Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die discussion
Is there a book(s) from the list that you have no intention of reading? Which one and why?
message 1:
by
Sara
(new)
Jan 05, 2009 04:43PM

reply
|
flag
*







I will give it another go, though, just not sure if I will succeed...

On the other hand, I know that there is so much intertextuality between this and other things, that it makes me consider changing my mind.
Maybe I could start the first volume, and if I liked it, keep going, if not, give up. Like Kristin, I am a completist. I like to finish the books I start. But there have been exceptions in the past, and I could certainly see making this one of them....





Honestly, I don't know he is doing in a list like that. Two Paulo Coelhos and no Shakespeare?


I read both Coelho novels on the list, and I didn't like them at all. Everyone else I've met thinks they're awesome, though.

Coelho = Way, way, way, way overrated. People are dumb. :) Just kidding!!!!
Sorta.


That is because the story is told from the unreliable perspective of Humbert. In his twisted, pedophile mind, she was in control and he felt like he had no power. But you're right that as you read you get sucked in to empathize with him rather than Lolita. I think that's why it creeped me out.


In college there were some books that I only half-assed read because they just did not appeal to me. I read only enough to pass the tests and write the papers. These books include Sons and Lovers, Moby Dick (in high school), and Lord Jim.
I'm also staying very far away from Bret Easton Ellis. I read Less Than Zero and some of American Psycho and that was more than enough for me.

I don't know if there's anything on the list I won't read (though The Devil and Miss Prym is certainly in the running) but I'm not looking forward to Name of the Rose because I've watched so many people take four months to read the damn thing.


Yeah, I guess you have a point. It's more of a novel-driven list.
But The Name of the Rose is really good! It's not the easiest book to read in the world, but it's definitly not the hardest. It's not even one of the hardest in the list, if you ask my opinion. I personally found Moby Dick much more tiresome. But I guess that changes from person to person.


And I love 'Hitchhiker's guide...' - just shows how diverse the list is!
Pride and Prejudice....
It's just...
I don't care...
And EVERYBODY should read Ulysses...I think that is the second best book I have ever read...
It's just...
I don't care...
And EVERYBODY should read Ulysses...I think that is the second best book I have ever read...

I've started Ulysses more than once but never got very far, though I do intend to finish it someday! I'm a big fan of the other Joyce I've read (reading Dubliners now).
And Dan, honestly, I'm not sure if I'll do any Austen, ever. Like you said, I just don't care.

Bethany wrote: "I really liked Bret Easton Ellis' Less Than Zero when I read it in high school, and I love the movie American Psycho, but I just don't think I could stomach the book. I hear it's a thousand times w..."
I enjoyed American Psycho, if you can really 'enjoy' it in any sense of the word...
:/
I don't know what it is with Austen...It just doesn't seem to reflect anything that matters anymore, or anything that I could even begin to get interested in...It's the same with Jane Eyre...I tried to read and I was just thinking to myself with every sentence 'I really could be reading something interesting right now...'
I'm glad it's not just me!
I enjoyed American Psycho, if you can really 'enjoy' it in any sense of the word...
:/
I don't know what it is with Austen...It just doesn't seem to reflect anything that matters anymore, or anything that I could even begin to get interested in...It's the same with Jane Eyre...I tried to read and I was just thinking to myself with every sentence 'I really could be reading something interesting right now...'
I'm glad it's not just me!





:/
I don't know what it is with Austen...It just doesn't seem to reflect anything that matters anymore, or anything that I could even begin to get interested in...It's the same with Jane Eyre...I tried to read and I was just thinking to myself with every sentence 'I really could be reading something interesting right now...'"
I hated American Psycho, and love Austen and Jane Eyre. Isn't it great that we live in a world where we can both be happy?

I'm also pushing Dickens to the end of my list because I really disliked the books I've read by him so far.
Becky wrote: "I'm surprised that Thomas Pynchon hasn't made this "list" yet. I remember being completely baffled by The Crying of Lot 49 in college. Perhaps I would understand and appreciate it better now."
Thomas Pynchon is my favourite author, though I can definitely see that he isn't for everyone! It took me around 5 months to read Gravity's Rainbow and by the end of it was mentally exhausted and/or scarred...
Thomas Pynchon is my favourite author, though I can definitely see that he isn't for everyone! It took me around 5 months to read Gravity's Rainbow and by the end of it was mentally exhausted and/or scarred...

I'm beginning to wonder the same thing about Infinite Jest and David Foster Wallace.

I keep on reading it. Why? Because it is just a book and I am a human being. Humans don't surrender to books; books are conquered by the minds of real readers. So I shall finish this and all the books I start to read even if it kills me.

I haven't read The Alchemist, but Veronika Decides to Die was really good, and The Devil and Miss Prym was... well, it was, at least, short.

I just bought "Ulysses Annotated" and am thinking about giving that a try this September. I hope maybe the guide will take the place of a teacher? All I know for certain is that I'm NOT going to be able to really understand the lovely moderns without help (:

Same here; I will be avoiding The Reader and Lolita - I don't enjoy reading books with graphic sexuality, especially involving kids. I also have no intention of reading Henry Miller's "Tropic" books, which have been called "pornographic" by some. Have heard too many people talk about how disturbing American Psycho is, so probably won't bother with that one.
There are a few that I am intimated by due to their length: Tom Jones, Clarissa, Don Quixote, War & Peace, and Ulysses just to name a few. I had an American Lit. teacher state that he doesn't assign Moby Dick because it is so boring, but I am willing to give it a shot.

I believe the Taebeck Mountains are only available in Korean, which makes me wonder about why they are on the list. If they truly aren't available in English, they are the one book I will admit to saying "I will never read."
Reading Slaughterhouse-Five made me push Vonnegut to the bottom of my list, but I'll read just about anything on my Kindle when I'm walking on the treadmill, so who knows!

I also liked Lolita.
None of these books chocked me - but on the other hand I'm not sure if I'll ever read American Psycho, The Wasp Factory and some of the books by Chuck Palahniuk ...

It's probably the best book I've read this year.

Books mentioned in this topic
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Quandary Phase (other topics)The Alchemist (other topics)
The Old Man and the Sea (other topics)
Slaughterhouse-Five (other topics)
Infinite Jest (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Douglas Adams (other topics)Joyce Carol Oates (other topics)
Marquis de Sade (other topics)