Episode #264 When You're the Only One

[Karen]

I can relate Ann and Michael, I must be the only person who disliked Room by Emma Donoghue!

[Elizabeth☮]

I was lukewarm on Room.

I didn't like The Borrower at all and most people enjoyed this one. I gave it one star.

Another one that comes to mind is Snow. I felt like I was trudging through snow to finish it. Grueling.

[Gerald]

Right now I have only nine hours of The Goldfinchleft(hard to believe)and it really has been up and down for me. More down than up.

[Tracey]

Where'd You Go, Bernadette wasn't as amazing for me as for other people. The cover with the face and the big glasses is wonderful though. My go-to for this topic is The Corrections. Didn't get that book at all.

[[deleted user]]

I believe in honest reviews. Books are composed of ideas and should engage our minds. The reason I read books and associate with other readers is to discuss and engage with ideas. The move away from criticism, to me, represents a dangerous dumbing down. We should be ready, willing, and able to look at everything with a critical eye.

Or should we react to books like the teenagers used to react to the latest singles on American Bandstand? "It's got a good beat! I can dance to it!"

[[deleted user]]

Tracey wrote: "Where'd You Go, Bernadette wasn't as amazing for me as for other people. The cover with the face and the big glasses is wonderful though. My go-to for this topic is [book:The Correc..."

Agree and agree, Tracey!

[Kalen]

I find that the big books often fall flat for me. I don't know if it's heightened expectation or what, but I am likely to be the contrarian when everyone else is raving about a book. Night Circus is one of the rare recent exceptions--I thought that was worth every bit of the hype.

[[deleted user]]

Night Circus had the same effect on me that Bridges of Madison County has on Ann (and me). Pee-yu!

[Louise]

Elizabeth wrote: "I was lukewarm on Room.

I didn't like The Borrower at all and most people enjoyed this one. I gave it one star.

Another one that comes to mind is Snow. I felt like ..."

I read Snow while I was waiting to go into labour with my daugther - the combination of that book, drugs and contractions was really weird...

I think I know way too little about Turkish politics to get the story properly.

[Louise]

Tracey wrote: "Where'd You Go, Bernadette wasn't as amazing for me as for other people. The cover with the face and the big glasses is wonderful though. My go-to for this topic is [book:The Correc..."

Oh Tracy me neither - I thought The Corrections was such a disappointment, after all the rave it got. Just don't get all the fuss about Franzen...

[Karen]

Freedom by Jonathan Franzen was torture for me! With all the hype/buzz I felt what is wrong with me? It feels good to vent here and know others feel the same about books we must like!

[Kate]

The Corrections by Franzen was the first book I remember putting down and not finishing. 300+ pages in, I decided I didn't like the characters enough to spend any more time with them. I read Freedom all the way through and thought it was okay. It was so funny, around the time Freedom came out, Sam Tanenhaus was still doing the New York Times Book Reveiw podcast and he just loved Jonathan Franzen and the book. He also raved about The Corrections and how Franzen is one of our greatest novelists. I just do not feel the same way; I think many writers are better.

[[deleted user]]

I like Franzen. I liked both books. And I'm sure I'll read any other novel he writes. But like you, Kate, I don't understand the magnitude of attention he gets.

[Chanda2426]

I agree about Franzen. I tried and just don't get his writing or the hype. I, too, put The Corrections down about 100 pages in.
My big "what's-so-great-about-this" book is The Great Gatsby. I am sure I will be hung by my toenails for saying so, but that book did nothing for me. I think Gatsby is a totally-love-it or totally-hate-it book.

[Kate]

And I totally LOVE Gatsby! I reread it every othe summer!!

[Linda]

Chanda2426 wrote: "I agree about Franzen. I tried and just don't get his writing or the hype. I, too, put The Corrections down about 100 pages in.
My big "what's-so-great-about-this" book is The Great Gatsby. I am su..."

The point of the episode and, if I may so bold to say, rules of this group, there are no "one-size-fits-all" books any more than there are clothes. No one is going to hang you by toenails.

We may talk your ears off trying to convince you otherwise, though.

