worst book ever! Showing 751-800 of 1,030

[Declan]

YOUR ALL MENTAL!!! Gatsby is a stunning tale that exceedingly satirises the 1920's American, dream era! The gorgeous language, utter symbolism, thought provoking narrative, strinkingly apparent/ unfair yet realistic social stratification and exceptional character development, along with the heart wrenching, tragic ending makes it one of the best stories to read and study at school/ college! Go read it again because either your seriously deluded, or you didn't read it properly! Gastby is fantastic! Praise for F.Scott Fitzgerald! One of the best classics in time! :)

[☯Emily]

Declan, I agree with much of what you say, but not everyone enjoys this type of book. Let's all agree to disagree. First step is not to call others names, like mental or deluded. BTW, your note should start with,"You're all mental" or better yet, "All of y'all are mental."

[Patrick]

I didn't read The Great Gatsby at high school. It seems to me that school often makes students hate some novels instead of making them love them. A punch in the stomach very hard to recover from, it seems. Also, I wonder which of the authors read by teenagers at school actually had a teenage readership in mind when they wrote their stories...

I read The Great Gatsby years ago, as an adult; and surprise, surprise! I found it one of the most perfectly written books in English!

[Parvathi]

Declan wrote: "YOUR ALL MENTAL!!! Gatsby is a stunning tale that exceedingly satirises the 1920's American, dream era! The gorgeous language, utter symbolism, thought provoking narrative, strinkingly apparent/ un..."

Thanks for the advice Declan. I've read the book once again. And I don't see any change in my perspective, after all.

[Feliks]

Well then, why not let's all boost Nicholas Sparks as the best American writer? He's surely the current most popular male author with a string of smash hits and Kindle downloads and 5-star Amazon ratings and movie adaptations and everyone can easily grasp every nuance and filament of his thought. No trouble whatsoever.

I guess it's the only course left open to us, eh? Its all we can do if we want to end this squabbling. Come on, let's form a democratic majority and overturn Fitzgerald's decades-long reputation with a 'vote'. This many disgruntled, dissatisfied, modern readers can't be wrong--'Gatsby' won all its esteem via some kind of fraud, for sure. Kudos instead, to 'The Notebook'. Greatest American novel!

o_0

[☯Emily]

??????

[Arlomisty]

I have always thought this book is WAY over rated... I have never liked it...

[Feliks]

What about 'Nights in Rodanthe'? Any good?

[Cage]

Death, casually shifting the blame onto someone else, beautiful women, people pretending to be something they're not, one who has everything not really having a grasp of the spiritual or even the human. How can it be that none of this has ever touched you? How can this not be an important book?

[Penny]

I suppose peoples reading tastes have moved on, along with everything else. It just doesn't appeal to the modern reader anymore!

[Feliks]

Penny wrote: "I suppose peoples reading tastes have moved on, along with everything else. It just doesn't appeal to the modern reader anymore!"

But that is not the fault of the author or the work he created. The fundamental statements Fitzgerald posits about America are all still true. This is still that country. Crass, banal, money-driven, delusional.

If the audience to appreciate these truths, has fallen away in acumen and caliber, unable to wrap their minds around his scathing criticism--and learn from it--who is responsible for that? Not he.

The flaw is in the joke of a society we have today; so lets place (and accept) blame where it belongs. Man up. Put down your iPods.

[Jools]

Just look at how many posts this thread has....... Obviously Fitzgerald's works have provoked emotions in people. What more could a writer ask for???
For me I love Fitzgerald's works and The Great Gatsby is my all time favourite book. I re-read this book at least twice a year.

[Rita]

The definition of a good book is not that it appeals to everyone. There is no question that this is not a good book. You don't have to like it.

[Ashley]

This book proves to be a good book. It is a classic. It is taught in numerous high school as well as middle school classrooms. It has so many good metaphors and topics to discuss the true meanings as well as controversial meanings. The fact that this book has a thread that has so many comments shows how many people read the book. If you read the entire book and don't like it, what made you keep reading?

