10 Books Not To Read Before You Die - Page 2

Libby Cone · 12-31-2008, 10:37 AM

Am I the only serious reader who dislikes Cormac McCarthy? As I mentioned in another post, I found the beginning of "All the Pretty Horses" a snore job. I couldn't finish "Blood Meridian" because of the over-the-top descriptions of EVERYTHING, from sunsets and mountains to pus and vomit. Plus no inner life of any of the characters.

awesomevegan · 12-31-2008, 12:05 PM

I will never understand some of the books they made me read in school. Usually we either ONE were not old enough to appreciate them or TWO they were so boring we couldn't get absorbed in them. However I love to read on my own terms. At the risk of getting picked on... I hated The Call of the Wild, Of Mice and Men and To Kill a Mockingbird. But if they had given me a fantasy or sci-fi book or something about an alternate society I probably would have eaten it up.

lilac_jive · 12-31-2008, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awesomevegan

I will never understand some of the books they made me read in school. Usually we either ONE were not old enough to appreciate them or TWO they were so boring we couldn't get absorbed in them. However I love to read on my own terms. At the risk of getting picked on... I hated The Call of the Wild, Of Mice and Men and To Kill a Mockingbird. But if they had given me a fantasy or sci-fi book or something about an alternate society I probably would have eaten it up.

Glad to see you are trying out the list

Luckily Jane Austen crosses over.

curtw · 12-31-2008, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Libby Cone

Am I the only serious reader who dislikes Cormac McCarthy? As I mentioned in another post, I found the beginning of "All the Pretty Horses" a snore job. I couldn't finish "Blood Meridian" because of the over-the-top descriptions of EVERYTHING, from sunsets and mountains to pus and vomit. Plus no inner life of any of the characters.

Funny that this should come up in the same thread bashing Hemingway. I read The Road, and as I finished, it dawned on me that it's simply a post-modernist re-hash of the same themes that were already (poorly, IMHO) explored in The Old Man and the Sea.

Of course, I seem to have become extremely cynical and picky of late. The last book I truly enjoyed was over a year ago: Wendy Doniger's The Woman Who Pretended To Be Who She Was.

HappyMartin · 12-31-2008, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astra

I have read only 2 books from the list: The Lord of the Rings and War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy. The latter by "accident". I was forced to read it in school.

Reading War and Peace by accident sounds like eating 12 Big Macs by accident. Its not like it is something that happens quickly before you can take evasive action if you know what I mean.

zelda_pinwheel · 12-31-2008, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HappyMartin

Reading War and Peace by accident sounds like eating 12 Big Macs by accident. Its not like it is something that happens quickly before you can take evasive action if you know what I mean.

astra · 12-31-2008, 02:13 PM

Ha-ha!
The only way out was out of the school, which was not an acceptable solution.

awesomevegan · 12-31-2008, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

Glad to see you are trying out the list

Luckily Jane Austen crosses over.

I have heard good things about her. She is also clearly one of Stephenie Meyer's influences, seeing as Bella reads her in Twilight. Thats why I read Jane Eyre and have Wuthering Heights on my list... oh what have I gotten myself into... (Thank you Mrs. Meyer!)

If I ever want to finish any of these I need to drag myself away from the forums and read! I am working on some more modern books for the time being.

lilac_jive · 12-31-2008, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awesomevegan

I have heard good things about her. She is also clearly one of Stephenie Meyer's influences, seeing as Bella reads her in Twilight. Thats why I read Jane Eyre and have Wuthering Heights on my list... oh what have I gotten myself into... (Thank you Mrs. Meyer!)

If I ever want to finish any of these I need to drag myself away from the forums and read! I am working on some more modern books for the time being.

Pride and Prejudice is one of my most favorite books

awesomevegan · 12-31-2008, 05:03 PM

Do you recommend reading Jane Austen's books in any order or does it matter?

ShortNCuddlyAm · 12-31-2008, 05:09 PM

I think I have to protest that Fear and Loathing is on that list as well as Pride and Prejudice.

lilac_jive · 12-31-2008, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awesomevegan

Do you recommend reading Jane Austen's books in any order or does it matter?

Nope. Any order you wish.

Then, after you read Pride and Prejudice, rent the A&E Pride and Prejudice miniseries with Colin Firth.

*sigh*

montsnmags · 12-31-2008, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Libby Cone

Am I the only serious reader who dislikes Cormac McCarthy?
...

Yes. Yes you are. So, I'm afraid the rest of us in the Anton Chigurh Fan Club are getting our stunguns together to track you down and eliminate your dissenting opinion.

Actually, I did quite like The Road and No Country For Old Men, though I haven't read anything else by him. The Road was the second-most depressing book I ever read.

Of course, perhaps I'm not a "serious reader", since some of my literary proclivities are towards cats wearing hats coming back.

Cheers,
Evil-Marc

HarryT · 01-01-2009, 05:14 AM

I'm ashamed to admit that I've never even heard of Cormac McCarthy!

Phogg · 01-01-2009, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm ashamed to admit that I've never even heard of Cormac McCarthy!

I never heard of him either, but there are more books written than an army of professors could ever read and why should we all read the same ones?

12-31-2008, 10:37 AM	#16
Libby Cone scribbler Posts: 117 Karma: 246 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Philadelphia USA Device: Kindle	What about Cormac McCarthy? Am I the only serious reader who dislikes Cormac McCarthy? As I mentioned in another post, I found the beginning of "All the Pretty Horses" a snore job. I couldn't finish "Blood Meridian" because of the over-the-top descriptions of EVERYTHING, from sunsets and mountains to pus and vomit. Plus no inner life of any of the characters.

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12-31-2008, 12:05 PM	#17
awesomevegan Connoisseur Posts: 89 Karma: 334 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Massachusetts, USA Device: Kindleing since 11/4/08	I will never understand some of the books they made me read in school. Usually we either ONE were not old enough to appreciate them or TWO they were so boring we couldn't get absorbed in them. However I love to read on my own terms. At the risk of getting picked on... I hated The Call of the Wild, Of Mice and Men and To Kill a Mockingbird. But if they had given me a fantasy or sci-fi book or something about an alternate society I probably would have eaten it up.

12-31-2008, 02:13 PM	#22
astra The Introvert Posts: 8,307 Karma: 1000077497 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United Kingdom Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500	Ha-ha! The only way out was out of the school, which was not an acceptable solution.

12-31-2008, 05:03 PM	#25
awesomevegan Connoisseur Posts: 89 Karma: 334 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Massachusetts, USA Device: Kindleing since 11/4/08	Do you recommend reading Jane Austen's books in any order or does it matter?

12-31-2008, 05:09 PM	#26
ShortNCuddlyAm WWHALD Posts: 7,879 Karma: 337114 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mitcham, Surrey, UK Device: iPad. Selling my silver 505 here	I think I have to protest that Fear and Loathing is on that list as well as Pride and Prejudice.

01-01-2009, 05:14 AM	#29
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I'm ashamed to admit that I've never even heard of Cormac McCarthy!

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