Which Books have you Failed to Finish?

[The Large One]

Just goes to show how different people's tastes are.....I bloody love that book.

I loved the plot line; it was the vernacular.

 

[drew]

Not a prolific reader by any stretch of the imagination but Lord of the Rings took three attempts over several decades. Finally finished the Fellowship of the ring just before seeing the film and finished the rest shortly after.

 

[Hillian1]

moby dick

This.

I am determined to finish it but by Christ it's hard work. Had it 4 years now.

One passage in it takes 4 pages to describe ordering and eating a bowl of stew.

 

[drew]

Duplicate post

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

The God of Small Things. Tried three times. Just can't do it.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

This.

I am determined to finish it but by Christ it's hard work. Had it 4 years now.

One passage in it takes 4 pages to describe ordering and eating a bowl of stew.

If I'm ever unsure about getting a book I check out the one star reviews (out of five) for it on Amazon. One look at some of the numerous one star reviews on there was enough to put me off bothering with MD. I quote:

I find it very hard to believe that a modern reader can find anything inspiring in this massive, overrated, terrible piece of literature. I have read many ‘classics’ which are hardly worthy of the name but this has to come top of the list so far, if there is a worse classic out there I am yet to find it (and hope I never will). It seems to be another of those massive tomes such as ‘War and Peace’ or ‘The Brothers Karamazov’ that the reader convinces themselves to be a ‘masterpiece’ on completion, simply because they cannot bear to admit that they have been duped into wasting such a massive amount of time and energy.
From the lengthy zoological descriptions of marine mammals, through to the tedious descriptions of the minutiae of sea life, one keeps wondering why Melville didn’t just write a series of textbooks and save us all from his woeful attempts at storytelling. I urge you not to buy this book and perpetuate any further the myth that this is either a great novel or that it is in any way still relevant today.

 

[JamesWilsonsVomit]

War and Peace, goes for far too long

 

[cheshunt seagull]

Quite a lot. A Chomsky book comes to mind. I also bought a huge academic book on Native American Justice....after a few chapters I was starting to doubt my ability to read.

Was the latter 'Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee'? I have started that a few times but never got more than a quarter of the way through.

 

[Rod Marsh]

Tony Adams autobiography. Didn't get half way through before giving up.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Was the latter 'Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee'? I have started that a few times but never got more than a quarter of the way through.

I was something like "American Indians, American Injustice". Reading the back it sounded really interesting but was really dense and academic and I struggled with the style of writing; lots of references and it didn't flow. I bought it about 20 years ago in the US. I still have it in storage...maybe one day.

 

[Hillian1]

If I'm ever unsure about getting a book I check out the one star reviews (out of five) for it on Amazon. One look at some of the numerous one star reviews on there was enough to put me off bothering with MD. I quote:

I find it very hard to believe that a modern reader can find anything inspiring in this massive, overrated, terrible piece of literature. I have read many ‘classics’ which are hardly worthy of the name but this has to come top of the list so far, if there is a worse classic out there I am yet to find it (and hope I never will). It seems to be another of those massive tomes such as ‘War and Peace’ or ‘The Brothers Karamazov’ that the reader convinces themselves to be a ‘masterpiece’ on completion, simply because they cannot bear to admit that they have been duped into wasting such a massive amount of time and energy.
From the lengthy zoological descriptions of marine mammals, through to the tedious descriptions of the minutiae of sea life, one keeps wondering why Melville didn’t just write a series of textbooks and save us all from his woeful attempts at storytelling. I urge you not to buy this book and perpetuate any further the myth that this is either a great novel or that it is in any way still relevant today.

Pretty accurate that.

But as the great Magnus Magnusson was fond of saying, I've started so I'll finish.

Unless I die first, which is quite possible.

 

[Hillian1]

Likewise. I see it as a personal failure and even when the book has been tosh (A Little Life) or v.difficult to read (Brief History of Seven Killings) I've soldiered on but I have given up on a fair few. A few that come to mind: Ulysses. I think I've tried a dozen times and each time got no further than the first 100 pages.

