What Not to Read

[ric]

Wow, what's with the hate for "A Good Man is Hard to Find." I actually found that story somewhat redemptive...

And "The Republic"...

I think people should decide for themselves whether they want to read something or not, and if you didn't like something because you had to read it for school, maybe you shouldn't consider your opinion of the work to be accurate.

Sorry to be all elitist or whatever, but I'm just tired of people acting like they know everything and calling every classic boring and bad...And the fact is most of you loved The Hunger Games and thought they were the best thing ever. lol, if we judged the Bible to the same standard we judged classic literature, everyone would hate it.

Actually, I have trouble thinking of any book that I read in its entirety and didn't think I was better off for having read it.

You are insanely lucky, then. I would think just about everyone has a couple books that they regret wasting their time on. For instance, I can't believe I blew two perfectly good hours of my life reading The Princess Diaries.

He's not lucky; he understands what the purpose of reading is and has probably read to a far wider extent than anyone else in this thread.

edit: also, someone mentioned Moby Dick, and I'm sure others will agree. To that I can only say: you do understand there is more to writing than getting an action-packed story across in as few words as possible? More and more I think readers simply don't care to put thought or effort into their reading.

[EvangelineWalker]

Wow, what's with the hate for "A Good Man is Hard to Find." I actually found that story somewhat redemptive...

I actually did, in subsequent readings.

edit: also, someone mentioned Moby Dick, and I'm sure others will agree. To that I can only say: you do understand there is more to writing than getting an action-packed story across in as few words as possible? More and more I think readers simply don't care to put thought or effort into their reading.

I can appreciate the way a story is written without necessarily enjoying it.

[Petrichor]

Actually, I have trouble thinking of any book that I read in its entirety and didn't think I was better off for having read it.

You are insanely lucky, then. I would think just about everyone has a couple books that they regret wasting their time on. For instance, I can't believe I blew two perfectly good hours of my life reading The Princess Diaries.

He's not lucky; he understands what the purpose of reading is and has probably read to a far wider extent than anyone else in this thread.

edit: also, someone mentioned Moby Dick, and I'm sure others will agree. To that I can only say: you do understand there is more to writing than getting an action-packed story across in as few words as possible? More and more I think readers simply don't care to put thought or effort into their reading.

Okaaay, are we really going to go there? While I, for one, don't particularly appreciate someone completely dismissing a book just because they thought it was boring, everyone is entitled to their opinion, are they not? Can't they share it without someone coming on and portraying them as uncultured swine?

You don't know me; I don't know you, thus, there may be some kind of communication disconnect here, but what's with the insinuation that nobody here... reads? Spoken as someone who has already read 60+ books this year, I'm rather entertained by your sweeping judgement of everyone on this thread. Certainly not all of those 60+ books were high literature, but some of them were. So yeah, I am actually entitled to say that anyone who does a decent amount of reading is bound to realize that there are some less than enjoyable, pretentious books out there. I mean, C.S. Lewis, a literary enthusiast, openly stated that there's some classic literature he didn't like. It's called taste: Not just accepting what all the literary critics and random people on the internet (:p) have to say about it, but reading the book, developing your own opinion, and passing judgement on it from there.

But really, all that doesn't even really apply to what was originally the intent of the thread, which was to simply discuss lame books. In an age where it's increasingly easy to get any kind of jargon published, not everything is worth your time to read, and some books really have no redeeming value to them. If you don't agree with that, then I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.

And are you trying to be, like, the Jelly of literature or something, ric?

[ric]

My post wasn't really directed specifically to anyone in this thread, more just to the general state of affairs that I have perceived among my peers and the public in general. While I probably have no right to, I get extremely frustrated seeing the way some people disdain classic books that our modern society is practically built upon. I overreacted, and did not intend to portray anyone as uncultured swine.

But really, all that doesn't even really apply to what was originally the intent of the thread, which was to simply discuss lame books. In an age where it's increasingly easy to get any kind of jargon published, not everything is worth your time to read, and some books really have no redeeming value to them. If you don't agree with that, then I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.

