Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die discussion
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LIST books you abandoned?
Wayne wrote: "Mikela wrote: "Ginny wrote: "I'm almost finished with the second volume of Proust(2 out of the 7 volumes!!) I like it, sort of, really wish I liked it more and didn't resent it or feel like I'm for..."They have been working on Madame Bovary as a warm up. Just finished it tonight. Not sure if it was because I read the bulk of it recuperating from breaking my sternum on Saturday and everything is colored with this weird vicodin haze, but really didn't enjoy the book.
Tej wrote: You were asking J this question, but I'll chime in..."Oops, haha!
I got about 40% in before bailing, but it was several years ago, so I'll start over when I tackle it again. I'll be sure to pay attention to plots v. subplots to see if you are on to something.
I gave up on Moby Dick twice before I finally switched to the audio version and finished it. It was all the sections about whales and whaling that killed me.
Libby wrote: "I gave up on Moby Dick twice before I finally switched to the audio version and finished it. It was all the sections about whales and whaling that killed me." I have often had the same struggle with Melville, but I had to take an 19th century novels class in collage, and discovered that he appealed to my officious, grandiose nature. Via Melville, I finally was able to take my rightful place as the Barney Fife of semi-literate lovers of literature.
The Grapes of Wrath. I really wanted to finish it, but it was moving much too slow for my liking.
The Absentee. I have officially abandoned it. I got half way. Stopped for a year. Came back recently and still hate it!
Colleen wrote: "The Absentee. I have officially abandoned it. I got half way. Stopped for a year. Came back recently and still hate it!"Some books just seem to be like thaat don't they... I know I have struggled at times, not just books on this list. Even to the point of picking them up several times after taking a lengthy break they still have the same effect.
Man's Fate, a book set in China written by someone who'd never been there. I managed 30 pages and realised that after the 4th page I had just drifted off in my own little world.
Naked LunchI just couldn't continue. It was revolting. Definitely NOT my type of book. Life is to short to read something I'm not enjoying. So many books, so little time.
Catch-22 - a classic in this tread. After 100 pages I have decided to give up. Many funny points to start with but then nothing…. The catch-22 thing has been used and re-used. It is not funny the third time.It is the first time in GoodReads that I give up on a book. Where should it be placed? Do I have to pick one of “read”, “to read” or “currently reading”? None of them true.
Mod
You can add a "Never finished/Abandoned"-shelf to your bookshelves. Click on My Books in the header. Next to the "bookshelves" header on the left, click the small "edit" link. On the bottom of the page, type "never finished" or "abandoned" into the "add a shelf" feature. Check "exclusive" next to the new shelf when it appears on the list.
This will allow you to assign a book to this shelf, instead of having to pick between the default "read", "currently reading", and "to read" shelves.
Amina wrote: "The Grapes of Wrath. I really wanted to finish it, but it was moving much too slow for my liking."You should've finished it! The ending makes it all worth it.
George Orwell's 1984- A friend lent it to me and I just didn't really enjoy the tone or really get into the book. I've read Animal Farm and Down and Out in London and Paris, neither of which I really enjoyed so I doubt I'll attempt 1984 again or read another Orwell.
The Day of the Dolphin by Robert Merle, 50 pages was enough to know that I had no interest in going any further
I gave up on The Arabian Nights: Tales from a Thousand and One Nights at 42% in. I think I would have fared better with a more modern translation, but the Richard Burton translation was really hard to get through. After a while, the tales kind of blurred together and it was hard to care too much about the characters. I may pick it up again sometime.I also abandoned Anna Karenina, but not because I thought it was boring--I could just feel tragedy coming on, and I couldn't bear to read anything depressing at the time. :) I really enjoyed what I read though, so I'm sure I'll pick it up again in the not too distant future.
The Swarm. Read about 100 pages and couldn't take it anymore.Not a big fan of books that try to shove a one-sided political view down my throat.
:)
Amen to that. Felt the same way but did manage to finish it.
Katrina wrote: "The Day of the Dolphin by Robert Merle, 50 pages was enough to know that I had no interest in going any further"that was one of the worst books I've read off the list by a long way. Indigo: Or, Mapping the Waters was another.
The Life of Pi. I couldn't take it. I wish so much I hadn't finished House of Sand and Fog, I actually threw it against the wall when I finished it. Disgusting self-pitying characters, not one redeemed himself.
Jane wrote: "The Life of Pi. I couldn't take it. I wish so much I hadn't finished House of Sand and Fog, I actually threw it against the wall when I finished it. Disgusting self-pitying characters, not one..."I thought I was the only one who didn't like Life of Pi. I found it tortuous reading, although I did slog through and finish it, but everyone else seems to have enjoyed it immensely...
Glorianne wrote: "Jane wrote: "The Life of Pi. I couldn't take it. I wish so much I hadn't finished House of Sand and Fog, I actually threw it against the wall when I finished it. Disgusting self-pitying charac..."I think it was the end that made me enjoy it so much. There were definitely times in the middle where I felt it was moving much too slowly and I didn't really get what was happening. The end was an "aha!!" and then things all fell into place.