Another was a recommendation from a friend: 'The Celestine Prophecy' - in part a Dan Brown type novel and in part something giving deeper insight (think Jonathan Livingstone Seagull, Sophie's World). It was execrable. A story of someone who goes looking for their friend in S America who has gone missing having announced the discovery of the 13 steps, or however many, to a more meaningful life. The main character also discovers each step as they continue their hunt for their friend . I got about a quarter of the way through and was hating every page but the final straw came when the main protagonist was walking along a country road and meets a chap on a cart and horse coming in the opposite direction. The gist of the conversation went as follows:

Main character: "Good day sir!"
Bloke on cart: "Good day to you too! I can tell by that look on your face that you have reached the 2nd rule of the Celestine Prophecy"
Main character: "That I have sir. And most enlightening it is"
Bloke on cart: "Here, take this piece of paper on which the 3rd rule is written for you are now ready to receive this wisdom"
Main character: "Why thankyou sir!"

Me: "Oh, you're bloody kidding me. What a load of b*ll*cks. Can't believe I paid good money for this rubbish"
*book dumped in bin*

It remains to this day the only book I have thrown away rather than give to friends/charity. It sold millions too in the USA. And yes...I'm still bitter about having spent a tenner buying it.


Celestine Prophecy - Please, please stay well clear.

Out of interest, have you tried reading Moby Dick?

 

[marlowe]

.......but you have reminded me 'On The Road' Jack Keroac, I have two copies, failed to finish either and can't even be arsed to check spelling of his name

It's often the case that we don't get on with a particular book by a certain author but that does not necessarily mean we will dislike all books by that same author so often we are prepared to give that author a second chance rather than write him off completely. The trick is to buy another book with a completely different title by that author, not exactly the same one as you previously rejected.

 

[pearl]

It's often the case that we don't get on with a particular book by a certain author but that does not necessarily mean we will dislike all books by that same author so often we are prepared to give that author a second chance rather than write him off completely. The trick is to buy another book with a completely different title by that author, not exactly the same one as you previously rejected.

one copy was given to me, the other inherited, but I agree

 

[marlowe]

one copy was given to me, the other inherited, but I agree

I actually loved "On the Road" when I first read it as a teenager and I credit that book as the one that first turned me on to reading and appreciating literature. I was quite deeply affected by it at the time. I subsequently read quite a few of Kerouac's novels (different titles) which in turn led me onto William Burroughs who was associated with that whole beat scene though a little removed from it. How I would respond to Kerouac now on first reading I have no idea but I think he holds a particular appeal for male adolescents which is not a criticism. At that age you are asking a lot of questions about yourself and exploring new ideas and Kerouac helped to open up certain areas of my mind.

 

[pearl]

I actually loved "On the Road" when I first read it as a teenager and I credit that book as the one that first turned me on to reading and appreciating literature. I was quite deeply affected by it at the time. I subsequently read quite a few of Kerouac's novels (different titles) which in turn led me onto William Burroughs who was associated with that whole beat scene though a little removed from it. How I would respond to Kerouac now on first reading I have no idea but I think he holds a particular appeal for male adolescents which is not a criticism. At that age you are asking a lot of questions about yourself and exploring new ideas and Kerouac helped to open up certain areas of my mind.

Oh right. I think my problem is I just don't like the characters, but neither copy has gone to the Red Cross yet so ....., I liked the film though. WB's is another writer I struggle with, but he is/was an intriguing person

 

[Buzzer]

Out of interest, have you tried reading Moby Dick?

Yes. It was very hard work.

 

[marlowe]

Oh right. I think my problem is I just don't like the characters, but neither copy has gone to the Red Cross yet so ....., I liked the film though. WB's is another writer I struggle with, but he is/was an intriguing person

Yes, I saw you read Junkie by Burroughs which is the book that least appealed to me out of all his books after having read it. The subject matter wasn't really of much interest and I only read it because it was written by him. Pretty impossible not to finish as it is so short. He certainly was an intriguing character, an example of which is the time he accidentally killed his wife while playing William Tell. I even bought his CD "Spare Ass Annie and other Tales" which is him doing a series of readings over a musical Hip Hop backing.

 

[Hillian1]

Yes. It was very hard work.

As I trust your judgement, is it worth sticking with?

 

[Buzzer]

As I trust your judgement, is it worth sticking with?

Honestly? Probably not.