BiCoastal Kid Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 That was the worst book I have ever read. How many books have you read? HF is an excellent novel, especially in the historical context of when it was published. Isn't it usually considered one of the best American novels ever written? Yes, it is. Which is why I can't believe how uninteresting it was. Scarlet letter was pretty bad too. Don't get me wrong, I love reading! I have read many books, and I enjoy most of them. What are some of my favorites? The Harry Potter Series, Holes, The Hatchet, Finding Forrester (it was ok), and the books in the Unfortunate Events series (The plot is terribly sad, but at least they are well written, which I can't say about some other books! ) So basically you like reading, but you prefer to read easy books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USRoadTripper Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 The Martian Chronicles, Bradbury Jane Eyre, Bronte My Antonia, Cather A Farewell to Arms, Hemingway One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Kesey Into the Wild, Krakauer Life of Pi, Martel The Chosen, Potok Gilead, Robinson Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, Sijie The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck The Joy Luck Club, Tan Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, Tyler The Ponder Hear, Welty I read Grapes of Wrath back in the day, and while it was long and almost exhausting to read, I think it is one of the best books I've ever read. But if I had to pick three, not sure if I'd pick it or not, since it is quite long, has a lot of character development and might be quite cumbersome to remember after the fact. Most people in my class hated it, but I loved it for whatever reason. And though I've never read it, I'd definitely pick the Bradbury book. Best school readings I ever did were Fareinheit 451 and Brave New World. Both outstanding, and worth the time to read. God, I'm so glad I don't have to do summer readings anymore -Julie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuakerOaties Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 Wes, glad to hear you like Slaughter-House Five! I have to admit though, I like Cats Cradle a bit more. And also, while it bothers me a bit to hear that people are enjoying the likes of Harry Potter more than classic pieces of literature, at least you guys are reading. A lot of teenagers don't. Besides, I didn't like all of the books I read in school! I strongly disliked the Scarlet Letter, but maybe one day I'll give it another chance. Mark "Great Gatsby was the best book I ever had to read" Luskus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 The Martian Chronicles, Bradbury Jane Eyre, Bronte My Antonia, Cather A Farewell to Arms, Hemingway One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Kesey Into the Wild, Krakauer Life of Pi, Martel The Chosen, Potok Gilead, Robinson Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, Sijie The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck The Joy Luck Club, Tan Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, Tyler The Ponder Hear, Welty Tip, don't choose Jane Eyre. Christ is it boring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumboshrmp Posted June 24, 2006 Author Share Posted June 24, 2006 That was the worst book I have ever read. How many books have you read? HF is an excellent novel, especially in the historical context of when it was published. Isn't it usually considered one of the best American novels ever written? Yes, it is. Which is why I can't believe how uninteresting it was. Scarlet letter was pretty bad too. Don't get me wrong, I love reading! I have read many books, and I enjoy most of them. What are some of my favorites? The Harry Potter Series, Holes, The Hatchet, Finding Forrester (it was ok), and the books in the Unfortunate Events series (The plot is terribly sad, but at least they are well written, which I can't say about some other books! ) So basically you like reading, but you prefer to read easy books. Of course. Reading is supposed to be fun, not a chore. What do you mean, "easy books"? I don't want to feel like I am working hard when I am reading. But anyway, most of the hard books suck anyway. If a book is hard to read, it is hard to read because it is boring, and not well written. If a book is "hard" to read, it is the author's fault for not making it more interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuakerOaties Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 ^ I don't mean to seem condescending with what I'm about to say, but a book is not difficult solely because of bad writing. If you aren't mature or well read enough to tackle a particular novel, you won't be able to appreciate or understand it. It doesn't mean its hard or boring, but just that you shouldn't be reading it at that time. Try rereading some books you may not have liked in middle school (Animal Farm is always great for this) and read it now. See how your opinions have changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 Huckleberry Finn doesn't have wizards, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkTrips Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 I swear I am the only person in the world who wasn't assigned to read Animal Farm. I haven't read a book in quite a while, but Crime & Punishment is still