What book have you tried to read many times but could not finish? - Page 3

Vi0linha · 03-01-2009, 05:48 AM

I tried to read "a small treatise on the great virtues" of Comte-Sponville more than once, but could never finish it.

montsnmags · 03-01-2009, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

The "The Name of the Rose". Superb book - a medieval detective story.

I've read The Name of the Rose, and Foucault's Pendulum, and enjoyed them thoroughly, but I've had The Island of the Day Before sitting there waiting for a couple of years ago. A friend told me it's their favourite of Eco's books, and I'll definitely get around to it eventually.

However, that doesn't qualify, since I have not "tried to read" it. The book that satisfies that is Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses. I've started it a few times and, honestly, the writing is quite magic to read, but I keep stalling for some reason I don't rightly know. However, a fan of Rushdie's work that I know suggests I read Midnight's Children first, as in his opinion it is a better work, and he reckons that might break the barrier I'm hitting with Verses.

Cheers,
Marc

HarryT · 03-01-2009, 09:35 AM

I thoroughly recommend "Midnight's Children", Marc - it is an excellent book.

Halk · 03-01-2009, 10:10 AM

The Silmarillion.

HarryT · 03-01-2009, 10:19 AM

Has to be John Ringo's "Ghost". Undoubtedly the most unpleasant book I've ever had the misfortune to come across. I have absolutely no desire to attempt to read it "many times" - once was quite enough. A book to be avoided!

ShortNCuddlyAm · 03-01-2009, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

The "The Name of the Rose". Superb book - a medieval detective story.

I only really got into that on the second reading, but I agree, absolutely superb.

I've just googled it - it's "The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana" - quite annoyed as I'd really like to finish that. Without buying it again...

Moe The Cat · 03-01-2009, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Has to be John Ringo's "Ghost". Undoubtedly the most unpleasant book I've ever had the misfortune to come across. I have absolutely no desire to attempt to read it "many times" - once was quite enough. A book to be avoided!

I'll second Ghost. It was incredibly self-indulgent.

julia103 · 03-01-2009, 05:10 PM

I love Lord of the Rings, but I've tried reading The Simarillion several times and never gotten more than half-way through it.

UncleDuke · 03-01-2009, 05:29 PM

both pages of the wit and wisdom of spiro t. agnew

acprinter · 03-01-2009, 05:59 PM

Moby Dick.

I have tried at least 4 times. I keep saying to myself, hey it's a classic, there must be something wrong with me.

nohmi2 · 03-02-2009, 12:56 AM

"Olga's Story" by Stephanie Williams ,which was given to me by my brother-in-law as a gift. I have tried three times to get into the swing of the story, but alas, no joy!!!

GeoffC · 03-02-2009, 05:45 AM

MODs - would this thread (and its sister ) be better off in "Reading Recommendations" - than the llounge?

Gaurnim · 03-02-2009, 06:48 AM

The books I drop are mostly experiments on my side, things I'm curious about, but not necessarily deeply interested in.
Getting the books for free in e-version also makes it easier to drop them.
There's a good chance I try to read some of them again someday, depending on the mood.

Current dropped books include :
- Ulysses, by James Joyce (ebook)
- the Bible (ebook)
- the future of the Internet, Jonathan Zittrain (ebook)
- Gargantua in old french (pbook)
- the Divine Comedy in dual language version, french/italian (pbook)

Sparrow · 03-02-2009, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acprinter

Moby Dick.

I have tried at least 4 times. I keep saying to myself, hey it's a classic, there must be something wrong with me.

I sympathise - I struggled through it.
The film is better than the book.

Imho, it would have been much better if there had been fewer lengthy (tedious) passages about the life of whales and sea life generally.

I do not like it when people say they read it and enjoyed it -and then you ask them about the boring bits, and they tell you they skipped those parts - Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you said you'd read it -

.

If I digested every single word then so should everyone else!
Kudos to those who did and still liked it!

Ea · 03-02-2009, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

MODs - would this thread (and its sister ) be better off in "Reading Recommendations" - than the llounge?

Don't we risk scaring people away? It isn't exactly recommendations

03-01-2009, 05:48 AM	#31
Vi0linha Member Posts: 16 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: São Paulo, Brasil Device: Sony PRS-700 / iPhone	I tried to read "a small treatise on the great virtues" of Comte-Sponville more than once, but could never finish it. Last edited by Vi0linha; 03-01-2009 at 05:48 AM. Reason: mispeling

03-02-2009, 12:56 AM	#41
nohmi2 Pensively observing. Posts: 1,758 Karma: 12675456 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: Varied.	"Olga's Story" by Stephanie Williams ,which was given to me by my brother-in-law as a gift. I have tried three times to get into the swing of the story, but alas, no joy!!! Last edited by nohmi2; 03-02-2009 at 12:57 AM. Reason: Author, author.

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03-01-2009, 09:35 AM	#33
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I thoroughly recommend "Midnight's Children", Marc - it is an excellent book.

03-01-2009, 10:10 AM	#34
Halk Fanatic Posts: 534 Karma: 469999 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Sony PRS-650 (PRS+ alpha - thanks Kartu!)	The Silmarillion.

03-01-2009, 10:19 AM	#35
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Has to be John Ringo's "Ghost". Undoubtedly the most unpleasant book I've ever had the misfortune to come across. I have absolutely no desire to attempt to read it "many times" - once was quite enough. A book to be avoided!

03-01-2009, 05:10 PM	#38
julia103 Connoisseur Posts: 71 Karma: 212 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore MD Device: Sony PRS-505	I love Lord of the Rings, but I've tried reading The Simarillion several times and never gotten more than half-way through it.

03-01-2009, 05:29 PM	#39
UncleDuke books & doughnuts Posts: 882 Karma: 37857 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: usa Device: sony reader, kindle2	both pages of the wit and wisdom of spiro t. agnew

03-01-2009, 05:59 PM	#40
acprinter Groupie Posts: 156 Karma: 3141364 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Jackson, CA Device: Paperwhite 11th generation	Moby Dick. I have tried at least 4 times. I keep saying to myself, hey it's a classic, there must be something wrong with me.

03-02-2009, 05:45 AM	#42
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,600 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	MODs - would this thread (and its sister ) be better off in "Reading Recommendations" - than the llounge?

03-02-2009, 06:48 AM	#43
Gaurnim Final Five n°42 Posts: 789 Karma: 3599 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lyon, France Device: Cybook Gen3	The books I drop are mostly experiments on my side, things I'm curious about, but not necessarily deeply interested in. Getting the books for free in e-version also makes it easier to drop them. There's a good chance I try to read some of them again someday, depending on the mood. Current dropped books include : - Ulysses, by James Joyce (ebook) - the Bible (ebook) - the future of the Internet, Jonathan Zittrain (ebook) - Gargantua in old french (pbook) - the Divine Comedy in dual language version, french/italian (pbook)