What Not To Read

[Susan]

Jamie Lynn, VC Andrews died quite early in her writings. Her subsequent books have been written by a string of ghost writers. I don't think she liked writing about incest. I think it was a theme picked up by the Andrews factory.

[Colleen]

I read Winter's Tale and I wish I had the hours back.

[Colleen]

Jamie Lynn wrote: "Colleen wrote: "I read Winter's Tale and I wish I had the hours back."

Colleen That's currently in movie theatres. I don't know how it's doing in the ratings."

That's why I read the book.I never say this but the movie was better....it cut out the 400 pages that had nothing to do with the story.I feel like he was paid by the word.I don't know how I finished it...As you can tell I really didn't like lol.

[Colleen]

Jamie Lynn wrote: "That happens a lot these days. 200 pages worth of fillers. That's what frustrates me about Donna Tartt. I read The Secret History which really kept me interested until close to the last quarter of ..."

I wanted to read A Soldier of the Great War but after reading Winter's TaleI don't know if I should take a chance.

[Missy]

Colleen wrote: "I read Winter's Tale and I wish I had the hours back."


Ughhh... Im reading it now, and its taking me weeks... It does not take me weeks to finish a book, but I just can't get through this book. I also started reading it because I thought the movie looked good, but oh my... Its taking me so long to finish.

[[deleted user]]

I saw the movie tonight -Winter's Tale- and I found it pretty hokey and cringey. It had some charming moments but Russell Crowe's Irish accent is so bad it's reason enough to avoid it.

[Missy]

Declan wrote: "I saw the movie tonight -Winter's Tale- and I found it pretty hokey and cringey. It had some charming moments but Russell Crowe's Irish accent is so bad it's reason enough to avoid it."

I've heard such mixed reviews about this movie, so far nothing good from guys, but quite a few women have told me its good. I can't help but think we're made to like hokey haha

[[deleted user]]

@Jamielynn. Helen Mirren said she asks her friends which movies she should vote for. I think that shows how useless some award shows are/can be.

@Missy. I'm totally dismissive of cheesy movies. I liked Stardust and Notting Hill but Hated P.S. I Love You and most of Matthew McConaughey's romcoms. This isn't quite as bad as the latter two, but nowhere near being called good.

[Missy]

@Declan, I'll rephrase, I think most women are made to like hokey. And I agree with your dislikes, also adding my dislike of almost every other romcom, I liked Stardust as well.

[[deleted user]]

@Missy. Maybe I liked Stardust because I have a soft spot for fantasy books and movies. I'd happily watch it again.

@Jamielynn. I've watched some of his recent stuff. It's pretty good. Even if you don't like the movies you'll be impressed by his acting.

[Missy]

@Declan Thats why I liked it, I like the fantasy, whimsical and magical type movies.

[[deleted user]]

@Jamielynn. There is some weird notion in Hollywood that a movie can't be artistically praiseworthy without being gritty or depressing.

@Missy. I do like movies of that ilk. Some of my favourites would be Lord of the Rings, The Never ending Story, Krull and Willow. Most of them have been among m favourites since I was a kid.

[I-like-to-read]

@ Jamie Lynn I also hate award shows, they're not even about the film anymore its "what / who are you wearing" just on big ad for fashion houses.

[Barbara]

Jamie Lynn wrote: "I-like-to-read wrote: "@ Jamie Lynn I also hate award shows, they're not even about the film anymore its "what / who are you wearing" just on big ad for fashion houses."

Well when I win my Oscar I..."

There were some high points to the Oscars, but only a couple. I think I've gone off Bono and Brad Pitt - a bit too self righteous anymore. I did like Lupita Nyong'os speech as well as Jared Ledo's. I am pleased with the choices for Best Picture and Best Director. I though Ellen was good some of the time, but other times I found her antics very annoying and wanted things to just move along. I am surprised she hasn't gotten more flak (maybe she has) about the comment to Liza Minnelli that she thought she was a man impersonating Liza. But LM did look pretty dreadful. I did like Pink's version of Over the Rainbow. I only stayed up til the end (midnight!) because of the snow day today.

[Barbara]

Jamie Lynn wrote: "I was going to delete that but I don't have to love Ellen if I don't want to lol"

No you don't. She was just too goofy and after awhile it just got really old. On the other hand, the hosts are often criticized afterwards. Why do they insist the hosts entertain? It makes the show too long.

