Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die discussion

I read The Absentee by Maria Edgeworth and it was like pulling teeth. I've just put down (unfinished) another of hers as found the same and know I have one more on the list. There are so many amazing books on the list id rather be reading...I just find her style of writing puts me to sleep!

I'm reading 1001 books to challenge myself and have found loads of previously never read authors I love so I guess it balances.

Does anyone else have an author on the list they just can't stand?! Or just me?

I don't know if Dan Brown's books are on the 1001 list.Meanwhile,most of their books I liked,but isn't a author that I liked further..

Dan Brown is definitely not on the list, Luis, so no worries there.

As for me, I've been pretty much avoiding all things Henry James, though I haven't actually read anything yet. I just have a gut feeling that when I do get to him, it's going to be less than fun.

An author I HAVE read and am putting to the back burner is Sir Walter Scott. I did get through his biggies, Ivanhoe and Rob Roy so I figure I've had enough for now. Just so archaic and overblown (and...dull).

And since I don't go for quirktastic whimsy, I'm done with Jonathan Safran Foer and Muriel Barbary, but since they don't have any more list books, that's ok. Honestly, I'm having a hard time coming up with names. I'm more likely to dislike an individual book. Of course I don't know the authors in person, so I'm not speaking of individual personalities here, just general writing styles and bodies of work.

Salinger, Hemingway, Waugh, Lampedusa. Dickens gets on my nerves for his excessive representation, while others such as Roth and Tolstoy I dislike for not so literary reasons.

Aubrey wrote: "Salinger, Hemingway, Waugh, Lampedusa. Dickens gets on my nerves for his excessive representation, while others such as Roth and Tolstoy I dislike for not so literary reasons."

Dickens gets on my nerves too, although I'm not sure whether this is because I was forced to read him at school.

I don't think Pynchon and I are going to get along from what I've heard about his work, I want to avoid his books for as long as possible!

Don't care for Hemingway and Roth depresses me.

Ann A wrote: "Don't care for Hemingway and Roth depresses me."


Philip or Joseph?? -ROTH-

I can't stand Joyce Carol Oates' writing style. I don't even know if the books I've read by her are on the list, but I know I still have some of hers to get through and I am not looking forward to it.

I do not like Hemmingway. In high school I had to write a paper on him and titled it "The Unimpressive Hemmingway" and then very clearly tore him apart for reasons from writing style to his views on women to his obnoxious machismo. I have reread several of his books again as an adult because of the 1001 list... and still do not like him.

Rushdie, emphatically. Burroughs, also emphatically. Naked Lunch nearly made me LOSE my lunch.

Hemingway is one of those authors you either love, or love to hate :) I happen to adore him :)

Luís wrote: "Ann A wrote: "Don't care for Hemingway and Roth depresses me."


Philip or Joseph?? -ROTH-"

Philip - he has EIGHT books on the list. Seriously?

Ann A wrote: "Luís wrote: "Ann A wrote: "Don't care for Hemingway and Roth depresses me."


Philip or Joseph?? -ROTH-"

Philip - he has EIGHT books on the list. Seriously?"

You are correct,I guess..

Luís wrote: "Ann A wrote: "Don't care for Hemingway and Roth depresses me."


Philip or Joseph?? -ROTH-"

Philip for me.

Philip Roth has 8 books on the complete list? I wonder how that happened :/. I would've thought there'd be a limit for each author!

I've just checked and there are 3 in the new edition list I'm reading through first. I think I have the patience for 1 of his books, but I'm not so confident about 3. There will have be long spaces between them me thinks.

Kat wrote: "Philip Roth has 8 books on the complete list? I wonder how that happened :/. I would've thought there'd be a limit for each author!

I've just checked and there are 3 in the new edition list I'm ..."


I never have read nothing of him.

Luís wrote: "Kat wrote: "Philip Roth has 8 books on the complete list? I wonder how that happened :/. I would've thought there'd be a limit for each author!

I've just checked and there are 3 in the new editi..."

I tried reading The Human Stain when I was younger and I didn't finish it, but I'll be trying it again now that I'm a bit older :).

