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Most Challenging Books You've Read
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Benjamin wrote: "The translation of Les Mis that I read was also Norman Denny's, and I felt that every passage (even the ones in the back) contributed to the beauty of the novel, rather than made it boring. But yes..."I really want to read Crime and Punishment, fully aware that it is not an easy book.
As for Les Miserables, the length is a bit daunting, but Hugo's writing more than makes up for it. To be fair, something is always lost in the translation, so reading it in something other than French must be a different experience.
Charbel wrote: "I've never read Hemingway, but I hear he over-glorifies war. This is one of the reasons why I am hesitant to read something by him."I haven't found this. I've liked most of his books, but loved A Farewell to Arms
Charbel wrote: "I've never read Hemingway, but I hear he over-glorifies war. This is one of the reasons why I am hesitant to read something by him."I don't think he glorifies war but I haven't read any Hemingway other than The Old Man and the Sea (which I quite liked too, Greg) in 30+ years. I disliked him when I read him in school but he was my grandfather's favorite author so I should reread one or two...
Benjamin wrote: "I finished Crime and Punishment a few days ago. Though the writing is straightforward, there are some philosophical passages that forces one to stop and ponder. That, and the bleakness and despair that is present throughout makes it a difficult book. In other words, I thoroughly enjoyed it. ..."Oh, yes -- I would definitely put Fyodor Dostoyevsky on my list of challanging authors! I found both The Brothers Karamazov and Notes from Underground difficult (even more than Crime and Punishment!)
Pink wrote: "Charbel wrote: "I've never read Hemingway, but I hear he over-glorifies war. This is one of the reasons why I am hesitant to read something by him."I haven't found this. I've liked most of his bo..."
I loved A Farewell to Arms too, but I haven't read any other by Hemingway. I've heard wildly different reactions to The Old Man and the Sea and this one is on my to-read list.
And I've been delaying the reading of Crime and Punishment...
LauraT wrote: "But that was only boring to death!!!!"Because of this it was a real challenge for me to finish it. Not only this, I also didn't like the main character and all his fishing. This surely because I'm vegetarian and I can't stand to read how he tortured the fishes. I really hoped he would fall in the water and would have been eaten by the fishes. Then I'm sure I would have liked it.
I like to see the different reactions for the same books. And about Dostoyevsky, I love him and none of his books have been a challenge. I enjoyed them all.
Mod
Because of this it was a real challenge for me to finish it. Not only this, I also didn't like the main character and all his fishing. This su..."
Oh my goodness dely, I will definitely not fish around you! :)
Alice I thought The Old Man and the Sea was good, but I've preferred his others, except for a A Moveable Feast which I really didn't enjoy, but I think I'm in the minority there.
Greg wrote: "Oh my goodness dely, I will definitely not fish around you! :) "Lol, better not! :D
don, do you mean Cancer Ward by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, I presume. Looking at the blurb, that does look like a tough book. Solzhenitsyn never did anything by halves, did he?
B the BookAddict wrote: "don, do you mean Cancer Ward by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, I presume. Looking at the blurb, that does look like a tough book. Solzhenitsyn never did anything by halves, di..."Even the title makes me cringe.
I thoroughly disliked The Old Man and the Sea thank goodness it was so short.One Hundred Years of Solitude and The Silmarillion feature a few times on this thread, having read both this year, I must say I loved them both. Whilst they were confusing in places I enjoyed going back over parts to get them firmly in my mind...that said I have probably forgotten most of them now
My most challenging book was The Historian put simply I hated it! The end was the most frustrating, no explanation or completion, so irritating.
Mod
don, actually I've enjoyed some by Maugham, though perhaps we're reading different ones?
I didn't find The Razor's Edge or The Painted Veil too difficult, and I quite liked those! I thought The Moon and Sixpence was ok. I haven't tried Of Human Bondage yet though - that's a long one!
