3.76 avg rating — 138,275 ratings

"Considered by many to be the greatest book of the 20th century, I cannot conceive that I will ever read it. The history of English literature and a modern fable rolled into one. So strange, so post-modern, so...LONG."

4.27 avg rating — 113 ratings

"So I've read a bit of Proust in French, and a bit of Proust in English, and a bit is all I'll ever read. Navel-gazing elevated to high art is still navel-gazing."

4.05 avg rating — 27,948 ratings

"This book really is representative of numerous key works in modern (read: post-1800)philosophy that I will never read. I picked Heidigger's magnum opus because if I had to invent the name of a philosophy book I would never read, it would be called "Being and Time". Plus, I'm pretty sure I'll never read a book that is "hermeneutical phenomenology". It's also easy to pick on Nazis. "

4.02 avg rating — 48,448 ratings

"I've got Pynchon's "Against the Day" on my bookshelf, and I genuinely intend to read it. So why would I forego what is generally deemed to be his best work? Well, first of all I feel that any author who has appeared as himself on "The Simpsons" with a paper bag over his head should be read. Beyond that, though, there's "best", and then there's readable. I don't mind complex plotting, but I have a hard time with books that are, to quote the wikipedia article on GR, "frequently digressive". A novel should not evoke a conversation with a hyperactive, hypo-attentive trivia addict. "

3.72 avg rating — 187,744 ratings

"Again, this book represents a whole style of writing: "stream of consciousness", which I interpret to mean "keep away". Life is too short for tedious and/or incomprehensible mumbo-jumbo."

3.61 avg rating — 449,607 ratings

"I almost hesitate to list this one. I've read excerpts, and the appeal of the book is beyond me. The modern consensus is strong, but this is one case where I simply think the consensus is wrong. When Truman Capote says, "that's not writing, that's typing," (ouch!) I consider myself forewarned. "On the Road" anticipated the counter-cultural revolution of the 60's... okay, so what? We did stupid things, we then realized they were stupid. I will never read this book."

3.65 avg rating — 16,280 ratings