[Feliks]

It is remarkable how the following group of books seems to come up on GR so repeatedly, in the status monitor for 'People Adding To Read List'. Anyone else notice this?

The Great Gatsby
Diary of a Young Girl
1984
Animal Farm
Lolita
A Clockwork Orange
Catcher in the Rye
Great Expectations
A Tale of Two Cities
Lord of the Flies
Catch-22
The Giving Tree
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Complete Tales of Sherlock Holmes
Les Miserables
The Stranger

[Jason]

I did not notice but I find it odd that I have read those books. I found out about them buy using Google to find "100 best books." They get great praise in their reviews.

[Prashant]

I dont understand why its called and termed as the great american dream. the book was slow, the character which was portrayed by Fitzgerald is impeccable but according to me its wearing the shroud of anachronism . The character building ,the description of the event is spotless as expected from someone like Fitzgerald . But this piece of literary fiction didn't enticed me .I kept on counting the pages still left.

[George]

Not only is it not boring or over rated or "worst book ever" but it is the perfect American novel. You either "get it" or you do not. I have read it about once every ten years or so and it feel fresh and different each time.

[Penny]

Well there seem to be an awful lot of readers that do not "get it".

[☯Emily]

Penny wrote: "Well there seem to be an awful lot of readers that do not "get it"."

The readers probably don't see how it perfectly mirrors today's shallow and mercenary values.

[Ashley]

What is there to get exactly? Interpret the book however you want! I really don't understand how people don't like this book but they actually enjoy and rave about books like "Fifty Shades"

[Heather]

Laura-lou wrote: "does anyone agree with me that this is the worst and most boring book of all time?"

100%

[Hadir]

Well, I am a student and the book is assigned to me and I'm completely in love with it! I enjoy its essays and assignments day by day..actually being a student I'm forced to read in between the lines and explore the layers of the text Fitzgerald geniusly made.Behind every shallow character there's definetly a huge lesson!

[Savannah]

For its time, it was a great book. I myself, actually enjoyed this book when we read it in school around 12 years ok. It's a historical fiction and has many layers of different morals to interpret, may just have to be into that type of genre in order to enjoy it. I wouldn't go as far to say it's the worst book out there. There are by far more worse books than this. Hadir hit the spot with their post. This is still one of my favorite classics to this day.

[Emanuel]

obvious troll is obvious, sigh...

[Holly]

What I don't get is why people feel it necessary to rag on and on over a book they didn't even like......do these people have no life that they can devote endless hours to reading a book they don't enjoy and take more time to complain about it online?

If I don't like a book I just stop reading it......life is short, there are so many books and so little time.

[Ashley]

It's free speech. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

[Holly]

Ashley wrote: "It's free speech. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion."

Well, of course it is free speech, that is not the issue. I was just wondering why these people choose to be so negative and miserable. Each to their own.

[Ashley]

It's not being negative or miserable. It's having an opinion.

[Holly]

Ashley wrote: "It's not being negative or miserable. It's having an opinion."

......and I have voiced mine, which,as you have noted I am entitled to do.

[Ashley]

You are able to do that. But I am not miserable in life or negative just because I write a bad review for a book.

[Holly]

My original comment was not directed at you or your reviews; it was directed at the topic of this thread, which is negative and unnecessary. I don't understand why you are taking this so personally.

[Ashley]

Not taking it personal just it's an open thread allowing people to voice their opinion about a controversial book. And you are saying its a waste of time. It's a debate about the book. If you were an actual book lover and avid reader you would understand that.

Nothing personal though "just an opinion"!

[Geoffrey]

Sorry that we`re spilling your milk, Holly, but we detractors have issues with the book. The book is a controversial one in that F undermines the very moral of the tale by having Gatsby a virtual sleezebag himself. Well, F and legions out there, sure Daisy was a weak-willed space cadet with very conventional moral makeup, but the rest of us know even more about JG than she did and we come down even more on his character. So if F`s intent was to disabuse the reader of the truth of the American dream of social mobility why in the world make JG such a despicable character. After all, the latter was involved in the 1919 WS fix, illegal gambling, fencing of stolen bonds and goodness knows what else, considering he was a key player in an underworld empire.

