The Most Overrated Books Showing 4,251-4,300 of 5,680

[Danielle]

Monty J wrote: "LOTR was the second movie I ever walked out of, after about the third monster or dragon or whatever. Fantasy monsters don't do ..."

Well said. I read and loved Ayn Rand's novels though. It was an open-minder for a leftist like me. They say: "Know your enemy...". ;) Nothing is perfect and we can learn from anyone, particularly those those who have a vision radically different from ours.

But forget me if you have a Tolkien's book to read. lolll That and books about zombies. I want nothing to do with zombies. Not interesting at all.

[Paul Martin]

Danielle wrote: "It was an open-minder for a leftist like me. "

Open your mind, you never must.

[Stephen]

Forgive me. I keep seeing the same 25 literature titles:
Bovary, on the road, the road, twilight, tree brooklyn, monte cristo, lord rings, beloved, da vinci, grisham, king, et al. I give my barbaric yawp from the Burj Khalifa for these titles:

PABLO NERUDA anything
PAUL ELUARD anything
C.D.WRIGHT "TREMBLE"
IVAN LALIC "THE RUSTY NEEDLE"
ANNIE DILLARD "TEACHING A STONE TO TALK"
DIANE ACKERMAN "A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SENSES"
GEORGES BATAILLE "THE STORY OF THE EYE"
CARLOS CASTENADA "DON JUAN & THE YAQUI WAY"
GALWAY KINNELL "THE BOOK OF NIGHTMARES"
EMILE ZOLA "GERMINAL"
HONORE BALZAC "THE UNKNOWN MASTERPIECE"
ROBERT PIRSIG"ZEN & THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE"
GONZALES "DEEP SURVIVAL"
TED HUGHES anything
JERRY POURNELLE & LARRY NIVEN "INFERNO"
PETER MAYLE "A YEAR IN PROVENCE"
CORMAC MCCARTHY "BLOOD MERIDIAN"
BARRY LOPEZ "FIELD NOTES"
JEFF LONG "DESCENT"
JIM HARRISON & TED KOOSER"THE BRAIDED CREEK--A CONVERSATION IN POETRY"

CABANNE "DIALOGUES W/ MARCEL DUCHAMP"
JOHN HAINES "THE OWL IN THE MASK OF THE DREAMER"
ITALO CALVINO "MR. PALOMAR"
THOMAS MERTON "THE WAY OF CHUANG TZU"
LOREN EISELY "THE NIGHT COUNTRY"
NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE "RAPPACINNI'S DAUGHTER"
WILLIAM SAROYAN "YOUNG MEN ON THE FLYING TRAPEZE"
WADE DAVIS "ONE RIVER"
WILLIAM STAFFORD "THE WAY IT IS"
AI "SIN"
PAUL AUSTER "SELECTED POEMS"
BRILLAT-SAVARIN "THE PHYSIOLOGY OF TASTE"
CHRISTIAN BOK "EUNOIA"
ROBERT BLY "MORNING POEMS"
PAUL BOWLES "NEXT TO NOTHING"
MARY REUFLE "COLD PLUTO"
JEAN COCTEAU "GRACE NOTES"
JULIO CORTAZAR "CRONOPIUS & FAMAS"
NICOLA TADIC "THE NIGHT MAIL"

EUGENE GUILLEVIC SELECTED POEMS (Denise Levertov translation)
COVINGTON "SALVATION ON SAND MOUNTAIN"

[H Anthony]

Yeah, I hate how everyone's always going on about how much they love The Physiology Of Taste.

[Booksdigger]

Geoffrey wrote: "Da DeVinci Cold by far is at the bottom of that list. Piece of crap, pandering to Anti Catholic Catholics.
And no, I am not Christian.

Atlas Shrugged was boring. Ayn Rand is boring. Her political ..."

Geoffrey wrote: "Da DeVinci Cold by far is at the bottom of that list. Piece of crap, pandering to Anti Catholic Catholics.
And no, I am not Christian.

Atlas Shrugged was boring. Ayn Rand is boring. Her political ..."


Very honest reviews! Enjoyed reading your reviews. I concur, though it's been a while since I read some of the books in the list.

[Geoffrey]

I was very much bothered by the anti-Catholic sentiments presented in Dan Brown books. The Church deserved well his diatribe five centuries ago. Today, it's a much more moderate institution. Why not exercise all that bile against the CIA and its operations in Central America? Now that takes real guts.

[chiara]

Eleanor & Park definitely.

[Petergiaquinta]

H Anthony wrote: "Yeah, I hate how everyone's always going on about how much they love The Physiology Of Taste."

^^^
AND MOAR CAPS!!! RAWR!!!

[Stephen]

H Anthony wrote: "Yeah, I hate how everyone's always going on about how much they love The Physiology Of Taste."