[Wendy]

Great Gatsby is the one I am not giving anything above a 2 if at all.

[Sally]

I really disliked Gone Girl! I could go on my rant but will spare you!!

[Virginia]

Loved Gatsby! Liked Gone Girl! Like The Corrections! Am I just too easy?
No! I don't like any of those self-referential clever I-am-playing-at-being-a-writer writers like Dave Eggers, Gary something with an S, Thomas Pynchon, etc. Maybe I am just too slow-witted. Michael Chabon is sort of in this group but his novels have more empathy.

[Gerald]

What I like is simple, a good plot, a little excitement and some history thrown in. That is why I loved Transatlantic and The March.

[Amy]

I don't like YA books. None. I just don't understand how adults can stand the writing style.

[Claire P]

Totally agree with you on The Corrections. How much self-loathing can you have in one book? Totally hated it. Two of my least favorites are Eat, Pray, Love (dreadful) and Boswell's Life of Johnson (equally dreadful).

[Jen]

I agree on Eat, Pray, Love- the whole skinny rich white woman on a 'spiritual quest'(often among 'darker', poorer people) is a genre that I find hard to take. The whole Oprahfication of 'female centered' lit is touch and go for me- I understand and appreciate the importance of her book selections to publishing and starting book clubs/conversations etc., and while she's had some amazing selections, for me they're balanced by the monetization (you too can simply your life with this $200 meditation cushion), and wilful disregard of actual science (the Secret, Jenny McCarthy etc)- I tend to be more skeptical than not of anything in that genre.

[Ellen]

I agree about Gatsby as well, but then I did only read it once...in high school.

[Tina]

Jen wrote: "I agree on Eat, Pray, Love- the whole skinny rich white woman on a 'spiritual quest'(often among 'darker', poorer people) is a genre that I find hard to take. The whole Oprahfication of 'female cen..."

Well said.

[Juliette]

To Michael -- The Goldfinch became a much easier read after I started listening to it....so I encourage that.

[Gerald]

I could not have read The Goldfinch so I am happy to have listened to it.The narrator was very good.

[Amy]

Amy wrote: "I don't like YA books. None. I just don't understand how adults can stand the writing style."

I'm with you, Amy. (Must be the name! :) I realize that many YA books are well written for the audience to which they are intended. But the vast majority of YA stories portray an adolescent, and the themes almost always focus on the challenges of youth. I am way past the age where I have patience for the problems and dramas that consume an adolescent. Coming-of-age novels just don't hold any appeal for me any more.

[Jay]

The Secret Historyand The Sparrow were two books I was really excited about, but I put them down. It is hard to explain why I put them down but I found myself picking up other books instead of going back to those which is not a good sign. As a result, I will probably not be picking up the Goldfinch and I'm not sure I am in any hurry to tackle Franzen either.

I am also one of the few that only likes Gatsby. I'm glad I read it and liked it, but I'm quite sure what all the fuss is about either. I think I prefer Fitzgerald's short stories that I have read more.

[Valerie]

So glad to hear this discussion. I read The Secret History years ago and whatever its charms were remained a secret to me.

[Elizabeth☮]

I tried to read The Secret History also and I wasn't drawn into it.

[Amy]

Amy wrote: "I am way past the age where I have patience for the problems and dramas that consume an adolescent. Coming-of-age novels just don't hold any appeal for me any more."

Yay - I'm not really the only one!!

[Kalen]

We all have books that we didn't like, despite of (or because of?) their popularity. For me, what's more important is what you do with that information. If I tell you you must have lousy taste because you didn't like X or you tell me you don't understand what's wrong with me because I didn't like Y, that's wrong. We all have different tastes. That's the beauty of this.

I always cringe when I've written (or said) that I didn't like a book because someone will inevitably say, "Oh, that's too bad. I really wanted to read it but I won't now." Read it! Just because I didn't like it doesn't mean it won't become your favorite book of all time. And I won't belittle you if you end up loving it, just as I hope you won't belittle me because it didn't resonate with me. People are *reading* and that's the most important thing. I couldn't care less what you read--just read!