[Holly]

Ashley wrote: "Not taking it personal just it's an open thread allowing people to voice their opinion about a controversial book. And you are saying its a waste of time. It's a debate about the book. If you were ..."

Ashley,
Well, my opinions certainly seem to be disturbing you! Your nasty response is not indicative of a person who is mature, secure and happy with herself. I guess I must have hit a pretty raw nerve to prompt you to protest so much. Hopefully things will get better for you soon.

[Ashley]

Wow. Pretty immature yourself to write a response like that.

[Holly]

Geoffrey wrote: "Sorry that we`re spilling your milk, Holly, but we detractors have issues with the book. The book is a controversial one in that F undermines the very moral of the tale by having Gatsby a virtual s..."

Geoffrey;
Art imitates life. There are endless examples of real life despicable characters who have been unjustly rewarded for their misdeeds. Maybe that was all Fitzgerald was trying to say.

I consider your points to be a thoughtful discussion of a book you have read and understand well. The "this is the worst book ever" comments with no explanation or constructive criticism offered are the ones I consider to be a complete waste.

Ashley, please respond with some unnecessary and vapid comment if you wish to prove to the world that you are insecure, contentious and have a huge load of sand in your snatch.

[Ashley]

Like the one above mine. A waste of time.

[Rutul]

The most boring book ever! I have no idea why a movie is being made based on this book.

[Ashley]

The new movie is actually the 3rd or 4th movie.

[Geoffrey]

Yes, Holly, exactly. I couldn´t agree with you more on the point about "this is the worst book ever comments with no explanation or constructive criticism". It cuts both ways when I read those who praise it to no end but then give only a cursory analysis of the imagery, metaphors, etc. But then again I´ve always been bothered by people who say they are fascinated by a piece of art, whether visual or literary, but can´t say why. They´re simply not thinking the issues through.

But as your comment "there are endless examples of real life....", I believe he was also trying to point out the fallacy of the the American Dream, that if you put your nose to the grindstone and achieve financial success, you can become upwardly mobile, not only in moneys, but social class. Your new social peers will accept you. But this is certainly not the case, and F makes the argument that that the American Dream is not foolproof. You can become successful like Gatsby, yet social acceptance in your new socioeconomic class is not guaranteed.

[Jason]

Think the movie is worth watching if you read the book anyone?

[Ashley]

All the previous movies are good. The new one looks really good. Same guy that did "Romeo and Juliet" with Leo Dicaprio, and Moulin Rouge.

[Jonathan]

One of my favorite books ever. I don't know why I like it so much, just that the story line was cool, so was Old Sport, and so was Jay Gatsby. A great book and a classic, in my opinion.

[Jonathan]

No, but this could be the Worst Discussion Ever...

[Cage]

(Spoilers) Gatsby is not the greatest story ever, but you're hating it for the wrong reasons. It's not a book against the good ol' us of a. The writer was a member of the Lost Generation, fr crissakes. which, as you may recall, was global. it's not a polemic against the status quo (which is what, by the way?). Gatsby's just a plain ol' archetype, in a plain ol' tragedy, which just happened to play out where the writer lived, the good ol' us of a. sheesh.

[Benjamin]

I couldn't disagree more. I think it's a stunning piece of work. Unfortunately, it's taught in American high schools, which is bound to destroy the reputation of any book, no matter how great.

[Thomas]

twilight? i think we're overlooking this, Gatsby is no way competition for 'worst book ever'

[Parvathi]

I don't think Gatsby is the worst book ever. However, it's not the best book I've read either.

[Paul]

Just watched the Redford-Farrow movie version last night. Surprised by how good it was, better than I remember and better than the TV version (2000?) despite some dated production values and a somewhat creepy portrayal of Mr. Wilson. The book is still the best.