I liked Cancer Ward. I found it told a fictionalized story of an actual event in the author's life in a positive way. Sure, some scenes were difficult but overall there was strength, humor and a positive outlook.I found this positive outlook in One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich as well.
I tried The Gulag Archipelago 1918-1956 once but had trouble getting into it. I will try again one day.
Benjamin wrote: The Old Man and the Sea was a quick read, but it was challenging for me due to Hemingway's style, namely, a lack of adjectivesI haven't read that one in a long time and don't really remember it, but I read A Farewell to Arms this spring. Hemingway does use fewer adjectives, but I found the challenging part of A Farewell to Arms to be Hemingway's sentence structure; he uses short phrases but combines them in long sentences. Reading a lot of sentences like that that can be difficult.
Greg wrote: " don wrote: "Anything by" W.Sommerset Maughm is nearly impossible. sorry about my lazy spelling...."don, actually I've enjoyed some by Maugham, though perhaps we're reading different ones?
I di..."
Oh, I really like Maugham. Although it is the most famous, In Human Bondage is probably the one I liked least! But even that I liked...
For me it would it be Anna Karenina. It took me almost two years to complete the book. Finishing the book was a challenge for me!
Greg wrote: " don wrote: "Anything by" W.Sommerset Maughm is nearly impossible. sorry about my lazy spelling...."don, actually I've enjoyed some by Maugham, though perhaps we're reading different ones?
I didn't find The Razor's Edge or The Painted Veil too difficult, and I quite liked those! I thought The Moon and Sixpence was ok. I haven't tried Of Human Bondage yet though - that's a long one!
"
There are two movie versions of The Painted Veil: in 1934, the movie starred Greta Garbo; in 2008, it was Naomi Watts, Liev Schreiber and Edward Norton. Watts is good but she just hasn't the sex appeal as Garbo, imo.
Rahat- I finished Anna Karenina a few days ago; it certainly was challenging. Although they lent historical and cultural depth to the story, the long passages on agriculture were laborious. However, every moment I spent was well worth the effort.
Rahat & Benjamin, Anna Karenina is one of my all-time favorites. Not only does it have historical and cultural depth, but the weaving together of stories about three different families, each with its own domestic issues to contend with, is an embodiment of Tolstoy's acute insight into human nature and human relationships.
To me, Anna Karenina is more than a work of art; it is a work of life. The intricacies of each character, their thought processes, their reactions, their passions and emotions are as complex and life-like as those of any real person. Each one is so skillfully crafted with beauties and perfections, vices and baseness, that they cross the line from character to creation. Tolstoy has shown his nearly unmatched ability more profoundly in Anna Karenina than even in War and Peace.
@Benjamin and Alice. Well said!
A gap in my reading: determined to read it next year. Thanks for the spur.
Moby Dick - Learned more than I ever cared to know about whaling.A Clockwork Orange - Had to keep going to the back of the book to find out the meaning of the slang they were using. Drove me absolutely mad.
Mod
It took me a life to start it, but once I was reading it it didn't take me too long - considering the length. Stilol I find his War and Peace much better
Ruth wrote: "A Clockwork Orange - Had to keep going to the back of the book to find out the meaning of the slang they were using. Drove me absolutely mad. ..."While listening to A Clockwork Orange, I wondered if reading the book would have been harder. The slang is natural in speaking; one can pick up the meaning of the words quickly. But reading such unfamiliar words might have been distracting, I thought.
I recommend the audio of this book.
Did you end up liking the book, Ruth?
Petra I read the book years ago when it first came out. I liked it a lot but I wonder if I read it now whether I would still feel the same way.
"The Fountainhead" and "Les Miserables" for sure!
I found Wolf Hall challenging because it's written in such an elliptical way, jumping around and often unclear as to who is speaking or who is referred to. I still liked it but Bring Up the Bodies is much more linear and easier to follow.
