A disappointing book you couldn't finish.

[jenniflower 10]

I can't not finish books, but I gritted my teeth through the majority of the line of beauty by alan hollinghurst. How the hell did this thing win the booker man prize?

[foo_fighter 10]

The Bible.

 

 

Particularly disappointing because normally, when you read a compilation of short stories by different authors you can at least find one that's either well written, or believable, but in this case nope, they're all cr4p!

 

 

[pattricia 574]

I can't not finish books, but I gritted my teeth through the majority of the line of beauty by alan hollinghurst. How the hell did this thing win the booker man prize?

 

Ive wondered that myself. A lot of books win the Booker prize,and are rubbish.

[SleepyHead 10]

I didn't think much to The Da Vinci Code either - besides the overall dreadfulness of the book the one thing that puzzled me was why Dan Brown insisted on having a new chapter every 10 pages or so. I still finished reading it though (more fool me).

 

The book that I bought full of expectation and then never read was "Angela's Ashes" - I remember it being so dreary I couldn't face reading past page 50 or so.

[SleepyHead 10]

The Bible.

 

 

Particularly disappointing because normally, when you read a compilation of short stories by different authors you can at least find one that's either well written, or believable, but in this case nope, they're all cr4p!

 

 

 

What about the one about Elishah getting some bears to mangle a couple of kids? That's ace. Then there's the story about one of the prophets who lies down to bemoan his fate until a bird comes and poos in his eyes sending him blind?

 

On the whole though, I agree - too much plot and not enough character development!

[Kryten 10]

you think da vinci code was bad try reading his other book deception point heroine gets stranded on ice flow starts tapping out morse code and passing submarine just happens to be in area and saves the day ha

 

had three attempts at classis book ulysees by james joyce its bloody hard going finally gave up who on earth decides whats a classic and whats not ?

[SleepyHead 10]

you think da vinci code was bad try reading his other book deception point heroine gets stranded on ice flow starts tapping out morse code and passing submarine just happens to be in area and saves the day ha

 

had three attempts at classis book ulysees by james joyce its bloody hard going finally gave up who on earth decides whats a classic and whats not ?

 

That's Joyce for ya: He's not usually considered an 'easy read'

 

There's a brief guide to Ulysses here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_%28novel%29 although I haven't read Ulysses so I can't say if it'll be any practical use to you.

[Kryten 10]

That's Joyce for ya: He's not usually considered an 'easy read'

 

There's a brief guide to Ulysses here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_%28novel%29 although I haven't read Ulysses so I can't say if it'll be any practical use to you.o

 

thanks sleepyhead but cant be bothered with joyce anymore would rather read something to make me laugh tom sharpe or pratchet

[goblin07 10]

There's plenty of books that I haven't finished. One was 'On the Road' by Jack Kerouac. Supposed to be this mega beat generation book. I did like all the descriptions of him riding up the mountains, and hitching rides with hillbillies. I guess it was his overall attitude I never got on with, i.e. decided to become a writer and sets off with his man chums to seduce admiring women. Give me a break.

 

Others... 'Fury' by Salman Rushdie. Where (if memeory serves correctly) this brilliant precocious Cambridge student then academic from India seduces beautiful women half his age.

[SleepyHead 10]

thanks sleepyhead but cant be bothered with joyce anymore would rather read something to make me laugh tom sharpe or pratchet

 

Fair enough - I'm well past my Beckett & Joyce stage.

 

Actually I never really had one.

 

I did read Watt by Beckett once though, and I've read Dubliners (which believe it or not actually has a plot). I kind of liked Beckett's endless variations on a theme although it can get tiresome after a while.

 

Other books I've been unable to finish (besides dull technical books like "Operating Systems - their construction and management") are:

 

Geoff Dyer - "Yoga for People Who Can't Be Bothered" - more like Writing for Writers Who Don't Know How. Tedious 20 something bloke wanders about the planet documenting his dreary life. Gave up after chapter 3.

 

JD Salinger "Catcher in the Rye" - I can't believe any killer would want to give this pathetic excuse for a novel as justification for his madness. I gave up about halfway when the central character annoyed me so much I threw the book across the room.

 

Tolkein "Unfinished Tales". Bought it in a moment of enthusiasm which quickly evapourated when I started reading the book.

[kel83 10]

Hmm, a couple come to mind.

 

The Simarillion (sp?) by Tolkein. Loved LotR, absolutely adored The Hobbit but just couldn't get my head into this book.

 

Also, I'm reading an Iain M banks book at the moment, and I love SF and fantasy and everything like that but I just can't get into this one.

 

Finally, a girly book. About the only chick lit author I can stand is Jenny Colgan, but her book Working Wonders really turned me off chick lit for ever more.

[Falls 10]

However do they get them published then ? Im sure much superior novels are turned down.

 

There is a Canadian writer who I shall not name. She has been a Booker finalist on a number of occcasions (may have won it once). I find her books almost impossible to read. For example, she will devote paragraphs, if not chapters, to discussing a most minute or irrelevent detail. Things such as a loose button on a character's coat. I also find that what she has to say in her interviews is totally incomprehensible.

 

And yet all the reviewers fawn over her and as each new book appears, it immediately goes to the top of the best-sellers list. Truly amazing.

 

Of course at the opposite end of the spectrum is an action writer like Tom Clancy. In the space that our Canadian writer would devote to the saga of the button, Clancy has wiped-out two divisions of the enemy and saved the world.

 

Regards