pretty much my favorite. Oh and LOL @ Wes' sig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumboshrmp Posted June 24, 2006 Author Share Posted June 24, 2006 Honestly, I have a very wide vocabulary, and I enjoy long books, however, one of the reasons why the Harry Potter novels are so great is because they are filled with dialogue as opposed to pages of boring descriptive text. What i will be honest with, is that I can't stand clasic novels. These things need to be re-written for current audiences. I can understand where Shakespeare was coming from, and people say that I will appreciate it when I'm older, but they are slightly misunderstood. I appreciate his message now, but attempting to understand his message isn't worth it if I have to interpret ancient styles of writing. Anyway.... Why make a novel challenging, when you can still write it for adults and make it excellent? I like long books. As long as I enjoy reading the book itself. I want to motivated to turn the pages by something other than a desire to finish it as soon as possible. (By the way, I really enjoy this conversation, I am not saying anyone else is wrong, I'm simply stating my opinion. Please continue to discuss if you feel I don't understand.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pvcoasterguy Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 ^ That "boring, descriptive text" can have so much meaning and significance, especially in the the classics. They are filled with motifs, metaphors, allusions, and many other interesting thing if you read for meaning and understanding. Yes, the Harry Potter novels are enjoyable, but they aren't the most well-written or meaningful books in the world. Interpreting the literature is one of the most interesting things. You can't read every book the same way. It just wouldn't work. I went into reading Romeo and Juliet thinking that it would be terrible. It wasn't. I truly enjoyed it, actually, and found it very interesting and entertaining. Yes, it did take more work to read that than some other books, it was more rewarding. Give it a chance. You're making huge generalizations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeemerBoy Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 What i will be honest with, is that I can't stand clasic novels. These things need to be re-written for current audiences. I can understand where Shakespeare was coming from, and people say that I will appreciate it when I'm older, but they are slightly misunderstood. I appreciate his message now, but attempting to understand his message isn't worth it if I have to interpret ancient styles of writing. Maybe they could make "hip" movie versions too.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumboshrmp Posted June 24, 2006 Author Share Posted June 24, 2006 What i will be honest with, is that I can't stand clasic novels. These things need to be re-written for current audiences. I can understand where Shakespeare was coming from, and people say that I will appreciate it when I'm older, but they are slightly misunderstood. I appreciate his message now, but attempting to understand his message isn't worth it if I have to interpret ancient styles of writing. Maybe they could make "hip" movie versions too.... Of course. Why else do you think the second versions of Freaky Friday and The Parent Trap were so much better than the original? I went into reading Romeo and Juliet thinking that it would be terrible. It wasn't. I truly enjoyed it, actually, and found it very interesting and entertaining. I went into reading that book thinking it would be good. Talk about disspointing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbuck Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 I dont have to read this summer, but I am reading the Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy for the hell of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiCoastal Kid Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 Of course. Reading is supposed to be fun, not a chore. What do you mean, "easy books"? I don't want to feel like I am working hard when I am reading. But anyway, most of the hard books suck anyway. If a book is hard to read, it is hard to read because it is boring, and not well written. If a book is "hard" to read, it is the author's fault for not making it more interesting. I only say that because honestly I don't find those books hard to read. I like the descriptive passages and the varied structure. Harry Potter is fun to read, but honestly I'd say that once I finish a classic, I get a lot more enjoyment out of it. SUCH AS, I'm reading Heart of Darkness right now. It's basically a quote of a first person narrative within another first person narrative. It's pretty intriguing. I strongly disliked the Scarlet Letter, but maybe one day I'll give it another chance. MARK, it's funny you say that. I wasn't a big fan of that book, but then i read a couple of Hawthornes short stories, mainly The Minister's Black Veil, and came to appreciate it even more. He's definitely an author you have to read a few of his works to truly enjoy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuakerOaties Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 What i will be honest with, is that I can't stand clasic novels. These things need to be re-written for current audiences. I'm speechless. Mark "I'll have to get back to this post once I figure out exactly what I want to say" Luskus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luxo Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 Obviously... