The Next Best Book Club discussion
Book Related Banter
>
What has been your most challenging read?


That made me laugh. I think for the most part I have avoided the "impenetrable" writers. And yes, you can certainly include Chaucer in that category.



I tried reading Fellowship of the Ring way back in my 20's and only made it halfway through the first book. However, I have read the entire series of Stephen R. Donaldson's Thomas Covenant books and loved them. Go figure.

Well, Moby Dick, yes. Jess, I am 62 and still have not tackled that one ... in comic book, yes ... but not the real thing. And I am not afraid ... I made it through War and Peace and Don Quixote ... just cannot get myself to get past: "Call me Ishmael." Okay, next time.

Life is too short! I'm usually the type to give up on a book that I'm not really into, but I got to the point with Moby Dick where I thought, y'know what? I'm this far into it, I'll be darned if I don't finish it! I'm glad I stuck it out, but it's not a book I would go into again. The sea-faring tales have never really appealed to me anyway.
And you are a far braver soul than I am for tackling War and Peace!

War and Peace was in my school program, with millions compositions on different topic of this book, so I had to read it back in high school (Russia, of course) I liked a Peace part, but was devastated and bored with was part.....
And recently it was challenging for me to read Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie


That made me smile. Took me over a year for Don Quixote. Had to take a hiatus before finishing. Also, I think I'll pass on the Royal Victorians book. Someone else can discuss it with you. Any takers?


I keep trying Moby Dick but as soon as I start it something way more exciting comes my way and I stop. Maybe someday....

Oh hell Steph ... you oughta see the movie. Talk about "just too much for me"!!! I never even tried the book. I did read The Exterminator (right?) but that was the only one.

"something way more exciting comes my way." I could not have put it better myself. And it usually comes my way right after the opening lines.


Ha ha ... I fell asleep during the original Gregory Peck version (1956). Of course, I was only 6 years old and we were at the drive-in. Still, I missed the big scene with the whale.


Nikks, looks like we have a reader! Everyone is shaming me with the many classics I have not read. In fact, I don't believe I have read anything by Hardy. Maybe my question was too revealing about my own "misses".

Thanks for the question, anyhow, Joel, as I got intrigued with this one, that I'd never heard of, and it's on its way to me, for my sins.

Thanks for the question, anyhow, Joel, as I got intrigued with t..."
I hope you will share your thoughts after. The book is most amazing because it is written in 4 parts, 4 styles, each to reflect either water, air, earth, or fire. I've never seen that done, nor accomplished so well. Still, complex.

Even though it took me so long to read, the story has stayed with me for years, as many of the classics have. I think that's the sign of a good book. When I am in a bookstore I often pick up something I've read (probably because the cover caught my attention in the first place) and I have to check if I've read it or not. For me, that would never happen with a classic, or a complex book I had to work at. Perhaps its a different sort of investment in the book ? I dont know.

I hate to admit: once I began reading a book a second time within months and did not realize it for 30 pages. I guess Classics are unique for a reason. You are right - you would never do that with a classic. BTW:I did see the movie version with Kate Winslet. What I remember was very dark.


Absalom, Absalom!.
Which I loved and gave five stars, but was a very difficult read.

Absalom, Absalom!.
Which I loved and gave five stars, but was a very difficult read."
Okay, I admit it everyone. I haven't read anything. Especially not the classics. If you call yourself a reader, how could you not have touched Faulkner? I bet my brother has! His writing style looks like a bi..., sorry, you know.


Yeah, maybe not just yet. Maybe later. Someday. Maybe.

Exactly!



Maybe watch the trailer for the movie that is being released, it looks really good. I just bought the book, and am excited to start. It has such mixed reviews, but mostly people say the beginning is hard going.


Now I am even more exceited to read it - I am hoping to share your experience. Will you see the movie Mercedes ?

Thank you Mercedes and Nikki for your comments.
I think I'll give it another try. It seems that I have to get past the first section.


I love the Russian literature, Russian history being my minor in college. The only problem is in the names. Like a minimum of five per character. I have enough trouble remembering individual characters, so reading a Russian novel for me includes five times the number of characters of any other novel. Dostoevsky is always worth the grief though.

You made me laugh out loud with that one! I have heard such sentiments before, and I have never even opened the pages to look inside. Maybe I just knew something subconsciously. P.S. I'm not sure I ever threw a book across the room ... sounds kinda fun ... for the right book, anyway.


Well the trailer looks amazing so i'm definitely going to go to the cinema to see it but I hear its getting mixed reviews so not sure how its going to turn out. Its a shame really, its a great concept but maybe too complex to be made into a movie :/


Oh, Crime and Punishment is definitely on my to-read list!

It's much easy to read in Russian. I saw translation and it was so hard for me to look at this book in English version. It was not challenging for me at my 15 years old, but maybe because I'm Russian and read it in Russian
"War and Peace" that also in school program in Russia was challenging because it was too much long and I didn't like war part and couldn’t skip it because of compositions we have to write based on book.

Andrew & Emily: One of his reads is intense and short but spellbinding -- The House of the Dead. Have you read it?

It's much easy to read in Russian. I saw translation and it was so hard for me to look at this ..."
Yulia, I think we readers of English must always regret not being able to read Russian literature in Russian. I believe that I found some master translators for The Brothers Karamazov, but my earlier readings suffered some for the translation. But even with master translators, something irreplaceable is lost through translation. And thank you for posting. It is delightful to hear your Russian accent (yes, we can hear it)AND your authentic perspective. So ... not the place to ask, but still, I wonder what your thoughts are on Nabokov.

No, but I'll have to check it out. Thanks for the recommendation!

It's much easy to read in Russian. I saw translation and it was so hard for me t..."
First book that I read of Nabokov was Lolita, and I was 16-17 years old. I was shocked, but the good way. I was amused how so much disgusting and ugly scenes and situation Nabokov can so genially turn in lyrical story about love, even so inappropriate for common humanity sense.
I read his other stories much more lately and always love his language style, literary technique, a deep analysis of the emotional state of the characters. I never try to read him in English and wonder how translators may catch and bring to English his virtuoso’s style. But I also know that he was fluent in English and French and did a lot of literature translation works, so maybe he himself translated his works in English? Or wrote Lolita in English and translated to Russian later? Then he knew that he did in any way, and in any way it must be good.
It’s also a pleasure to know we are originally from the same city – St Petersburg!
Books mentioned in this topic
Anna Karenina (other topics)War and Peace (other topics)
Don Quixote (other topics)
The Brothers Karamazov (other topics)
V. (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Salman Rushdie (other topics)William S. Burroughs (other topics)
1. The Death of Virgil by Hermann Broch - stunningly artistic writing, but so complex I was often befuddled.
2. The Man Without Qualities by Robert Musil - an experimental Novel that seemed plotless.
Be honest - what reads had you scratching your head?