[Misc] Books you gave up on

[Baldseagull]

Chris Evans autobiography.

It was in one of those little book shacks you get by a swimming pool on holiday abroad, where everyone lobs in whatever they've just finished, and takes something else in return. I think I left Bravo Two Zero in there, and reluctantly picked up the Evans book in exchange - in my defence it was thin pickings, as most of them were in german.

Four pages in it was making my brain itch. I could hear his gingerness in my head. I wanted to carry on at least until the bit when he was hanging out the back of Billy Piper, but I just couldn't be doing with it.

I ended up getting a book about Bostik PVA glue. Couldn't put it down.

"I could hear his gingerness in my head" gave me a proper giggle, thank you.

 

[Albion my Albion]

As for Doerr, utter drivel imho.

Anthony Doerr is someone that I feel very close to after seeing "All the Light We Cannot See"

FYI, US Seagull, he was born in Cleveland.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Pretty sure it was David Copperfield. I picked it up from the shelf in Lewes train station waiting room while waiting for the train to Seaford.

Somehow, the wait for the train seemed to last longer than it would have done if I'd spent the time setting my watch by the station clock.

I’m responsible for about 46% of the books on those shelves. The beauty of getting the 0530 train into Lewes is that you can dump a whole host of books you want rid of. One morning I did 2 full supermarket bags for life worth, although none of it was Dickens

 

[chickens]

I remember my Dad in the late 1980’s reading some of the Thomas Hardy novels. I got the impression it was totally unenjoyable chore, the writing had really dated and was heavy going …. but Dad saw it out as a personal point of principle.

I may be odd (no external confirmation required) but I enjoy his writing.

I’d say that you have to get into a certain mindset to enjoy it, whole chapters go by without anything seeming to have meaningfully changed, but it’s almost a form of meditation or mindfulness, you have to slow yourself down to meet the pace of the book, and allow yourself some time for reflection after you’ve come out of it.

I fear I have too many distractions to currently read them again, but the Mayer of Casterbridge, Jude the Obscure and particularly the Woodlanders stood out to me at the time I worked my way through them. I’d say they’re absolutely not the easiest read, Dickens is light and snappy by comparison.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

I’m responsible for about 46% of the books on those shelves. The beauty of getting the 0530 train into Lewes is that you can dump a whole host of books you want rid of. One morning I did 2 full supermarket bags for life worth, although none of it was Dickens

One day I'll track down the person who left that book there, and I'll demand half an hour of my life back.

 

[Weststander]

I may be odd (no external confirmation required) but I enjoy his writing.

I’d say that you have to get into a certain mindset to enjoy it, whole chapters go by without anything seeming to have meaningfully changed, but it’s almost a form of meditation or mindfulness, you have to slow yourself down to meet the pace of the book, and allow yourself some time for reflection after you’ve come out of it.

I fear I have too many distractions to currently read them again, but the Mayer of Casterbridge, Jude the Obscure and particularly the Woodlanders stood out to me at the time I worked my way through them. I’d say they’re absolutely not the easiest read, Dickens is light and snappy by comparison.

Distractions. The internet can be one in my experience.

 

[chickens]

Distractions. The internet can be one in my experience.

Very much so!

 

[BN9 BHA]

Chris Evans autobiography.

It was in one of those little book shacks you get by a swimming pool on holiday abroad, where everyone lobs in whatever they've just finished, and takes something else in return. I think I left Bravo Two Zero in there, and reluctantly picked up the Evans book in exchange - in my defence it was thin pickings, as most of them were in german.

Four pages in it was making my brain itch. I could hear his gingerness in my head. I wanted to carry on at least until the bit when he was hanging out the back of Billy Piper, but I just couldn't be doing with it.

I ended up getting a book about Bostik PVA glue. Couldn't put it down.

Never stop posting Easy

 

[Sirnormangall]

Ulysses is better if you listen to it.

Ulysses

Naxos AudioBooks - Ulysses (unabridged)

naxosaudiobooks.com

Delighted that I’m not only one to have struggled with Ulysses - I’ll try the audio version

 

[Brightonfan1983]

I'm in a phase of one 'easy' book followed by one by an author I feel I 'should' read at least once, worthy or not. PD James didn't work for me but The Forsyte Saga is currently fantastic. I'm a "will not not finish" reader, but I will skim read like a mf if I can't bear it.

 

[Cordwainer]

For those who have listed Wolf Hall, I too made multiple failed attempts. Then one day I persevered, it suddenly clicked and I was rewarded with the most stunning piece of literature I’ve ever read. (And when I make that claim, you have to bear in mind that I’ve read Kev the Ape’s account of his time working at KFC, so I know what I’m talking about).