I have thrown this out there before but I find that most women I have talked to have no interest in Salinger, Hemingway or Roth. There is also no interest Updike or Mailer. I am not sure about this phemonmenon but it could make a good research topic. And remember I said that I have talked to so that is a small pool.

Oops Mailer not on list, sorry

I love Salinger and Hemingway (not Roth really but don't hate him like others) and I'm a girl :p

Mailer's The Executioner's Song SHOULD be on the list & I'll never understand why it's never made any of the updates. It's a powerful book that really sticks with you. I'd recommend it as a free read. I LOVED it.

I like Salinger. Catcher wasn't my fave. I ADORE Hemingway, he was my Lit crush for YEARS :) A real "man's man", I think that's sexy :) Haven't read Roth, LOL.

Oh, forgot about weighing in on Updike. Haven't read anything of his outside the Rabbit series. Wasn't all that impressed. Rabbit's really NOT a likable guy, but he is also LOADED with "issues". I guess that makes him like most of the rest of the world...

Lisa wrote: "Mailer's The Executioner's Song SHOULD be on the list & I'll never understand why it's never made any of the updates. It's a powerful book that really sticks with you. I'd recommend it as a free ..."


Registered..Thx for your support and contribution for my readings...eh eh

Tom wrote: "I have thrown this out there before but I find that most women I have talked to have no interest in Salinger, Hemingway or Roth. There is also no interest Updike or Mailer. I am not sure about thi..."

I can't speak for Updike, as I have never read any of his novels, but the reason why I feel most women do not seem to enjoy Roth's novels might be due to the fact that not only his narratives are written with a merked male perspective but also because of his apparent inability to create female characters that exist outside of how they are perceived by the male characters who tend to view women as little more than a vehicle for providing them with sexual and emotional gratification - when they do not do so they appear to be a nuissance. What to me feels like a simultaneously satirical portrail and tragic comment on supposedly academical, culturally intelligent and mature male men who suffer from acute sexual and emotional arrested development is often perceived by many as misogyny. It may be that visiting such crippled male psyches might not be a very interesting journey for most women. All that being said, I know alot of women who actually very much enjoy Roth's novels, it's just that it's marked crippled male perspective does not seem to appeal to most women.

It may be that visiting such crippled male psyches might not be a very interesting journey for most women.

Hugo - nice. you are right that all these authors seem to have the basic same protagonists. At least Roth and Updike.

I remember loving Catcher in the Rye as a teen but reading people's comments I believe I need to re read it in a different time in my life.

I'm going to make a controversial post here and say that I find it really hard to read Jane Austen, I just can't bring myself to like any of her characters enough to care about what does or doesn't happen to them. Especially disliked Pride and Prejudice, Sense & Sensibilty not as bad and Persuasion slightly better, but in general not a fan.

I am also not a fan of Austin.

I consider myself a feminist and expected to hate Hemingway. After reading The Old Man and the Sea and The Sun Also Rises I have to say that I really like his writing. Even without much description I felt like I was in the boat or at the bullfights. I don't feel the need to identify with the characters as much as understand them.

Carol wrote: "I consider myself a feminist and expected to hate Hemingway. After reading The Old Man and the Sea and The Sun Also Rises I have to say that I really like his writing. Even without much description..."


Just because of that I'm not a real huge fan of Hemingway...Simply just because..

Just found one, William S. Burroughs.

I'm no fan of Paul Auster. And there are so many of his books on the list...

Kat wrote: "Aubrey wrote: "Salinger, Hemingway, Waugh, Lampedusa. Dickens gets on my nerves for his excessive representation, while others such as Roth and Tolstoy I dislike for not so literary reasons."

Dick..."

I haven't read Dickens since high school, so I will reserve judgment.

I read Pynchon's Inherent Vice and really liked it.

Ann A wrote: "Don't care for Hemingway and Roth depresses me."

I liked the book of Hemingway's with the WWI ambulance driver.

Also, Roth's The Plot Against America was enjoyable.

Jennifer W wrote: "I can't stand Joyce Carol Oates' writing style. I don't even know if the books I've read by her are on the list, but I know I still have some of hers to get through and I am not looki..."

