Booker List discussion

I really didn't enjoy The Inheritance of Loss and from the longlist I didn't think much of Nick Hornby's How to be Good

I didn't enjoy Life of Pi. It was an audiobook, which I sometimes find hard to connect with, though.

I didn't enjoy The Life of Pi either, but am determined to try again. I almost gave up on Wolf Hall, but perservered and am so glad that I did - it was excellent.

Oscar and Lucinda was a big yawn....

I recently listened to Vernon God Little and wasn't too impressed.

Have tried several times to get past page 10 of midnights children...

Midnight's Children - get through that initial hump and you will be greatly rewarded; it won the Book of Bookers for a reason!

A.S. Byatt's Possession - one, great, big yawn

That is a good point I'd forgotten that one...

I struggle with Midnight's Children too. I think it's because it's so far outside my frame of reference (I know that's the reason I should read it). The other one I loathed & really loathed, was 'Sense of an Ending' . At the risk of sounding ageist, I think I'm just to young for it (at 28) as some of my older friends (in their 40s/50s) really loved it. Maybe I'll come back to it in 20 years & 'get it' much better. Having said that though, I lived 'the Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry' from last year's Booker short list which you would think would be for older people reading the blurb.
Anyway, an interesting thread-let's keep it going! xx

I read Julian Barnes' "Flaubert's Parrot" (Booker shortlist) and found it so tedious and wearying; I think it will be No, thank you to his "Sense of an Ending."

Ab wrote: "A.S. Byatt's Possession - one, great, big yawn" I adored Possession - it is brilliant and a worthy Booker winner, but like a lot of these books, you really have to persevere. Like me and The Life of Pi - I have tried twice to read this and given up both times, but I am sure I will get there one day.....

I liked Life of Pi the first time I read it. Different strokes, I guess...

I really struggled with "The Line of beauty" by Alan Hollinghurst. That was my least favorite Booker winner by far.

I agree with the above comment that "Sense of An Ending" might be difficult for those outside a certain age range, but at 42 years of age I found it to be extremely poignant. I've since enjoyed several other Julian Barnes novels.

I would not count Barnes out over that single novel.

This brings up an interesting point. How long would you persevere before giving up on a book?

For me it depends on whether the book is borrowed or bought. Generally if I'm not connecting in anyway by about the first quarter, I give up. I really don't see the point in perservering.

Siobhan wrote: "I struggle with Midnight's Children too. I think it's because it's so far outside my frame of reference (I know that's the reason I should read it). The other one I loathed & really loathed, was 'S..."

I really loved The Sense of and Ending! I think Julian could actually end up to be my favourite author! It's so funny how tastes differ

Ab wrote: "This brings up an interesting point. How long would you persevere before giving up on a book?"

In an effort to actually finish what I start- I'm brilliant and doing the opposite I have now resolved to NEVER give up on a book! Even though the majority of the time I might regret it!

Jeffrey wrote: "I really struggled with "The Line of beauty" by Alan Hollinghurst. That was my least favorite Booker winner by far.

I agree with the above comment that "Sense of An Ending" might be difficult for..."

Would you read Hollinghurst again?

@Ab --

I would read Hollinghurst again. I hate to count an author out after a single read and I didn't think Line of Beauty was poorly written, I just couldn't connect with it. The book never pulled me in.

Do you have a recommendation of another Hollinghurst that I should try?

For me Phil Self's Umbrella is the worst booker that I have tried to read, and the only one that I haven't finished. It has no paragraphs let alone chapters, and switches between characters with no warning. This is followed by The Finkler Question (Howard Jacobson) which I found extremely tedious.

Haven't read Will (not Phil) Self's Umbrella, and will probably not, based on reviews I've read. It didn't win the Booker. It was shortlisted though.

Correct; the best shortlisted booker this year in my opinion is The Lowlands.

Can listening to the audiobook be considered as having *read* a book?

I did not like Amsterdam by Ian McEwan. It was definitely one of his weaker books.