"The Most Boring Book" I read or tried to read - Page 21

Russell Brooks · 11-22-2010, 12:24 AM

@Doreen and Ep

Publication standards have changed a lot since those days. I still wonder how Stephanie Meyer got published, considering, IMO, those aren't real vampires in her story, but some other type of creatures. A friend of mine in the publishing industry told me that agents and publishers care more about money before the art aspect of a book. This article might interest both of you.

http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat...writers_b10406

NVash · 11-22-2010, 10:57 PM

Im probably going to catch a lot of flack for this but the most boring book I ever read was 'The Hobbit'. The most boring ones I ever attempted to read, 'The Vampire Chronicles', 'The Lord Of The Rings' and now 'Wheel Of Time'. Ive attempted to read the first book in each of these series and every time made it pretty far in but they never cease to stop boring me. 'Twilight', while it may stink, has usually kept me awake while Im reading it. These have put me to sleep.

Marcy · 11-23-2010, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gollu

My prize goes to Heinlein and his "Number of the beast" book. I still don't know if that book had a point and I read almost the entire book. Masochism at its best.

Funny I thought the first two parts of that book were amazing. It was only when Heinlein started bringing in all his characters from prior books that I thought the whole thing fell apart. I found it was like he suddenly didn't know what to do with the story so just stuck in the old characters to have an ending. Granted, one that sucked, but an ending. It was one of the biggest disappointment books I've ever read, since it began with a bang and ended with a whimper.

-Marcy

Marcy · 11-23-2010, 01:38 AM

There were a bunch of forced reads in high school that were mighty boring, but I can't remember them anymore. The most boring thing I read recently was Imperfect Birds by Anne Lamott. I will concede that it was a sequel to a book I hadn't read, something I didn't realize when I checked the ebook out of the library. But it was so boring. When I finished it, I was pissed that I wasted a couple of hours of my life on it. I kept reading, waiting for something to happen, and it just never did.

-Marcy

gmw · 11-23-2010, 07:38 AM

Re: The Number of the Beast

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcy

Funny I thought the first two parts of that book were amazing ... began with a bang and ended with a whimper.

For me it was just the first 30 pages. I read those and thought Wow! ... but then ... nothing. So much potential and so little realised - which was the way it was for a great many of his books I thought.

Russell Brooks · 11-23-2010, 07:42 AM

Although it was considered to be a classic, The Old Man and the Sea didn't work for me.

pilotbob · 11-23-2010, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcy

There were a bunch of forced reads in high school that were mighty boring, but I can't remember them anymore.

_The Last of the Mohicans_

Was a book I was supposed to read on the high school summer reading list. I don't remember the book at all other than it was sooo boring. Of course, I am sure my tastes have changed from when I was 13.

BOb

BenG · 11-23-2010, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

_The Last of the Mohicans_

Was a book I was supposed to read on the high school summer reading list. I don't remember the book at all other than it was sooo boring. Of course, I am sure my tastes have changed from when I was 13.

BOb

"Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offenses" by Mark Twain, 1895

Marcy · 11-23-2010, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russell Brooks

Although it was considered to be a classic, The Old Man and the Sea didn't work for me.

Me either! I didn't remember it at the time of my first post, but your post brought the memories back. I can still remember thinking at the time, 'Wow, man goes fishing, man caught a fish, man lost a fish, man goes home—a whole book that I could tell in a sentence'.

We had to read it in 8th grade so perhaps I'd get more of the supposed wonderfulness now, but the memory is so distasteful that it won't be happening. I have over 1000 unread books that actually seemed interesting to me anyway.

-Marcy

hidari · 11-23-2010, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiwimick

Having looked through this thread I find it incredible that "American Physco" by Bret Easton Ellis hasnt already been mentioned.

It is without doubt the most boring book I have ever read, what with the constant description of clothes and the designer gear that everyone was wearing just drove me mad

I thought Psycho was a good read...but a lot if it is dry and satirical...it can make one go crazy...his description of some of the horrid music of the 80s is funny I'd say...

suecsi · 11-23-2010, 11:56 AM

Angels and Demons - I fell asleep with that one every time .....