I do agree there, and the reason for that is because the readers buy it.

And are you trying to be, like, the Jelly of literature or something, ric?

Just wait till you hear what I have to say about pop music.

[Aeva]

Wow, what's with the hate for "A Good Man is Hard to Find." I actually found that story somewhat redemptive...

Now I'm desperately curious about what redemptive qualities you observed lol. Do please share, if you don't mind. To be fair, I'll list my reasons for strongly disliking it first.

1) I would like to take a belt to the ornery brats who are the children.
2) I'm disgusted by the grandmother's manipulation and pretentiousness (although it's not really her fault that her memory was incorrect) and by her son's behavior.
3) I find the ruthless murder of the family at the end to be a fitting, nasty end to a useless story.

[TigerintheShadows]

Just wait till you hear what I have to say about pop music.

Ooo...send me a PM so we can swap rants!

I haven't read a lot of books that were JUST TERRIBLE (which is subject to change, if the stuff that I hear about Toni Morrison's Beloved is true), but in my opinion, we really should have swapped out The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn for Ethan Frome. We read Ethan Frome a month ago and we were originally going to read Huck Finn, but some testing junk got in the way of the schedule, so we couldn't read the whole thing, which made the assignments we had to do on the novel a lot more difficult. I'd rather have read Huck Finn--for one thing, it is a revered piece of American literature that we really should have to read in its entirety, and for another thing, Ethan Frome was depressing and tedious with really irritating protagonists (it's pretty much the "Great American Classic" formula condensed into eleven chapters).

[Catspaw]

I haven't read a lot of books that were JUST TERRIBLE (which is subject to change, if the stuff that I hear about Toni Morrison's Beloved is true), but in my opinion, we really should have swapped out The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn for Ethan Frome. We read Ethan Frome a month ago and we were originally going to read Huck Finn, but some testing junk got in the way of the schedule, so we couldn't read the whole thing, which made the assignments we had to do on the novel a lot more difficult. I'd rather have read Huck Finn--for one thing, it is a revered piece of American literature that we really should have to read in its entirety, and for another thing, Ethan Frome was depressing and tedious with really irritating protagonists (it's pretty much the "Great American Classic" formula condensed into eleven chapters).

That title sounds really familiar. I have a recollection of having to read "Ethan Frome" in high school and really disliking it. Between your comments and my vague recollection, I didn't even bother looking it up online to remember anything about it, since I'm sure I wouldn't enjoy having my memory revived.

[AshleyWhittaker]

What NOT to read? Hmm.... Franklin and Toopy & Benu (sp?) just for starters. So. Dumb.

But in the way of chapter books, I'd say don't read the Elsie Dinsmore series. When I first read them, I was bored to death. No joke. The story is all about a perfect little girl who never, ever, EVER messes up. I like that she's a Christian and has Godly morals and stuff, but if she's supposed to be a role model, then make her a little more human, won't ya?!

[Jesus' Princess]

What NOT to read? Hmm.... Franklin and Toopy & Benu (sp?) just for starters. So. Dumb.

But in the way of chapter books, I'd say don't read the Elsie Dinsmore series. When I first read them, I was bored to death. No joke. The story is all about a perfect little girl who never, ever, EVER messes up. I like that she's a Christian and has Godly morals and stuff, but if she's supposed to be a role model, then make her a little more human, won't ya?!

Did you read the original series or the more recent ones by Life of Faith?

[Laura Ingalls]

Awww, I loved the Elsie books! I would disagree that she never messes up, but each to their own.

[Jesus' Princess]

Awww, I loved the Elsie books! I would disagree that she never messes up, but each to their own.

So did I But I loved the ordinal series much more than the rewrites.

[Joy]

I looked at the reviews on Amazon of the Elsie Dinsmore books, and they look....well....I don't know how to describe it.
The stuff about her and her father and her going on and on and on about him, and her marrying a guy 15 years older then her...eww.

[Blitz]

Never read Maelyn. Totally lame.