I agree, I tried reading A Bloodsmoor Romance and just couldn't get into it. (Of course, that was a few decades back. Maybe I should give it a second chance?)

Lisa wrote: "Rushdie, emphatically. Burroughs, also emphatically. Naked Lunch nearly made me LOSE my lunch.

Hemingway is one of those authors you either love, or love to hate :) I happen to adore him :)"

I liked MIDNIGHT'S CHILDREN, though I haven't tried any of his others.

Lisa wrote: "Oh, forgot about weighing in on Updike. Haven't read anything of his outside the Rabbit series. Wasn't all that impressed. Rabbit's really NOT a likable guy, but he is also LOADED with "issues"...."

I liked Terrorist and some of his short stories (A&P).

Laini wrote: "I'm going to make a controversial post here and say that I find it really hard to read Jane Austen, I just can't bring myself to like any of her characters enough to care about what does or doesn't..."

Love her! Especially P&P, Persuasion, and the gothic-satire Northanger Abbey. Also love Jane Eyre by Bronte.

Tom wrote: "I have thrown this out there before but I find that most women I have talked to have no interest in Salinger, Hemingway or Roth. There is also no interest Updike or Mailer. I am not sure about thi..."

I love Salinger, even my (poorly maintained) blog is called 'A Fine Day for Bananafish'! Although I think I may never reread Catcher in the Rye as I was experiencing something similar to Holden when I first read it, and that feeling of 'hey, this book gets me' is one I want to preserve. Sometimes a person's recollection of a book becomes more important than the book itself - I think if I read it now I'd find Holden a whiny d-bag.

With Roth it's not so much the twisted male psyche or his paper thin female characters (which are annoying, but he isn't the only author on the list with this problem), it's just his writing style makes me want to hit my head against a wall.

One author I'm not looking forward to anymore is Kafka. I've read The Trial and several of his non-list short stories including Metamorphosis, and I find his stories too bleak and depressing.

Sandi wrote: "One author I'm not looking forward to anymore is Kafka. I've read The Trial and several of his non-list short stories including Metamorphosis, and I find his stories too bleak and depressing."


There are many authors on the philosophic shelf that I want to read more and more and Kafka is one of them..Like reading Proust..That's an author that I discovered by myself..

Sandi wrote: "One author I'm not looking forward to anymore is Kafka. I've read The Trial and several of his non-list short stories including Metamorphosis, and I find his stories too bleak and depressing."

I don't much like Kafka either. From his list books I've only read Amerika and that was so depressing - and the blurb said that this is supposed to be Kafka's most cheerfull novel. So I'm not really looking forward to his other books.

Edwin wrote: "Just found one, William S. Burroughs."

I tried reading his "Naked Lunch" and had to give up. It was gross and made me sick to my stomach. I could not continue.

Amie wrote: "Edwin wrote: "Just found one, William S. Burroughs."

I tried reading his "Naked Lunch" and had to give up. It was gross and made me sick to my stomach. I could not continue."

I will be giving "Naked Lunch" a miss. There are too many books I will never get to, and this deserves to be one of them!

I know this will be unpopular, but I really can't bear reading Margaret Atwood

Paulo Coelho! I find him so deeply patronising... ugh!

Edwin wrote: "Just found one, William S. Burroughs."

Just read The Wild Boys and did not enjoy it at all... but since it was my first Burroughs book, don't know yet if it's just that book or the author himself I don't like...

Suzie wrote: "I know this will be unpopular, but I really can't bear reading Margaret Atwood"

That's okay! I'm sure you absolutely love an author I hate! Personally, I LOVE Margaret Atwood!

Hemingway...ugh! and not a fan of Henry James either.

Jane Austen is one for whom I hold no affection.....

Mariana wrote: "Paulo Coelho! I find him so deeply patronising... ugh!"

I don't like him either. But I've read both his list books and so I don't think of him any longer :)

Ellinor wrote: "Mariana wrote: "Paulo Coelho! I find him so deeply patronising... ugh!"

I don't like him either. But I've read both his list books and so I don't think of him any longer :)"

Good idea, get it over and done with! ;-)