Sarcasm is easy H Anthony. Have you read the title? Just because you haven't heard of many of these titles doesn't mean I'm trying to impress by being elitist. Sorry about the caps, it was a pre-written list.

[Petergiaquinta]

@Stephen

Anthony has a point, even if he was being a teeny bit sarcastic. But he can speak for himself.

But really? "Anything" by Neruda and Ted Hughes is overrated? The mind reels...pray tell.

[H Anthony]

Stephen wrote: "H Anthony wrote: "Yeah, I hate how everyone's always going on about how much they love The Physiology Of Taste."

Sarcasm is easy H Anthony. Have you read the title? Just because you haven't heard ..."

I'm not suggesting you're being elitist - just that a list of titles that you didn't like, some of which would be hard to describe as having much impact on the broader culture, doesn't really qualify them as 'overrated'.

[Mark]

Hey, guys, I haven't been in here for a long time. Are there new dick heads?

BTW, I thought Lalic's "The Rusty Needle" was fantastic! Right up there with with Willy Vlautin's "Lean on Pete." Both are almost as good as "I Dig A Pygmy" by Charles Hawtrey (and the Deaf Aids) ... particularly Chapter One ... in which Doris gets her oats.

I also have a much beloved and dog eared copy of
STEPHEN BOASTS A LARGE READING, ONE GOODER THAN MOST OF US

[E.D.]

Monty J wrote: "Danielle wrote: "Lord of the Rings

I hate these books and movies!"


LOTR was the second movie I ever walked out of, after about the third monster or dragon or whatever. Fantasy monsters don't do ..."

Monty, this brings a tear of joy to my eye. Thank you. :}

[Kallie]

I would rather mention an underrated book: Melville's 'Pierre: or the Ambiguities' which I'm reading now. It is a strange, beautiful, psychologically intricate novel in poetry. Took me a while to get into its rhythm and language but I'm hooked.

[Geoffrey]

Not even funny, Mark. Nice try.

[K.]

This list is the stupidest thing I've read in quite a long time, really. People didn't just agree on considering "Waiting for Godot" a great play. And by the way, stupidity starts right there, calling it a "book", implying it's a novel. Surely it's subjective opinions, taste, and so on, but simply from an analyists point of view, some of these works mentioned are brilliantly done and really precious reads.

[Petergiaquinta]

Mark wrote: "Hey, guys, I haven't been in here for a long time. Are there new dick heads?"

There just might be, and some of them are really weaving it, coming on strong all the time.

[Karen]

Mark wrote: "Hey, guys, I haven't been in here for a long time. Are there new dick heads?

BTW, I thought Lalic's "The Rusty Needle" was fantastic! Right up there with with Willy Vlautin's "Lean on Pete." Both ..."

ROTFLOL !!! I spilled my coffee.

[Saeed]

no one has mentioned Slaughterhouse-Five yet?

that book is absolute torture to read!

[Petergiaquinta]

If by "absolute torture" you mean one of the best experiences you'll ever have with a book, then I agree enthusiastically.

Maybe you just didn't get it...

[Mark]

Geoffrey wrote: "Not even funny, Mark. Nice try."

No offense, Geoffrey. But the day I use you as a resource to gauge how I'm doing in the "make 'em laugh" department is the day I turn in my comedic gun and badge (not that I, uhm, have such things). Besides, I thought I had some seniority and, therefore, more latitude to be a dick head (but lovable) myself.

[Karen]

I thought it was funny, that's why I spilled my coffee when I read it.
A gun and a badge would be exciting.

[Renee E]

Karen wrote: "I thought it was funny, that's why I spilled my coffee when I read it.
A gun and a badge would be exciting."

And chaps. Leather chaps.

[Renee E]

Karen wrote: "I thought it was funny, that's why I spilled my coffee when I read it.
A gun and a badge would be exciting."

And chaps. Leather chaps.

[Karen]

Renee wrote: "Karen wrote: "I thought it was funny, that's why I spilled my coffee when I read it.
A gun and a badge would be exciting."

And chaps. Leather chaps."

Riding a Harley

[Renee E]

Bareback.

[Mark]

Renee wrote: "And chaps. Leather chaps."

I feel validated. Thank you Renee and Karen. And ... is there such as thing as chaps that aren't leather?

Let me tell you how close I can get to what you are all imagining. Theme song: http://youtu.be/97YE-LvXxKc

[Karen]

Renee wrote: "Bareback."

How else would you ride a Harley?

[Karen]

Mark wrote: "Renee wrote: "And chaps. Leather chaps."

I feel validated. Thank you Renee and Karen. And ... is there such as thing as chaps that aren't leather?

Let me tell you how close I can get to what you ..."

Chaps that are lace and not leather don't do what they're supposed to do.

[Renee E]

Karen wrote: "Renee wrote: "Bareback."

How else would you ride a Harley?"

Think about it for a sec.

Now . . . form a mental image . . . :D

And yeah, Mark, there are waxed canvas chaps.