I wasn't a fan of The Life of Pi either, so you're definitely not alone. :)
Struggling with Euphues the Anatomy of Wit: Euphues & His England and very tempted to just abandon it. Does anyone know whether the book with the 2006 list includes both Anatomy and His England, or just Anatomy?
Only the Anatomy of Wit on the list - and it was removed.
I know, it was only on the 2006 version. Might give it another try next year...
Maryann wrote: "Glorianne wrote: "Jane wrote: "The Life of Pi. I couldn't take it. I wish so much I hadn't finished House of Sand and Fog, I actually threw it against the wall when I finished it. Disgusting s..."I feel the same! It was a long slog but the ending made the book worth it.
Moby Dick, War and Peace, Anna Karenina, but I intend to attempt them again soon.
Alright, I concede defeat, I give up, I surrender! Abandoning Ulysses. I tried, really tried. Even with spark notes I could not do it.Phew! Feel better already.
This make me quite sad, as Mr. Wolfe has long been one of my favorite writers, but I could not make it through Mr. Wolfe's latest, and I fear final, work. I will try again, and I certainly may have been influenced by some negative reviews. I will try again soon.
Under Satan's SunThe Lord of the Rings
The Sound and the Fury
Don Quixote
Moll Flanders
The Princesse de Clèves
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
I had to putThe War of the End of the World down. It was too much of a chore. I will return to it after the holidays.
I gave up Tristram Shandy about one-third of the way. Maybe I should have stuck with it like Tej with Rebecca...
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "In Search of Lost Time, specifically Swann's Way.My comments"
I finished Swann's Way and am planning on continuing with the series, but later in the year. In the meantime I'm going to continue with DtTMoT which I think you would love, Elizabeth. I highly recommend it.
Mikela wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "In Search of Lost Time, specifically Swann's Way.My comments"
I finished Swann's Way and am planning on continuing with the series, but later in the year. In the mean..."
Great, thanks!
Was not enjoying either "Kim" by Kipling or "Uncle Silas" by by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu . Both seemed to go so slowly. Don't know if I've lost my ability to read old-fashioned prose or if I just don't like reading with my iPad. Why struggle? Reading is supposed to be a good (enjoyable not the right word) experience. I'm not trying to read these 1,000 just for the sake of reaching a certain number.
With much regret I gave up on Anna Karenina. It's gathering dust on my bookshelf, with the sad little book mark stuck in the middle, reminding me that I'm a quitter.
Maybe I will get back to it some day ...
I imagine this won't be the only one I give up on, some of these novels are really intimidating and life is too short to be scared of books.
Mason DixonI got to the talking dog and haven't returned. I generally pick the largest books I can find but this one...is currently abandoned.
I abandoned number 210 from the combined list A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth. I hated the writing and sometimes it felt like a bad soap opera. I might've finished it if it wasn't such a long book but I couldn't justify spending that much time reading something I did not like.
I've tried twice but I can't seem to find a place to become attached to Philip Roth's Portnoy's Complaint.
Moby Dick. I have tried reading this novel several times and this last time made it to them setting sail but I was bored to tears and just could not force myself to keep reading it any longer.
Angelique, I totally understand. I completely pushed my way through Moby Dick, out of sheer stubbornness mostly. Although my sister, a lit major, suggested that I should NOT even bother, there are SOOO many references to MD in other literature and media, that I just wanted to see for myself. I think I should have just been content with the Cliff Notes, and skipped the actual reading.
City of god by E. L. Doctorow. I've read books in english but this one was too much for me and it has not been translated into finnish. I got half way through and realized that I hadn't a clue what was going on! I think this could be a possible gem, so I'm going to give it another go when(if) it's translated.
Armi wrote: "City of god by E. L. Doctorow. I've read books in english but this one was too much for me and it has not been translated into finnish. I got half way through and realized that I hadn't a clue what..."Armi, that makes sense to me! I only speak English( as so many Americans), and find some of the list books extremely challenging IN ENGLISH. I DID find City of God to be a gem. I sure hope it does get translated to Finnish at some point so you can enjoy it. I feel so lucky with the wide number of books that have been translated into English.
I have abandoned Flaubert's Bouvard and Pecuchet about 35% of the way through. The GR book description says these are Chaplinesque fellows, but I think my sense of humor didn't pick this up.
I loved The Art of Fielding, but that's because I love baseball. I could see the appeal for a non baseball fan, though.
Will probably be branded a heretic for this bit have made two failed attempts to read Ulysses - just can't seem to get into it
Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die
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I abandoned AK too, but it was because I made the mistake of taking it on a backpacking trip, and what I needed was lighter ..."
You were asking J this question, but I'll chime in. I have to say that I really enjoyed the subplot more than the main plot with Anna and her lover. It was a wonderful contrast of selfish vs. dedicated love. Unlike War and Peace (which I did not like), I thought the characters of AK were very sympathetic.