Most overhyped classic masterpiece?

[Juliette]

Originally Posted by Slite

War and Peace ... tried to read the dang thing eleventy times I think, and after awhile I just throw my hands up in disgust and start to read something else.

And Madame Bovary (personal reasons- our teacher was sooooooo in love with the character I suspect she would have cosplayed Emma Bovary) and Heart of Darkness (this one I had expectations to- read it on my own, since I didn't take English in school- and wow, really terrible experience).

I add myself to the queue of people not getting the point of Moby Dick :P

[Patricia]

I must admit to having problems finishing Moby Dick. Perhps it's more of a man's novel. Most things with dick are.

Really interesting thoughts from everyone on Shakespeare and other classics 'forced' on chldren at school. And I get the point about watching the plays - rather than reading them from cover to cover. Maybe I'll give Will another chance and go and see one - I might be even be converted!

[Sparrow]

Patricia!! I'm shocked.

[lilac_jive]

Originally Posted by Patricia

I must admit to having problems finishing Moby Dick. Perhps it's more of a man's novel. Most things with dick are.

My sister is thirteen and they are learning about dystopian literature, and they had to read an excerpt of Animal Farm. I just bought her the whole version and told her she has to read the whole thing now

[Juliette]

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

I read War and Peace at a time I was stranded in Germany with nothing else to read, and that's the only reason I managed to finish it: I had no choice I managed to do it by skipping all the boring parts about politics and war in general and Napoleon in particular (I think - it's been a while) and reading only the romance parts, which I enjoyed a lot. They are quite clearly separated, it was surprisingly easy to do. May not be very practical in e-book form though.

Your description reminds me of Sartre's Les mots when he's describing how he was writing novels- a bit of explanation, a bit of action. Or Hugo's way of placing some political/social chapters in his books (anyone remember the part of the Misérables where he says that basically nuns are losers? The one who sent the book on the Index immediately?)

[Juliette]

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

My sister is thirteen and they are learning about dystopian literature, and they had to read an excerpt of Animal Farm. I just bought her the whole version and told her she has to read the whole thing now

Animal farm is my favourite of Orwell's dystopian novels, 1984 being the one I had to read for school (history, weirdly enough) and hated. So, have a nice read

[lilac_jive]

Originally Posted by Juliette

Animal farm is my favourite of Orwell's dystopian novels, 1984 being the one I had to read for school (history, weirdly enough) and hated. So, have a nice read

I liked 1984 better, but I just read that recently. I did enjoy Animal Farm a lot though, and it's more apporiate reading for her age (I don't think she'd get 1984 just yet).

[Juliette]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm fortunate in living only an hour's drive away from the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-on-Avon, so I've seen a lot of really good performances. Saw David Tennant in "Hamlet" earlier in the year; that was just superb.

I officially envy you. The only Hamlet I saw was awful, but apparently theatres aren't à la page anymore, and Shakespeare even less, so I am still waiting for a good chance...

[Juliette]

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

I liked 1984 better, but I just read that recently. I did enjoy Animal Farm a lot though, and it's more apporiate reading for her age (I don't think she'd get 1984 just yet).

Maybe 1984 was too transparent- I think I'd enjoyed it better before I studied the XX century. I'm talking for me, of course

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Originally Posted by Patricia

I must admit to having problems finishing Moby Dick. Perhps it's more of a man's novel. Most things with dick are.

And also

:teameetkeyboardonemoretime:

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by Patricia

I must admit to having problems finishing Moby Dick. Perhps it's more of a man's novel. Most things with dick are.

patricia's risqué jokes are always so much funnier because she makes them with such a straight face.

[LDBoblo]

Originally Posted by Patricia

I must admit to having problems finishing Moby Dick. Perhps it's more of a man's novel. Most things with dick are.

Could be, but change the whale into a flock of chickadees and call the book Moby Tits and I suspect the male curiosity level will skyrocket.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

I liked 1984 better, but I just read that recently. I did enjoy Animal Farm a lot though, and it's more apporiate reading for her age (I don't think she'd get 1984 just yet).

I liked both, but of course, Animal Farm -- the one with all the allegory -- was my favorite. It was interesting to see how the animals' values changed when they got a taste of power.

[orwell2k]

Originally Posted by Heather Parker

I'll probably get shot for suggesting this but is there anyone else who doesn't enjoy Shakespeare? Maybe it's because we're forced to read it in such detail when we're at school but my mind just drifts...
I'm in the UK - do you all have to read it in school in the US too?
Heather

In Australia I was not force-fed any Shakespeare at school, and thus enjoyed discovering his work for myself at a later time (early-twenties). I think this was probably the main reason I enjoy reading Shakespeare - beacuse it's my choice. As for plays/movies of his works, I enjoy them also, but usually prefer to read the work before seeing the play - helps me understand it better. But that's just my preference - I tend to prefer to read most books before seeing a movie interpretation - which often leads to disappointment (except for Shakespeare).

Originally Posted by HarryT

I must disagree with you about that. I find the use of "modern" language in the Buss translation "jarring". The older, anonymous, 1846 translation which most English editions still use is not so much abridged as slightly censored to remove sexual content which would have been unacceptable to a British Victorian readership. There is indeed a commonly-encountered abridged version (published in one volume rather than the original two), but that's an abridgement of the 1846 translation.

Yes, good point, there are various versions from the early translation. I do find the 1846 translation disappointing because of the censorship - it's not critical to the story, but it does add some "flavour" I think. And I didn't find the Buss language jarring at all - I felt he did an excellent job of trying to keep some period feel to the labguage, whilst still making a "modern" translation. But that is the joy of having various translations to choose from - to each his/her own.