Mod
Robin, if I remember correctly, Jean's review mentioned that as well, difficulties in knowing who is speaking / being referred to. But perhaps it was someone else? Anyway, I know I've seen other people mentioning it too!
Greg wrote: "Robin wrote: "I found Wolf Hall challenging because it's written in such an elliptical way, jumping around and often unclear as to who is speaking or who is referred to. I still like..."Yes, Robin & Greg, I recently finished reading the book and felt like I had to constantly solve riddles regarding who "he" is. And yes, in some parts the writing is disjointed and threw me off. But the good things about it are that the research is thorough, it does transport you to that historical era, and there are some lines that are beautifully crafted.
Terry wrote: ""The Fountainhead" and "Les Miserables" for sure!"Terry, Les Misérables is another of my all-time favorites. The translation I read is by Norman Denny and I loved it. The good thing about it is that the translator picks out the two most boring parts and puts them in the Appendix, so as to let the story flow without interruption.
Mod
We've read it through last year, and this one was supposed to be the one for his Purgatorio. I'm terribly behind; I hope in Christmas holidays!!!
Ruth wrote: "Petra I read the book years ago when it first came out. I liked it a lot but I wonder if I read it now whether I would still feel the same way."(The Clockwork Orange is the book we're talking about; message 79 & 80 above)
Ruth, some books don't age well. I read it just a couple of years ago and thought it was marvelous. It didn't feel dated.
I haven't watched the movie. I think Hollywood might focus on the violence for "thrill" appeal. Burgess did a great job in getting the violence across without dwelling on it.....Hollywood, on the other hand, loves to dwell on such things.
LauraT wrote: "Have you read the whole Inferno?We've read it through last year, and this one was supposed to be the one for his Purgatorio. I'm terribly behind; I hope in Christmas holi..."
Are you asking everyone, Laura?
I've read the entire Inferno and enjoyed it (as much as I could). I did find it dated because of the references to Dante's fellow townsfolks and the politics of the time, etc.
I liked Puratorio the best.....wonder if that says something about me?? :D
Leslie wrote: "I think that Ulysses tops my list. In fact, that was one of my main complaints about it -- it was too much work to read!I am sure that some of the philosophy books I read in college should be inc..."
I also found One Hundred Years of Solitude difficult for the same reason you cited. Lots of Aurelianos.
Jim
Jim wrote: "Leslie wrote: "I think that Ulysses tops my list. In fact, that was one of my main complaints about it -- it was too much work to read!I am sure that some of the philosophy books I read in colleg..."
Hahaha!! I agree about the Marquez book, Jim!
I found Gulag: A History hard to read. Mainly because there was so much information packed in to the book. It's wonderfully written, but it's fact after fact and I had to step away from it at times. So fascinating as well.
Salman Rushdie the moors last sigh was a challenge. Also My Name is Red by Orhan I found this one challenging because I couldn't make head or tail of it.
Salman Rushdie the moors last sigh was a challenge. Also My Name is Red by Orhan I found this one challenging because I couldn't make head or tail of it.
Leslie wrote: "Oh dear, I have My Name is Red on my TBR for this year..."I have paused My Name is Red. The writting style is enjoyable but the pace so slow I felt my life draining away before anything happened.
Esther wrote: "Leslie wrote: "Oh dear, I have My Name is Red on my TBR for this year..."I have paused My Name is Red. The writting style is enjoyable but the pace so slow I felt my life draining awa..."
I did end up reading this last October (Oct. 2016) & loved it. The pace picks up somewhat as you progress.
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The Old Man and the Sea was a quick read, but it was challenging for me due to Hemingway's style, namely, a lack of adjectives, which, dare I say, made it quite boring.
I finished Crime and Punishment a few days ago. Though the writing is straightforward, there are some philosophical passages that forces one to stop and ponder. That, and the bleakness and despair that is present throughout makes it a difficult book. In other words, I thoroughly enjoyed it.