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumboshrmp Posted June 25, 2006 Author Share Posted June 25, 2006 ^ A little bit better. But you still need to remove all traces of nature from that picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb425 Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 Pick three of the following. Read and note, be prepared for quizzes on the books you read on the second day of school. During the first week back, you will apply different types of literary criticism to the novels and write a 4-page analysis over one of the books. The Martian Chronicles, Bradbury Jane Eyre, Bronte My Antonia, Cather A Farewell to Arms, Hemingway One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Kesey Into the Wild, Krakauer Life of Pi, Martel The Chosen, Potok Gilead, Robinson Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, Sijie The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck The Joy Luck Club, Tan Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, Tyler The Ponder Hear, Welty Don't pick Life of Pi, I read that last year and could not stand it! Anyhow, I've got: The College Application Essay by Sarah McGinty Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain and Chapters 1-6 in my A.P. U.S. History book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumboshrmp Posted June 25, 2006 Author Share Posted June 25, 2006 Wow, I just read another 10 pages of the Hobbit, now I've gotten to page 63. God, this book is torture. Every once in a while I'll come to a good part where I can figure out what is going on, but the author gives me no sense of who is actually in the story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiCoastal Kid Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 OKAY, really just for reference, in the Hobbit, and the subsequent LOTR novels, Tolkien wasn't just telling a story but he was also creating an entire alternate world. So you're going to have to read a lot to get through the story as much of it is background information on the area and lands to give the story a realism and richness that many novels now days lack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumboshrmp Posted June 27, 2006 Author Share Posted June 27, 2006 Wow... Okay, so I just got to page 66 of the book. I have no idea why the author bothered putting the first 65 pages in here, but it just started getting good.I mean REALLY good. I'm getting off the computer to go read now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Turbine Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 Yeah, I have never been assigned books, but I always put it up to myself to read a couple of books ever summer. This summer, my list only consists of one due to work. That book? Maddox's Alphabet of Manliness. I need to read that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pvcoasterguy Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 ^^ See, the classics don't suck. I have a few recommendations: (1) Winesburg, Ohio Wow, what a great, moving book. Many miss out on this great classic, don't be one of them. It is comprised of short stories all connected by setting and characters. (2) Tortilla Flat Good ol' Steinbeck book. Very good ending. (3) Of Mice and Men Another Steinbeck, very good, its short length makes it even more appealing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumboshrmp Posted June 27, 2006 Author Share Posted June 27, 2006 ^^ See, the classics don't suck. I have a few recommendations: (1) Winesburg, Ohio Wow, what a great, moving book. Many miss out on this great classic, don't be one of them. It is comprised of short stories all connected by setting and characters. (2) Tortilla Flat Good ol' Steinbeck book. Very good ending. (3) Of Mice and Men Another Steinbeck, very good, its short length makes it even more appealing. I didnt say that all classics suck. But I still think Huck Finn is one of the worst books I have ever experienced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USRoadTripper Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 (3) Of Mice and Men Another Steinbeck, very good, its short length makes it even more appealing. Of Mine and Men very well could be my favorite book ever. It told a very clear story, in very clear language, and was very easy to follow. I have almost always been someone who has hated reading with a passion, so I really do sympathize with Jumboshrimp on this one. When I was a kid, I loved to read! But as soon as I was assigned a book that I hated (a Hardy Boys book in 4th grade), reading became my #1 most hated chore in high school. To this day, I never...and I mean *never*...read for fun. The only book I have read in the last 18 years that wasn't assigned was Walt Disney : An American Original. So yeah...I pretty much think most of the classics sucked too! Occasionally, I will pick up my copy of 1984 and start to read it, but have never gotten past the first page since I'd rather bash my head against a wall repeatedly than read. So quit giving him a hard time! If reading isn't his thing, it's not his thing. It's certainly not mine. -Julie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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