Simply, if you’ve given up on Wolf Hall previously, it’s worth at least one more attempt of anyone’s time - it’s an absolute masterpiece.

I loved Wolf Hall..eventually.
I loved Bring Up The Bodies even more.
However I gave up on The Mirror and The Light..every time I picked it up I had to go back to the intro to remind me who was who so ended up being somewhat counter productive. Can really appreciate Mantells craft but her style in these 3 books sometimes made it incredibly difficult to follow.

 

[Bodian]

I may be odd (no external confirmation required) but I enjoy his writing.

I’d say that you have to get into a certain mindset to enjoy it, whole chapters go by without anything seeming to have meaningfully changed, but it’s almost a form of meditation or mindfulness, you have to slow yourself down to meet the pace of the book, and allow yourself some time for reflection after you’ve come out of it.

I fear I have too many distractions to currently read them again, but the Mayer of Casterbridge, Jude the Obscure and particularly the Woodlanders stood out to me at the time I worked my way through them. I’d say they’re absolutely not the easiest read, Dickens is light and snappy by comparison.

If you have ever lived or worked in the countryside (by that I mean 'countryside work', like a week in the rain hedging, walking home to an open fire in a cottage and a steaming mug of tea type of thing) then Hardy is so evocative of a way of life that existed in the past. Just his descriptions of walking the highways and fields makes me wish I was back outside doing 'proper' work again.

I really like Hardy - although as you say, they are not the easiest read. The Woodlanders I loved, even though it's one of the saddest. I picked up a copy in a second-hand shop, then found that it was part of a library that travelled with the Strathcona's Horse (Canadian Mounted Army) on their voyage to the Boer War in 1899 on the SS Monterey. I found this picture online of the journey - one of these fine fellows may have read my book!

 

[Gwylan]

Tristram Shandy - WTF was that all about?

I've tried reading Tristram Shandy about five or six times and have got past a dozen pages. I've finally given my copy to the charity shop as I've realised I'm going to do it. I couldn't read Pynchon's Mason Dixon either - even though I like a lot of his books. And I couldn't finish A Confederancy of Dunces, the main character irritated me so much.

Staggered at the number of people who put Ulysses - a work of absolute genius and one that I re-read every dozen years or so. I haven't dared tackle Finnegans Wake though. And who can think Dickens boring? He wrote the original page turners that had people eagerly waiting for the next chapter (actually, I'd make an exception for Martin Chuzzlewit; that is boring)

 

[The Fifth Column]

Master and Margarita, Mikhail Bulgakov. I gave up several times as it seemed to have been written by Bulgakov whilst he was off his tits on acid but once I accepted that it grew on me, I had a kind of mental reset and ended up quite enjoying it. The key to enjoying any book for me is you have to be in the right mood and right place to really enjoy particular books.

 

[GT49er]

And who can think Dickens boring? He wrote the original page turners that had people eagerly waiting for the next chapter (actually, I'd make an exception for Martin Chuzzlewit; that is boring)

Yes, but only because they didn't have Love Island to look forward to, or I'm a Celebrity ................ not even 'Stenders or Corrie!

 

[autopsyturvey]

Many years ago, a couple of old drinking pals of mine had a copy each of Being And Nothingness by John Paul Satre. They'd both failed to get anywhere with it and devised a wager: if one of them managed to read the entirety of the book (and could prove they'd understood it to some degree) the other had to eat their copy as a forfeit.

Months passed and neither book got read so they changed the bet: If one person managed to eat their book, the other had to read theirs as a forfeit.

 

[Bry Nylon]

I loved Wolf Hall..eventually.
I loved Bring Up The Bodies even more.

This is exactly where I am. In fact I’m re-reading Bring up the Bodies again right now as there is just so much in it that it deserves a second read.

I have a copy of the Mirror and the Light but have delved into it yet…

 

[Greg Bobkin]

My list is long, but two vastly different examples are The Count of Monte Cristo and Fifty Shades Of Gray.

I'm not exactly target audience for the second one but wanted to see what all the fuss was about. It was so badly written, I didn't make it past the first page.

 

[Elbow750]

Life of Pi. Lasted one page.

Another De Berniers fan here and I absolutely loved Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. His second best book after Birds Without Wings. You should try it @Bakero

Never read the book, but Life of Pi is an amazing film.

 

[Elbow750]

This is exactly where I am. In fact I’m re-reading Bring up the Bodies again right now as there is just so much in it that it deserves a second read.

I have a copy of the Mirror and the Light but have delved into it yet…

I only got half way through the Miirror and the Light, but I'm detemined to finish it, one day. Loved Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies. They can be hard work sometimes, but are astonishingly well written. But Bring up the Bodies is so difficult to follow...