Modern Good Reads discussion

Dianne wrote: "A friend of mine recently told me she couldn't understand why "Catcher in the Rye" was considered to be so great. She said she'd give it a 2* at best. Agree?"

I first read Catcher in high school and was impressed--and a friend of mine reinvented himself as a Holden of South Minneapolis. I read the book again 20 years later. It had morphed into a bit of pandering to teenage judgmentalism, saved only by the thought that maybe Salinger wanted us to see Holden as the biggest "phony" of all.

oh god yes! Anything written by Dan Brown.

Love in the time of Cholera... I got this as a gift for Christmas one year... as a reader, they thought I would love it... did not even make it past the third chapter.

Independence Day by Richard Ford, a book that won the Pulitzer in 1996. It was required reading for a creative writing class I took. The teacher loved the book, but most of the students (including me) were bored and forcing ourselves to get through it. It's a story about a depressed middle-aged man who drives around, thinking about about real estate and life. The Goodreads reviews are funny. And no, it is not the same story as the movie with Will Smith!

Last night I started reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and it reminded me of Independence Day, but I'm enjoying it. So far, it's better.

CASUAL VACANCY a book that tried to cash in on Harry Potter, it was badly written, there are several bad mistakes in grammar and scene setting, not worth the money. Authors fantasy het carried Harry potter left her deserted in a world of reality.

I was really disappointed by the Fifty Shades books (I still read all 3 for some reason!). A friend of mine had said they were good...what a load of tripe!! I'm dubious about her recommendations now lol

For me:

I actually liked the 50 Shades books, but I read them before all the big hype, and was just reading them for entertainment (grammar issues don't generally bother me)

Dianne wrote: "I haven't read any of the 50 Shades books. I kept hearing how lousy they were but everyone sure kept reading them! Probably should read one to stay in the loop."

I will admit, it's not for everyone, and you can't go into it expecting some great work of literature. But it's sure fun to debate!

Da Vinci Code. Too predictable.

Good point about expectations. Perception of an experience begins with what we expect it will be.

Dianne wrote: "Big Brother. Thought the ending was horrible and there was a huge spoiler in the blurb on the jacket cover. I don't understand why an editor or author would allow that to happen.[bookcover:Big Brot..."

Ouch, I yet have to read that and I devoured everything she wrote. I even met her at a book signing. Thanks for the warning!

I hated Lord of the Flies and The Great Gatsby.

Books expected a lot from, but still can't understand why they're so famous :

The Alchemist
The Inheritance of Loss
The Namesake

I read the Twilight books because they're so popular and I wanted to see why everyone seems to love them. A couple of my friends really recommended them, but I didn't enjoy them at all.

Recently read Ruth Ozeki's latest book, All Over Creation, expecting to love it bc I loved her My Year of Meats. But it was kind of tepid. Could be that's bc I read it after The Goldfinch, which blew me away....I can't find anything to compare with that still.

I couldn't agree more about Goldfinch.

Mark Twain once said, 'A classic is a book which people praise and don't read.' I find that often the books that win the highest awards and are praised by the critics are often the ones the general public don't seem to want to read.

I forced myself to finish Emma that was suppose to be a classic.

Lynn... I agree with you. That said, I do love reading classics! Honestly, I've always been "different" in all areas of my life. I'll keep that topic open specifically for the topic of reading.., lol.. As far back as high school, I loved reading classics. My first experience, a school assignment because we HAD to read back then, was both scary and enlightening. It was A TALE OF TWO CITIES by Charles Dickens. Once I got through my fear and found a way to understand the words, I found an epic love story. I cried at the end and that was the beginning of my love for reading, and my love for the classics... It's so sad that this generation are not required to read them in school now. They may never find these wonderful stories. I fear that these timeless classics will die with either my generation or the one immediately preceeding my generation....

I'm a fan of them myself, Kathy, especially of the Brontes. But books liked that are still praised by a lot of people who've never even read them.

I tried a New Adult novel, just to see what constituted the genre. First time, last time--I barely finished. It was like reading a self-absorbed college girl's diary, all angst and little physical description. To top it off, it ended in a cliff-hanger. Needless to say, I didn't care enough to read another book.

The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho. A contemporary quest for ancient wisom. I think not. I did not find it the least bit inspirational or insightful.

'Sailor Song' by Ken Kesey. I loved his first two books but he really let the ball drop on this one. A labored plot with unbelievable characters doing things I could care less about.

More recently I read 'Kim' by Rudyard Kipling and thought it to be one of the worst books I've read this year. A book I highly UNRECOMEND :). It came with a collection of books sold under the banner of 'The Great Writers' series. This is neither a great book not would I call Kipling a great writer.

For me is the Jack Reacher books I tried to read these and got through the first book but couldn't get through the second book and the first book to me for ever I like the made for TV movie I haven't seen more than just the one maybe that's what got me interested in reading his books but I just have not been able to do it.

I really thought I might like it because I love the military stuff are the guys that have been in the military. I also love the JD Robb series. I just don't understand why didn't get for that but which makes me a little sad because I think overall it would be good series but I just don't want to sit here and read something that I don't enjoy.

The Magic Mountain

I'm in the middle of trying to read Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, and am not having an easy time of it. It is consciously written in a mannered, 19th century style, and I think that is interfering with my enjoyment of it.

Others that I've been disappointed by:
The Alchemist
Eat, Pray, Love
I'll add others as they come to mind.

Classics that left me unimpressed:
Tess of the D'Urbervilles
David Copperfield

I found Eat, Pray, Love a disappointment also. Have not read the others. Eat, Pray, Love was a better movie than the book IMO>

Kirstin wrote: "Love in the time of Cholera... I got this as a gift for Christmas one year... as a reader, they thought I would love it... did not even make it past the third chapter."

This was one of the few times the movie was better than the book. But I do love Edward Norton.

Laurie: Almost Faemous wrote: "oh god yes! Anything written by Dan Brown."

I absolutely agree. So overated. It did wake me up to the fact that American literacy is in serious danger.

C.C. wrote: "Independence Day by Richard Ford, a book that won the Pulitzer in 1996. It was required reading for a creative writing class I took. The teacher loved the book, but most ..."

I have re-read a few books I did not care for when I was younger and found that I now like them. Perhaps it is the expansion of our view of ourselves in connection with our environment.

Great Expectations was far below my expectations. Sorry to say, I just didn't get into this book until the end, and it was by no means a small book.