The Big Read discussion

Hi everyone!

I am thrilled that so many of you are interested in plowing through all 200 of The Big Read books with me. Hopefully we'll be able to get to know each other as well as have some fun and insightful discussions about these books. With that in mind, feel free to post a comment letting everyone know who you are and your thoughts (good, bad, ugly) about the book we're reading.

If you haven't seen the full list yet, take a look at http://www.examiner.com/x-562-Book-Ex... for info and the link to the full list.

The first book is the scandelicious V.C. Andrews tome Flowers in the Attic. I'm sure many of you have read this before, probably under cover of night and unbeknownst to your parents when you were in junior high (that's how I read it anyway). If you've already read it, it's technically not cheating The Big Read challenge to not reread it unless you completely cannot remember anything except the big part of the story which I will not mention here because that would give the juiciest bit away. If you have read it and want to yak about your thoughts on it, try not to give anything huge away too soon. I'm going to read and post comments every few days or so and I hope you guys will too.

To kick everything off, I'm wondering what everyone thinks about reading the Flowers in the Attic genre-type book. It doesn't take an English major to recognize that it's not classic literature, but it certainly gets people reading who might never lay a finger upon a book otherwise. What do you think about that? Is it lowering the bar for all of literature for certain authors/genres/publishers to specialize in sexy, sensationalist novels? Let's hear what you think! And don't be polite if you don't want to be (about the books I mean; obviously I don't mean be rude to each other!) If you think this kind of stuff is pap, say it! If you think it serves a purpose, say that too.

I'm one of those people who feel mildly guilty about reading stuff like Flowers in the Attic, but I'll still read the stuff anyway and enjoy the scandalous bits immensely. In fact, when I checked it out of the library, I was embarrassed--what a hypocrite! I thought, "I hope she doesn't think I read this kind of stuff all of the time." Does that make me some sort of literary snob? I suppose it does. Or perhaps it's the added spice of knowing it's a bit of a trashy novel that adds to my clandestine enjoyment. I certainly wouldn't feel embarrassed checking Madame Bovary out of the library, but I also wouldn't get the forbidden and almost electric thrill out of reading Emma Bovary's indiscretions as I do from Flowers in the Attic.

If you haven't read the book you are probably wondering "What the hell is she talking about?!" If so, get it and read it--it's every bit as scandelicious as it sounds, I promise.

Right, happy reading then!

Michelle Kerns

I read this book in high school (actually the whole series) and loved it!

I can't view the whole list from work (they block nearly EVERYTHING!) but plan to check out the list and see what I might be missing!

I loved this book and the couple after it. Sure it was sensationalist and shocking but it was also provactive. Made me really THINK about why I felt like I did towards the characters and their actions. After Virginia Andrews died, the ghostwriter (Andrew Neiderman I think) did a good job for a while but then it seemed like EVERY book had the same sort of characters and twists and it got boring. I might actually re-read this for the challenge, but if not, I certainly can discuss a lot from memory.

I don't even know how long ago I read "Flowers in the Attic". I was probably in my early twenties. That was a very long time ago. I wonder if it's even fair to say that this is a junk book. So much of it has stuck in my brain for more than twenty years. It created such vivid images in my mind. I remember more about this book than I do about half the great literature I've read. To me, a junk book is one that you read and forget shortly after putting it down. One you remember twenty years later doesn't fit that description. It may not be great literature, but there is something about it that gives it staying power.

Flowers in the Attic definitely stuck with me. At the age I read it, sex was very new and exciting, let alone all the taboo stuff in this series. I have read many of the books on the list too and recognize others, but I'm curious - who is Jacqueline Wilson?

I'm reading the list backwards apparently :)

I'm about to get on a plane with Artemis Fowl back to the UK. I was home when the vote was cast and admit that my favourite book which I voted for was the Lord of the Rings.
Heather
Jacquline Wilson writes books for young adults, usually dealing with kids in the foster care system, trying to come to terms with life. Some of her books have been turned into children's programmes like Tracey Beaker.
The lists are both on the listofbests website as well if anyone is interested.

People read books for different reasons and pure entertainment is one. I read it (Flowers in the Attic and its sequels) back in high school and thought the incredibly messed up family was fascinating. Read many other of her books (and many by the Ghost writer) though they really felt repetitive after a while.