of academic books. Is it ok to say that I have read a book if after midway through a book I am convinced of the main points an author is making and do not wish to continue to the very end. For instance, I have been reading Polanyi’s Personal Knowledge for a while now. I have made it to halfway and think I have got his main propositions. Is it ok to claim I have read this book? What are your views on this?
If it’s just a personal thing for you to check off, then sure why not? I personally don’t count an unfinished book as ‘read’, I just say DNF - did not finish, or read half, etc. If it’s not a specific academic requirement to read the whole thing then who cares?