[Tracey]

Kalen wrote: "We all have books that we didn't like, despite of (or because of?) their popularity. For me, what's more important is what you do with that information. If I tell you you must have lousy taste beca..."

Well said, Kalen!

[Michael]

I love that this thread has turned into a confessional!

I also loved Linda's comment: "The point of the episode and, if I may so bold to say, rules of this group, there are no "one-size-fits-all" books any more than there are clothes. No one is going to hang you by toenails.

We may talk your ears off trying to convince you otherwise, though."

[Tina]

Kalen wrote: "We all have books that we didn't like, despite of (or because of?) their popularity. For me, what's more important is what you do with that information. If I tell you you must have lousy taste beca..."

Excellent way to explain points of view & encourage reading, Kalen. Bravo!

[Aimee]

Tracey wrote: "Where'd You Go, Bernadette wasn't as amazing for me as for other people. The cover with the face and the big glasses is wonderful though. My go-to for this topic is [book:The Correc..."

We must have similar tastes as Corrections and Where'd You Go both really didn't do it for me and I couldn't understand the love of others. But I know some I love aren't so popular either. I like to find people who love and dislike the same books.

[Mary]

I am going to England for 2 weeks in March and need a long, good book to read on the long plane ride. I really didn't like The Goldfinch or The Valley of Amazement. Any other ideas?

[Linda]

Mary wrote: "I am going to England for 2 weeks in March and need a long, good book to read on the long plane ride. I really didn't like The Goldfinch or The Valley of Amazement. Any other ideas?"

The Pillars of the Earth

The Count of Monte Cristo

Outlander or any of that series

Wolf Hall and its sequel Bring Up the Bodies

The Shoemaker's Wife

Cutting for Stone

Bridge of Sighs

East of Eden

[Mary]

Ok!! Thx Linda

[April]

Mary, I will add my recommendation for Cutting for Stone and East of Eden, too.

[Lisa]

I'm with you, Amy. (Must be the name! :) I realize that many YA books are well written for..."

I'm with the Amys on YA. The only YA book I've ever really liked is The Book Thief. And while I enjoy the Hunger Game movies, I have trouble with the books. I have to agree that in most cases the writing is bad and the themes are tired.

[Valerie]

For the long plane rider, I'd like to add

The Crimson Petal and the White

An Instance of the Fingerpost

Cryptonomicon

if you're looking to stretch your horizons a bit!

[Samantha]

Am I the only one who didn't like The Catcher In The Rye? I couldn't even finish it. I can't even think of another book I never finished, but this one couldn't get through. I just kept thinking about how spoiled and obnoxious he sounded.

[Tina]

Tina wrote: "Jen wrote: "I agree on Eat, Pray, Love- the whole skinny rich white woman on a 'spiritual quest'(often among 'darker', poorer people) is a genre that I find hard to take. The whole Oprahfication of..."

I am halfway through the audio version of The Goldfinch & I am struggling. The story has snags where I don't feel like listening but I know I need to push through.

[Pam]

Wolf Hall and The Last Werewolf were struggles for me. I returned both to the library before finishing. Also, I really didn't like Gone Girl. And a few summers ago, when all the "ladies" were crazy for Fifty Shades..., I couldn't get past the bad writing.

[[deleted user]]

Pam wrote: "Wolf Hall and The Last Werewolf were struggles for me."

They're both better when you realize they're not part of a series.

[Kalen]

I think I've stayed out of IDing individual books that I didn't like, but good lord, The Crimson Petal and the White was painful for me. I felt completely ripped off (Much like watching The Usual Suspects) and was angry that I'd spent so much time reading it by the time I turned the last page. But, as is typical with me, so many others loved it.

[Tammy AZ]

I'm not a fan of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and felt so weird not liking it that I purchased it again with a plan to try it again later!

[Tina]

Ashley wrote: "In hindsight, I really enjoyed The Goldfinch, but I found myself occasionally dozing through the process of listening to it on audible. I think this is one of those books that had I..."

I agree it was the hype that has made me question myself. I suppose that's what influences most of us in this feed.
Anyway, I am glad I saw The Goldfinch to the end. I finished it today & feel a sense of accomplishment.