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Way back in August of 2010,
I listed the
Now I'd like to make a list of
books everyone has strongly recommended,
but which, honestly, do not appeal to me.
Here goes:
Book: East of Eden
Why? Couldn't get into the characters.
Book: Middlemarch
Why? Too much detail.
Book: Infinite Jest
Why? Too quirky.
Book: Frankenstein
Why? Tedious.
Book: Beloved
Why? Couldn't get into the story.
Book: War and Peace
Why? Too many characters.
Book: Moby Dick
Why? Too much plot and too few characters.
Book: Ulysses
Why? Takes too much concentration to get through a paragraph.
Book: Lolita
Why? Can't get past the subject matter.
How about you?
Are there books you've been told you should read,
yet you think you probably never will read?
Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.
+JMJ+
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great topic! I just wish you had said why these books don't appeal to you because there's a lot of discussion potential here!
Now that you've got me thinking about it, I don't know if there's a "highly recommended" book I won't read. I'm certain there are titles that friends have recommended and that I silently shot down, but I can't remember what they are at the moment!
You are right....I went back and edited my post to give a hint about why I am not likely to read these.
Delete+JMJ+
DeleteThanks! =)
By the way, Middlemarch was the last big classic I read, and you're totally right that it is bursting at the seams with detail. LOL!
I'm curious too, why these books? Why not?
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'll expand on this another day, but, for now, I've at least provided a little bit about why I'm skipping them.
DeleteI haven't read Infinite Jest but I'd find these hard to read today. The books may be easier if you see them as movies! I remember Moby Dick with Gregory Peck as a good one. Also, East of Eden - though that was a sad one!
ReplyDeleteInfinite Jest is intimidating in its size alone!
DeleteSo it makes perfect sense that my sophomore son was assigned East of Eden. I think every single student in the class hated the book. What was the point? I hated Moby Dick, but I know people who claim to have liked it. I personally will never finish either Thoreau's Walden or The House of Seven Gables, but no one has ever recommended them to me.
ReplyDeleteFunny, but I read Walden when I was in high school and loved it!
DeleteI loved East of Eden (read it twice) and Frankenstein. I have no need to read beyond the first Harry Potter (I know, gasp!)
ReplyDeleteI had only read book one of Harry for the longest time, but then I got so much pressure to read the rest of the series that I finally went ahead and read them all.
DeleteThe only one of these I've read is Frankenstein and believe me, you aren't missing out on much! The philosophy and ideas of the book are interesting but it's all done with the subtelty of a sledgehammer and Shelley isn't the best writer.
ReplyDeleteNow that you mention it, there are several on your list that I will probably never read no matter what others tell me. There are too many other books that are on my TBR list for me to read books that don't really interest me. I think dystopian novels really don't appeal to me for some reason, thus my "shrug-factor" for even the popular dystopian series.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Too many great books to waste time on those that don't work for us!
DeleteI read and loved most of the books you couldn't get into - (with the exception of Infinite Jest which I couldn't get into at all!) And I've read Frankenstein but I'd never recommend it because it was, as you said, "tedious." I have my own list of books which will never get read - Shakespeare probably leads the pack although I've read some. The Divine Comedy by Dante is another. Goethe's Faust is another one -
ReplyDeleteFaust is another book I read in high school and loved. Interesting!
DeleteI think I would add 50 Shades of Grey. :) I actually haven't read most of these but dont really have an opinion on them. I hated Moby Dick, so I support your decision on that one. :)
ReplyDeleteHere is my Top Ten!
Right there with you on War & Peace and Ulysses. I have no plans - EVER - to read those.
ReplyDeleteI actually boasted (here, on my blog!) that I was going to read W&P last year. Big mistake. I didn't get far.
DeleteI don't know anyone that has actually liked Ulysses! I'm not a fan of Steinbeck...we read a lot at school and they bored me, I'm not sure I'm interested enough in giving them another go as an adult.
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed if I heard a person has actually read all of Ulysses. Daunting.
DeleteI can there's some I wish I hadn't read...Fifty Shades of Grey and China Run (didn't finish).
ReplyDeleteThat would be a good Top Ten list: Top Ten Books I Wish I Hadn't Read!
DeleteI agree with you on all but Frankenstein. I like the book so much more than all of the movie adaptations.
ReplyDeleteI've heard so many people say that. Sigh. Perhaps I need to try once again...
DeleteOh there are tons of books that I've either been recommended or which everyone is talking about that I'll probably never read. I do try and at least start them and if I don't like them, then I can always put them down. It seems like you've given these books a try and found that they're not for you. And that's perfectly fine! I think so many people look down on others who don't like the classics. But how can you group a bunch of books together and expect everyone in the world to read and like them? It's just not logical!
ReplyDeleteExactly!
DeleteBeloved?! East of Eden?! My two favorite books in the world. Who ARE you? LOL! I'm kidding. Ulysses and Lolita are definitely on my list. Moby Dick was once on there until I was forced to read it for a class. It's surprising how funny the book can be.
ReplyDeleteIf you not only read these, but loved them, I need to give them another try!
DeleteThat's funny, three of those are on my list, but for books I feel like I should read, being an English teacher.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I should read them, too, as a librarian.
DeleteOn Ulysses, I agree with you.
ReplyDeleteI am yet to read some of them.
An interesting list there. I've read (and enjoyed) Lolita. I can understand why you would feel that way too. I didn't know a lot about Infinite Jest, until hearing about it in bookgroups. It didn't sound appealing at all to me either- and then I saw a copy in a book sale! Even at 5 bucks I couldn't be tempted. For a start I could barely lift the thing, and then I opened it- not for me at all. I can't imagine ever wanting to read it. On the other hand, I do mean to read Middlemarch and Frankenstein one day.
ReplyDeleteBTW you've made rather astonishing progress on the 10 books you couldn't believe you'd never read! You'd almost have to make a completely new list now.
That does make me very happy!
DeleteFrankenstein is one of my all-time favorite novels.
ReplyDeleteI hear that often. Maybe one day I'll break down and give it another try.
DeleteWhew, I've read Beloved, and I am with you! Don't bother unless you know that you like Morrison already. I was permanently ruined from enjoying her work by starting with this one.
ReplyDeleteI definitely do not recommend Middlemarch. Some people love it, but I thought it was just the most miserable thing. And I'm reading Beloved right now - definitely not loving that either. Lolita, Moby Dick, and Frankenstein I've tried and failed to read... so yeah, I totally agree with your list! Though I do want to try Infinite Jest...one day.
ReplyDelete