But they aren't . . . you know . . . . . . . leather . . . .

[Mark]

Renee wrote: "Bareback."

You are right up to the edge of naughty, Renee.

And I like it.

Or does that sound like typical patriarchy bullshit?

I don't want it too, but you never know.

[Kallie]

Mark wrote: "Renee wrote: "And chaps. Leather chaps."

I feel validated. Thank you Renee and Karen. And ... is there such as thing as chaps that aren't leather?

Let me tell you how close I can get to what you ..."

There are fleecy chaps. I think they are sheepskin but the inner, smooth side is very, very soft. I've felt guilty wearing sheepskin. The softness reminds me of lambs I think. (A Jody Foster as what'sername moment?)

[Renee E]

Mark wrote: "Renee wrote: "Bareback."

You are right up to the edge of naughty, Renee.

And I like it.

Or does that sound like typical patriarchy bullshit?

I don't want it too, but you never know."

If it sounded patriarchal, wouldn't it also sound incestuous?

[Karen]

Kallie wrote;
"There are fleecy chaps. I think they are sheepskin but the inner, smooth side is very, very soft. I've felt guilty wearing sheepskin. The softness reminds me of lambs I think. (A Jody Foster as what'sername moment?)"

Do they have lace on the outside?

[Karen]

Renee wrote: "Karen wrote: "Renee wrote: "Bareback."

How else would you ride a Harley?"

Think about it for a sec.

Now . . . form a mental image . . . :D


Ohhhhhh... okay.

[Kallie]

Karen wrote: "Kallie wrote;
"There are fleecy chaps. I think they are sheepskin but the inner, smooth side is very, very soft. I've felt guilty wearing sheepskin. The softness reminds me of lambs I think. (A Jod..."

Don't see why Mark couldn't applique some lace if he likes that look.

[Karen]

Kallie wrote;
"Don't see why Mark couldn't applique some lace if he likes that look."

Ya!!

[John]

OK. I get it. People don't like books that are hard.

[Kallie]

John wrote: "OK. I get it. People don't like books that are hard."

Huh? Where did anyone say that?

[Gary]

John wrote: "OK. I get it. People don't like books that are hard."

Many people do prefer paperbacks.

[Anne Hawn]

"Anne, I couldn't get past Katie's and Johnny's relationship. It seemed so sad and disfunctional to me that I put the book aside. Perhaps if I had made it to Francie' s story I would feel differently. "

I think you're right. Katie and Johnny's lives were a mess, but I only considered them the backdrop to Francie's story.

[Paul Martin]

Ginesthoi wrote: "Has anyone read Isaacson's book on Steve Jobs? I thought that one for sure would fall into the overrated category. But it pleasantly surprised me. I thought it was very well done."

I haven't read the book, but as the biography of the co-founder of the most perversely overrated brand in human history, it sure fits in this thread.

[Kallie]

Gary wrote: "John wrote: "OK. I get it. People don't like books that are hard."

Many people do prefer paperbacks."

HaHa.

[Shannon]

I think that Pulitzer Prize-winning book "The Goldfinch" was completely over-hyped and over-rated. It was a pretty good book, only about 350 pages too long. It was overly wordy and written in a strange vintage Brit style in what was meant to be modern day New York, and the timelines of events were all off. I don't understand how it won a Pulitzer.

[Mark]

Shannon wrote: "I think that Pulitzer Prize-winning book "The Goldfinch" was completely over-hyped and over-rated. It was a pretty good book, only about 350 pages too long. It was overly wordy and written in a str..."

Amen. Amen. Amen. I'm am so friending you right now.

[Shannon]

I really appreciate people who agree with me. :D heeeee

[Booksdigger]

Shannon wrote: "I think that Pulitzer Prize-winning book "The Goldfinch" was completely over-hyped and over-rated. It was a pretty good book, only about 350 pages too long. It was overly wordy and written in a str..."

That is my book to read for 2015. So is it worth spending time on?

[Shannon]

Booksdigger wrote: "Shannon wrote: "I think that Pulitzer Prize-winning book "The Goldfinch" was completely over-hyped and over-rated. It was a pretty good book, only about 350 pages too long. It was overly wordy and ..."

If you want to wade through it for lack of anything better to do...but it's never going to make my Recommended Reading list. I wouldn't read it again, that's for sure. My favorite books are ones that I want to re-read. This ain't one of 'em. There are so many well-written books to choose from out there! :)
(Short answer - NO) hehehe

[Booksdigger]

Shannon wrote: "Booksdigger wrote: "Shannon wrote: "I think that Pulitzer Prize-winning book "The Goldfinch" was completely over-hyped and over-rated. It was a pretty good book, only about 350 pages too long. It w..."

Thanks !!

[Michael]

I really disliked Virginia Woolf's Orlando, and now I'm struggling to get through The Waves. What am I missing?