The Large One
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I loved the plot line; it was the vernacular.
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Which Books have you Failed to Finish?
- Thread starter marlowe
- Start date
I loved the plot line; it was the vernacular.
drew
Drew
Not a prolific reader by any stretch of the imagination but Lord of the Rings took three attempts over several decades. Finally finished the Fellowship of the ring just before seeing the film and finished the rest shortly after.
Hillian1
( . ) ( . )
This.
I am determined to finish it but by Christ it's hard work. Had it 4 years now.
One passage in it takes 4 pages to describe ordering and eating a bowl of stew.
drew
Drew
Duplicate post
Behind Enemy Lines
Well-known member
The God of Small Things. Tried three times. Just can't do it.
Cheeky Monkey
Well-known member
- Jul 17, 2003
- 23,041
If I'm ever unsure about getting a book I check out the one star reviews (out of five) for it on Amazon. One look at some of the numerous one star reviews on there was enough to put me off bothering with MD. I quote:
I find it very hard to believe that a modern reader can find anything inspiring in this massive, overrated, terrible piece of literature. I have read many ‘classics’ which are hardly worthy of the name but this has to come top of the list so far, if there is a worse classic out there I am yet to find it (and hope I never will). It seems to be another of those massive tomes such as ‘War and Peace’ or ‘The Brothers Karamazov’ that the reader convinces themselves to be a ‘masterpiece’ on completion, simply because they cannot bear to admit that they have been duped into wasting such a massive amount of time and energy.
From the lengthy zoological descriptions of marine mammals, through to the tedious descriptions of the minutiae of sea life, one keeps wondering why Melville didn’t just write a series of textbooks and save us all from his woeful attempts at storytelling. I urge you not to buy this book and perpetuate any further the myth that this is either a great novel or that it is in any way still relevant today.
JamesWilsonsVomit
New member
War and Peace, goes for far too long
cheshunt seagull
Well-known member
- Jul 5, 2003
- 2,498
Was the latter 'Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee'? I have started that a few times but never got more than a quarter of the way through.
I was something like "American Indians, American Injustice". Reading the back it sounded really interesting but was really dense and academic and I struggled with the style of writing; lots of references and it didn't flow. I bought it about 20 years ago in the US. I still have it in storage...maybe one day.
Hillian1
( . ) ( . )
If I'm ever unsure about getting a book I check out the one star reviews (out of five) for it on Amazon. One look at some of the numerous one star reviews on there was enough to put me off bothering with MD. I quote:
I find it very hard to believe that a modern reader can find anything inspiring in this massive, overrated, terrible piece of literature. I have read many ‘classics’ which are hardly worthy of the name but this has to come top of the list so far, if there is a worse classic out there I am yet to find it (and hope I never will). It seems to be another of those massive tomes such as ‘War and Peace’ or ‘The Brothers Karamazov’ that the reader convinces themselves to be a ‘masterpiece’ on completion, simply because they cannot bear to admit that they have been duped into wasting such a massive amount of time and energy.
From the lengthy zoological descriptions of marine mammals, through to the tedious descriptions of the minutiae of sea life, one keeps wondering why Melville didn’t just write a series of textbooks and save us all from his woeful attempts at storytelling. I urge you not to buy this book and perpetuate any further the myth that this is either a great novel or that it is in any way still relevant today.
Pretty accurate that.
But as the great Magnus Magnusson was fond of saying, I've started so I'll finish.
Unless I die first, which is quite possible.
Hillian1
( . ) ( . )
Out of interest, have you tried reading Moby Dick?
- Thread starter
- #153
It's often the case that we don't get on with a particular book by a certain author but that does not necessarily mean we will dislike all books by that same author so often we are prepared to give that author a second chance rather than write him off completely. The trick is to buy another book with a completely different title by that author, not exactly the same one as you previously rejected.
pearl
Well-known member
one copy was given to me, the other inherited, but I agree
- Thread starter
- #155
I actually loved "On the Road" when I first read it as a teenager and I credit that book as the one that first turned me on to reading and appreciating literature. I was quite deeply affected by it at the time. I subsequently read quite a few of Kerouac's novels (different titles) which in turn led me onto William Burroughs who was associated with that whole beat scene though a little removed from it. How I would respond to Kerouac now on first reading I have no idea but I think he holds a particular appeal for male adolescents which is not a criticism. At that age you are asking a lot of questions about yourself and exploring new ideas and Kerouac helped to open up certain areas of my mind.
pearl
Well-known member
Oh right. I think my problem is I just don't like the characters, but neither copy has gone to the Red Cross yet so ....., I liked the film though. WB's is another writer I struggle with, but he is/was an intriguing person
Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
Yes. It was very hard work.
- Thread starter
- #158
Yes, I saw you read Junkie by Burroughs which is the book that least appealed to me out of all his books after having read it. The subject matter wasn't really of much interest and I only read it because it was written by him. Pretty impossible not to finish as it is so short. He certainly was an intriguing character, an example of which is the time he accidentally killed his wife while playing William Tell. I even bought his CD "Spare Ass Annie and other Tales" which is him doing a series of readings over a musical Hip Hop backing.
Hillian1
( . ) ( . )
As I trust your judgement, is it worth sticking with?
Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
Honestly? Probably not.