[Susan]

Barbara, I thought it was a boring Oscars. I thought the pizza thing went on way too long. It was painful to watch all these rich people not able to put together a tip for the guy although he ended up with $600. I thought the LM joke was in poor taste and she didn't look like she was really happy although Ellen on her show said Liza was cool with it. The Oscars have gotten a little too self indulgent for me.

[Seraphina]

I never watch the oscars but I do look at the style. Was very boring oscars this year with the dresses. What was with all the black? Black, White, silver....same old same old

[Susan]

I used to like it before it was all done by stylists. You could always count on Cher to wear something outrageous and fun. Lupita Nyong'os is stunning though. My favorite dress was that beautiful red dress she wore to the Golden Globes.

[Seraphina]

She did look fabulous. At least she's brave enough to wear some colour

[Susan]

It appears to me that she looks stunning in whatever she wears. I loved her speech too.

[Seraphina]

Didn't Liza Minnelli look shocking at the oscars though. She has destroyed herself! From a woman who used to look akin to Anne Hathaway.

[Seraphina]

I think its a mental health issue with the constant need to have plastic surgery. People who have more than one or two procedures done should have to see a psychologist first before anymore to check them out for body dysmorphia.

[Susan]

That's for sure. It was painful to look at Goldie Hawn. And then there's the old standby, Bruce Jenner.

[Caroline]

These Oscar comments are funny! I only watched a few highlights -- all I cared about was whether 12 Years a Slave got enough awards. I agree that outside of seeing a few worth films get their due, it's a dull, self-indulgent evening, with a huge build-up going on weeks beforehand. People who lived in the era before television didn't know how lucky they were!

[[deleted user]]

By the time I reached the bottom I'd forgotten everything except McCantspellit. I'll be laughing at that for a while.

[[deleted user]]

His show isn't aired over here, but what I get to see of him is usually pretty funny. I'm kind surprised by that, but funny on TV doesn't necessarily translate to funny in print.

[John]

I went to my Goodreads list and sorted by rating. The first three books that come up with one star are:

Wolf Hall
The Shadow of The wind
The Finkler Question

[Paul]

I've read and quite liked two of them.
In fact I would very highly rate Shadow of the Wind .
Oh well if we all thought the same it would be boring

[John]

Indeed. In fact I know a lot of people on the group really like The Shadow of the Wind, but it really rubbed me up the wrong way.

In my experience, it's actually the books that are so highly rated by others that have a higher tendency for major dissapointment when they don't work for you.

[Paul]

That is very true. I think to be a true one star you have to expect a lot from a book and feel badly let down.

[John]

Ok, I think exercise 1 was a bit futile actually... for the nature of this thread. They are books that just didn't work for me. Not books that I think were outright rubbish.

Which I think is much harder. There aren't many books I've read which I think are outright rubbish. Just books that I don't personally like. Hmmm, this is hard.

If I had to pick one it might be The House of Sleep

Was also thinking recently that Rik Mayall's autobiography Bigger than Hitler – Better than Christ comes pretty close. (too soon!?) It had it's moments but he deliberately didn't proofread, have an editor, or use a spell checker. With obvious results. And some of the writing was just really amateur.

[Paul]

Its a hard call.

[[deleted user]]

I'll avoid Mayall's autobiography so, and just wait for the inevitable More 4/BBC 4 documentaries.

[Rose]

I absolutely hated The Goldfinch. 750 (ish) pages of boring crap!!!

However... I see that The Finkler Question has come up twice on this chat and I really enjoyed it.

Can't please 'em all!! lol!

[Barbara]

Theresa wrote: "It looks like The Goldfinch will stay on my TBR pile for a while longer after comments like this..."

There were parts of the Goldfinch I loved and overall I was glad I read it. However, this author takes too long to write books that are far too long. I got my hands on a copy of her book A Secret History but after Allan picked it up and discarded it, I am not even sure I'll read it. I may try a few pages, but I', mot sure I'll stick with it.

[Barbara]

Jamie Lynn wrote: "Theresa, I agree. It was so long with fillers that I refuse to read The Goldfinch. It started out good but then it went on and on...and on....250 pages too long. No editing."

Jamie Lynn and Theresa - I see this critique of no editing over and over these days. I suppose some of the hype over Donna Tartt's books is the publisher, though the one time I saw her on TV she seemed to be working too hard to be a 'persona'.

[John]

*unsubscribe*

[Paul]

I assume that means you liked them John

[John]

Yeah I'm a big fan of both. I really should have just unsubscribed from thread and kept schtum... it's just the same comments being posted again and again that gets a bit grating.

[Paul]

I've tried neither so I'll keep schtum ;-)