Books you can't bloody stand...

Hmm, I think I've developed a new category for books.  It's not that I can stand some of them, it's just that they are too painful to savour.  But they are readable, rather than unendurable like 'The Corrections' or 'A Farewell to Arms' ('A Hello to Misogyny'). 

'Lolita' falls into that category.  It's so painful and tragic as a foreclosure. 

I almost feel like books like this bring bad energy into a home and shouldn't be kept.

Oh, I love Lolita!

Usually, I try to plow my way through a book.  I started Of Human Bondage about 9000 times before I finally finished it, and now it's my favourite!  Just took me a few years to get into it.   

Tropic of Cancer...now there's one I just couldn't finish.  Too....stream of consciousness, or something.  Same with The Sound and the Fury.

i8've been sitting here trying to remember one i hated and couldn't think of any...

until i saw the White Oleander post.

UGH.  Man i HATED that book!

Hmm, I think I've developed a new category for books.  It's not that I can stand some of them, it's just that they are too painful to savour.  But they are readable, rather than unendurable like 'The Corrections' or 'A Farewell to Arms' ('A Hello to Misogyny'). 

I loved The Corrections!

The one I couldn't get through was Catch-22. I know I should like it, but I just couldn't get into it. Maybe it's more of a man's book? -- though I hate to define any book by the gender of people who should like it. It's just that all the people I know who've loved it and claimed it's "changed their lives" have been men.

The one I couldn't get through was Catch-22. I know I should like it, but I just couldn't get into it. Maybe it's more of a man's book? -- though I hate to define any book by the gender of people who should like it. It's just that all the people I know who've loved it and claimed it's "changed their lives" have been men.

I hated it, too.  Also 'Catcher in the Rye'.  Finished it and thought, 'Who cares?' 

'White Oleander' was like reading barbed wire. 

I loathed Catch-22.  I don't even think I finished it, just skimmed enough of the ending that I could fake it convincingly in class (we read it senior year).  I absolutely hated it.

Didn't like catcher in the Rye much either.  It as OK, but frankly, I didn't see the big deal.  And there are all sorts of girls with big crushes on Holden Caulfield!  WHY?  He was such an irritating jerk.  I like men, not little whiny boys.  But then, most JD Salinger leaves me a bit cold.  It's OK-fast reads, which is nice-, but I don't see why people are so obsessed.

The Lovely Bones was one of the worse books I have ever read. It was sad, the bad guy got his in a very predictable cliched way, and it went on too long.

Zorba the Greek is my all time favourite.
Zorba says:" to be alive, is to undo your belt and LOOK for trouble!"
Read it when I was 12, and it ruined my life. I've been in SOOO much trouble...

What do you mean, twisted?

He's such a great character. Not many books (anymore) address characters who are so irredeemably bad but compelling as well.  And darkly funny.

Oh, I love Lolita!

Same with The Sound and the Fury.

It's a really hard book to get through, isn't it? But finishing the book (and even re-reading it if you're brave enough!) is thoroughly satisfying. Faulkner had an interesting mind - I have an anthology of his work and reading it all was so enjoyable - his characters and cities have a tendency to recycle and pop up in other stories.

Yaye! I thought I was the only one who hated The Da Vinci Code! Dan Brown should enroll himself in a freshman writing course immediately!

Dan Brown actually taught the freshman writing course at Phillips Exeter Academy...until The Da Vinci Code went over the top; he's not a high school teacher anymore! (Cha-ching)

Dan Brown actually taught the freshman writing course at Phillips Exeter Academy...until The Da Vinci Code went over the top; he's not a high school teacher anymore! (Cha-ching)

Are you SERIOUS?!? I didn't know that! A real shocker.

Are you SERIOUS?!?

Yep, it's true.  PEA continues to experience a little Catholic-backlash as a result.  Honestly, he was a good teacher though.

Anyway, Belindaloo, just wanted to tell you that I've particularly enjoyed your posts of late.

And yes, my pet was named for cheese.  (I'll have to explain why at some point; it's a little convoluted).

And (dear me!) it's perfectly alright to like "rahs" (at least as defined in the Durham article).  It's not snobbery to make distinctions in life.      And the clothes are lovely and rather reassuring.

Oh, and I always, always, always make the bed (mid-morning, after airing the ironed sheets)!

Must dash...TTFN.

Yep, it's true.  PEA continues to experience a little Catholic-backlash as a result.  Honestly, he was a good teacher though.

Anyway, Belindaloo, just wanted to tell you that I've particularly enjoyed your posts of late.

And yes, my pet was named for cheese.  (I'll have to explain why at some point; it's a little convoluted).

And (dear me!) it's perfectly alright to like "rahs" (at least as defined in the Durham article).  It's not snobbery to make distinctions in life.      And the clothes are lovely and rather reassuring.

Oh, and I always, always, always make the bed (mid-morning, after airing the ironed sheets)!

Must dash...TTFN.

Aaaah .. Eustace, you're a man after my own heart. You wear pink oxfords, have a cheese-named pet, appear to be well-educated AND you make your bed! Mrs. Eustace is a lucky woman.

If you can find either of these (in the GOOD book department), get "The Dice Man" (Luke Rhinehart) or "The Color of Light" (William Goldman).

I didn't want to start a separate thread, but I'll just say that "The Dice Man" is about a well-off Manhattan shrink, bored with life, who decides to make decisions based on the roll of dice. A friend of mine in college (uni) who was majoring in engineering, but should have been majoring in music, and was consequently flunking out, asked me to read the book, and then asked me if I'd be willing to live the "dice life." I was very tempted, but had too much invested in getting a university education my dad was paying for--still, I always thought it would be interesting to do.

 "The Color of Light" is about the life of a troubled writer who has some glory days, falls into oblivion, makes his way back, etc.

Anyway, they're both really good books.

Has anyone read "He's Just Not that Into You?" Sound hilarious. I haven't actually read anything but excerpts.