Russell Brooks · 11-23-2010, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcy

Me either! I didn't remember it at the time of my first post, but your post brought the memories back. I can still remember thinking at the time, 'Wow, man goes fishing, man caught a fish, man lost a fish, man goes home—a whole book that I could tell in a sentence'.

We had to read it in 8th grade so perhaps I'd get more of the supposed wonderfulness now, but the memory is so distasteful that it won't be happening. I have over 1000 unread books that actually seemed interesting to me anyway.

-Marcy

How about that! I had to read that story in grade 8 too. I gave it a bad review, and my teacher laughed when he read it. He accepted that I didn't like the story. I'm sorry, I cannot relate to stories where nothing really happens, unless it's an episode of Seinfeld.

Russell Brooks · 11-23-2010, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suecsi

Angels and Demons - I fell asleep with that one every time .....

It didn't put me to sleep, but I admit I had a WTF moment when Robert Langdon jumped from a helicopter with nothing more than a tarp and survived.

NVash · 11-23-2010, 04:29 PM

Roots too, that bored me. Then again I tried that one in high school when I was big into reading sci-fi so that might be half the problem.

GA Russell · 11-23-2010, 05:10 PM

Not the most boring, but the worst book that I have ever read was the first Saint book - called (as I recall) The Saint Meets the Tiger.

Really surprised that a publisher gave it the green light. Also surprising that Leslie Charteris developed into a readable and fun author.

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11-22-2010, 12:24 AM	#301
Russell Brooks Fanatic Posts: 538 Karma: 569642 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Montreal, Quebec Device: none	@Doreen and Ep Publication standards have changed a lot since those days. I still wonder how Stephanie Meyer got published, considering, IMO, those aren't real vampires in her story, but some other type of creatures. A friend of mine in the publishing industry told me that agents and publishers care more about money before the art aspect of a book. This article might interest both of you. http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat...writers_b10406

11-22-2010, 10:57 PM	#302
NVash Wandering Vagabond Posts: 282 Karma: 350000 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: iPod Touch	Im probably going to catch a lot of flack for this but the most boring book I ever read was 'The Hobbit'. The most boring ones I ever attempted to read, 'The Vampire Chronicles', 'The Lord Of The Rings' and now 'Wheel Of Time'. Ive attempted to read the first book in each of these series and every time made it pretty far in but they never cease to stop boring me. 'Twilight', while it may stink, has usually kept me awake while Im reading it. These have put me to sleep.

11-23-2010, 01:38 AM	#304
Marcy Guru Posts: 903 Karma: 950683 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kobo Libra2	There were a bunch of forced reads in high school that were mighty boring, but I can't remember them anymore. The most boring thing I read recently was Imperfect Birds by Anne Lamott. I will concede that it was a sequel to a book I hadn't read, something I didn't realize when I checked the ebook out of the library. But it was so boring. When I finished it, I was pissed that I wasted a couple of hours of my life on it. I kept reading, waiting for something to happen, and it just never did. -Marcy

11-23-2010, 07:42 AM	#306
Russell Brooks Fanatic Posts: 538 Karma: 569642 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Montreal, Quebec Device: none	Although it was considered to be a classic, The Old Man and the Sea didn't work for me.

11-23-2010, 11:56 AM	#311
suecsi Rock Chick Posts: 429 Karma: 4965 Join Date: May 2009 Location: near Heathrow Device: Kindle 2i, Kindle DX, Kindle 3G	Angels and Demons - I fell asleep with that one every time .....

11-23-2010, 04:29 PM	#314
NVash Wandering Vagabond Posts: 282 Karma: 350000 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: iPod Touch	Roots too, that bored me. Then again I tried that one in high school when I was big into reading sci-fi so that might be half the problem.

11-23-2010, 05:10 PM	#315
GA Russell Ticats/Als, Riders/Lions Posts: 7,717 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	Not the most boring, but the worst book that I have ever read was the first Saint book - called (as I recall) The Saint Meets the Tiger. Really surprised that a publisher gave it the green light. Also surprising that Leslie Charteris developed into a readable and fun author.