[Laura Ingalls]

Awww, I loved the Elsie books! I would disagree that she never messes up, but each to their own.

So did I But I loved the original series much more than the rewrites.

I don't know what the rewrites are like, as I just read the originals, but I can imagine they probably aren't at all as good.

[AshleyWhittaker]

I've read a few of the more modern ones, and I like that the slaves talk understandable English. But I just found the original Elsie SO ANNOYING!! I mean, her dad is a total jerk, and I can't stand that!! And she is a huge pushover. I honestly don't see what's wrong with singing a song that's not a hymn or reading a non-Christian book on Sunday. PM me if you disagree so we can have a big fight over that

[Laura Ingalls]

I don't want to have a big fight. I actually agree that there's nothing wrong with those things on Sunday, as I am not a Sabbatarian, but I know many people that still hold those convictions and respect their position even though I disagree. And her dad was not a Christian for most of the time he was a jerk...that was sort of the point.

And I'll stop now.

[AshleyWhittaker]

That's my point of view exactly!!

[ric]

Wow, what's with the hate for "A Good Man is Hard to Find." I actually found that story somewhat redemptive...

Now I'm desperately curious about what redemptive qualities you observed lol. Do please share, if you don't mind. To be fair, I'll list my reasons for strongly disliking it first.

1) I would like to take a belt to the ornery brats who are the children.
2) I'm disgusted by the grandmother's manipulation and pretentiousness (although it's not really her fault that her memory was incorrect) and by her son's behavior.
3) I find the ruthless murder of the family at the end to be a fitting, nasty end to a useless story.

....Firstly, these are not reasons for disliking the story. You dislike the characters (...who wouldn't), and you disliked the ending because it was ruthless (and yet you still found it 'fitting').

Perhaps redemptive isn't the best word... I would say that the story is about hypocrisy. A pious grandmother goes around declaring there are no good men, and then she tells a murderer he's a good man just to try to save herself. In the end, the grandmother has some sort of change of heart, and the Misfit is surprised (it's possibly the first time someone has shown him kindness) and kills her. The experience leads him to realize that "it's no real pleasure in life." A change of heart for both, perhaps?

[Aeva]

Wow, what's with the hate for "A Good Man is Hard to Find." I actually found that story somewhat redemptive...

Now I'm desperately curious about what redemptive qualities you observed lol. Do please share, if you don't mind. To be fair, I'll list my reasons for strongly disliking it first.

1) I would like to take a belt to the ornery brats who are the children.
2) I'm disgusted by the grandmother's manipulation and pretentiousness (although it's not really her fault that her memory was incorrect) and by her son's behavior.
3) I find the ruthless murder of the family at the end to be a fitting, nasty end to a useless story.

....Firstly, these are not reasons for disliking the story. You dislike the characters (...who wouldn't), and you disliked the ending because it was ruthless (and yet you still found it 'fitting').

Perhaps redemptive isn't the best word... I would say that the story is about hypocrisy. A pious grandmother goes around declaring there are no good men, and then she tells a murderer he's a good man just to try to save herself. In the end, the grandmother has some sort of change of heart, and the Misfit is surprised (it's possibly the first time someone has shown him kindness) and kills her. The experience leads him to realize that "it's no real pleasure in life." A change of heart for both, perhaps?

I also found it nasty. You are right about the hypocrisy theme, but I insist that I do have a valid list of reasons for disliking this story. It's completely pointless. The characters are hopeless wretches living a miserable life, and the whole story does nothing but portray how shallow people can be. Now, I do believe there is a good way to write about flawed people, and I will go so far as to say that a moral to a story isn't always necessary. For example, Anna Karenina is one of the best books I have ever read; Flannery O'Connor just got it wrong, imho. I will also grant that the grandmother does seem to have a change of heart, but I disagree that the Misfit does too. I think he just plays to her emotions, and I don't think he's sorry for what he does, despite the statement he makes which you mentioned.

[JMoriarty]

Most hated book: Alice in Wonderland.