What great books are actually lousy?

[tigerbob]

Inspired by PoliticalChic's "What book is on your nightstand" thread, I thought I'd ask what book have you read that is critically acclaimed as a classic but that you thought sucked?

Mine is "100 years of solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I persevered for 3 weeks and 350-some pages with this weighty tome, and eventually gave up when I couldn't remember who was related to whom anymore.


[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Hundred-Solitude-Gabriel-Garcia-Marquez/dp/0060531045/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227056326&sr=8-2]Amazon.com: One Hundred Years of Solitude: Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Gregory Rabassa: Books[/ame]

 

[random3434]

Homers "The Iliad and The Odyssey"


Snooze......................



Homer's Iliad and Odyssey

 

[Annie]

Paradise Lost

 

[random3434]

Paradise Lost

Is that something you teach your students Kathianne? I agree with you on that one too!


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[del]

Paradise Lost

Paradise Regained

worst sequel ever- including caddyshack 2 and godfather 3

 

[editec]

I've never gotten through Gravity's Rainbow.

I suspect blotter acid would help.

 

[WillowTree]

Inspired by PoliticalChic's "What book is on your nightstand" thread, I thought I'd ask what book have you read that is critically acclaimed as a classic but that you thought sucked?

Mine is "100 years of solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I persevered for 3 weeks and 350-some pages with this weighty tome, and eventually gave up when I couldn't remember who was related to whom anymore.


Amazon.com: One Hundred Years of Solitude: Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Gregory Rabassa: Books

Felt the same with War and Peace,, it's kinda like trying to make sense of Genisis and who begat whom

 

[Annie]

Is that something you teach your students Kathianne? I agree with you on that one too!


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Never! LOL! "Animal Farm", "The Outsiders", and "1984" are all good. Believe it or not, I've had 3 classes really like, "The Invisible Man," I never understood why, but you can almost tell which classes will like which novels.

Felt the same with War and Peace,, it's kinda like trying to make sense of Genisis and who begat whom

I don't know why, but I grew to like Tolstoy, both "Anna Karenina" and "War and Peace." Then again, I liked Hugo's, "Les Misérables," go figure.

Another nomination for worst, absolutely worst classic, "Beowulf." I was lucky enough to have that torture once in high school and 3 times! in college. Egads.

 

[strollingbones]

old man and the sea...hemingway....

its a fish...a boat ..and an old man....page after page after endless page....


Another nomination for worst, absolutely worst classic, "Beowulf." I was lucky enough to have that torture once in high school and 3 times! in college. Egads.
__________________

o you should be beaten with a stick....you didnt like beowulf...how sad....but then again i have a thing for old english....i didnt care much for "of human bondage" either....

 

[Annie]

old man and the sea...hemingway....

its a fish...a boat ..and an old man....page after page after endless page....


Another nomination for worst, absolutely worst classic, "Beowulf." I was lucky enough to have that torture once in high school and 3 times! in college. Egads.
__________________

o you should be beaten with a stick....you didnt like beowulf...how sad....but then again i have a thing for old english....i didnt care much for "of human bondage" either....

Call me crazy, but with an opening like this, Beowulf failed to grab my attention, and it goes on for another 40 some chapters. Oh the essays!:

NOW Beowulf bode in the burg of the Scyldings,
leader beloved, and long he ruled
in fame with all folk, since his father had gone
away from the world, till awoke an heir,
haughty Healfdene, who held through life,
sage and sturdy, the Scyldings glad.
Then, one after one, there woke to him,
to the chieftain of clansmen, children four:
Heorogar, then Hrothgar, then Halga brave;
and I heard that -- was --'s queen,
the Heathoscylfing's helpmate dear.
To Hrothgar was given such glory of war,
such honor of combat, that all his kin
obeyed him gladly till great grew his band
of youthful comrades. It came in his mind
to bid his henchmen a hall uprear,
a master mead-house, mightier far
than ever was seen by the sons of earth,
and within it, then, to old and young
he would all allot that the Lord had sent him,
save only the land and the lives of his men.
Wide, I heard, was the work commanded,
for many a tribe this mid-earth round,
to fashion the folkstead. It fell, as he ordered,
in rapid achievement that ready it stood there,
of halls the noblest: Heorot1 he named it
whose message had might in many a land.
Not reckless of promise, the rings he dealt,
treasure at banquet: there towered the hall,
high, gabled wide, the hot surge waiting
of furious flame.2 Nor far was that day
when father and son-in-law stood in feud
for warfare and hatred that woke again.3
With envy and anger an evil spirit
endured the dole in his dark abode,
that he heard each day the din of revel
high in the hall: there harps rang out,
clear song of the singer. He sang who knew4
tales of the early time of man,
how the Almighty made the earth,
fairest fields enfolded by water,
set, triumphant, sun and moon
for a light to lighten the land-dwellers,
and braided bright the breast of earth
with limbs and leaves, made life for all
of mortal beings that breathe and move.
So lived the clansmen in cheer and revel
a winsome life, till one began
to fashion evils, that field of hell.
Grendel this monster grim was called,

 

[Diuretic]

But here we are in the 21st Century on various places across the world assymetrically communicating and Beowulf gets a guernsey. The Saxons would be amazed






I hated the bloody thing too, that's why I wouldn't see the film - it was the Saxons though wasn't it? I should have paid more attention, I know.

 

[Skull Pilot]

catcher in the rye

crime and punishment

 

[Article 15]

Another nomination for worst, absolutely worst classic, "Beowulf." I was lucky enough to have that torture once in high school and 3 times! in college. Egads.

That must have really sucked.

I'm so sorry.

 

[Annie]

catcher in the rye

crime and punishment

Wow, funny that. I really enjoyed both, Catcher In The Rye, more so. Different things for different folks.

 

[jillian]

The Scarlet Letter...

most unreadable book ever written.

Well, ok, Beowolf sucked too.

 

[Toro]

The Cat in the Hat is highly over-rated...

 

[Annie]

The Scarlet Letter...

most unreadable book ever written.

Well, ok, Beowolf sucked too.

Agreed, Beowulf blows. The Scarlet Letter, I loved that way back in jr. high. I think my teacher had a 'scarlet problem, as we read that and the Scarlet Pimpernel both that year. I did like them both. Sheesh, too many books, too little time.

 

[editec]

The Scarlet Letter...

most unreadable book ever written.

Well, ok, Beowolf sucked too.

I can't believe you say that.

I think that Scarlet Letter may be the quintessential book that describes America.

I'll bet that Hawthorne lost you before the story itself even started didn't he?

That introduction about Nat laboring in the Custom house will do that. My ex wife (who actually is way smarter than I am when it comes to great literature) can't stand that book either.

Beowolf is better if you hear it (it is supposed to be listened to, not read!) in the original old English.

Yeah it takes a while to understand, I'll admit, but it is damned great poetry.

 

[editec]

The Cat in the Hat is highly over-rated...

Agreed. Highly overrated.

But Horton Hears a Who! still makes me weap.

"A person's a person, no matter how small."
​

 

[Annie]

Agreed. Highly overrated.

But Horton Hears a Who! still makes me weap.

"A person's a person, no matter how small."
​

I always liked, "Horton Hatches the Egg". "An elephant's loyal 100%." That lazy Maisy! LOL!