Reader's Ink discussion

I read this article today- authors were writing about "great" books that they didn't like whatsoever.

http://www.slate.com/id/2301312/

As we have some down time until the next discussion, I would be curious to hear what "great" or "classic" books you have read and didn't care for or enjoy.

Its not a classic. But, I was so excited to read Eat, Pray, Love. I had heard so much about it, and everyone thought it was so wonderful!

Didn't finish it.

I think my main problem was with the author- I felt she was whiny, selfish, and I just didn't like her as a person, so I wasn't interested in continuing to read about "her" anymore.

Alisha: I've had Eat Pray Love on my shelves for years. Half the people I know raved about it, and the other half shared your feelings on it. I think I'll let it sit on my shelf for a while longer.

As far as classics, I hated Gone With the Wind. I'm pretty sure it was the first book I ever read where I realized "classic" and "beloved" do not always translate into a good story. In fact, even though I read it almost fifteen years ago, I could probably still do a pretty good recreation of my rant about why it's a horrible, overrated piece of literary garbage. (Did I mention I really, really didn't like the book?)

There's a tiny part of me that sometimes wonders if I'd appreciate the book better as an adult, but I have such strong feelings about it (and there are so many good books I've never read), that I honestly have no interest in trying to reread it.

Oh, and no offense intended towards anyone who read Gone With the Wind and liked it ...

I have a short list of books that for one reason or another have never liked. And I have a hunch that we could have a generational thing here again, but these are my thoughts.

Pulp Fiction - never enjoyed reading the stage play, despised the movie. Only movie in my life that I have not finished/walked out. Just absolutely awful to me.

Death of a Salesman - one of the most depressing books/movies I've ever read. My family were having issues that I could relate right into this, and I've never been able to look back or have any desire to try it again. NONE

Great Gatsby - just never liked it.

Moby Dick - as stated in earlier email, read this in school and it was a hard book for me. Didn't like it either, you all probably loved it, but just not me.

Million Little Pieces....not bc of the whole controversy behind it..I just didn't like it and didn't see the hype behind it.

What about underrated books? books that didn't/don't get great reviews or followings but you just loved?

One of my favorites Shantaram.

Emily: I actually just finished Freedom. It was definitely very detached, but I thought it worked for the story. Of course, I think it helped that a friend (who liked the book) told me to approach the book as an opportunity to peek into the mind of a pessimist who hates people ...

CAROL! I TAUGHT THE GREAT GATSBY FOR DECADES AND I HATED IT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THERE ARE NO REDEEMING CHARACTERS. THEY ARE ALL TURDS IN THE PUNCH BOWL, SO TO SPEAK.

Teehee I'll never think of it the same, nice to have a fellow disliker among friends.

Skype is sort of an online computer software and tools used that you hook into your computer and for just peanuts can talk to people for a fairly long time. My husbands nephew sent him a skype unit, but because his computer operating system is so OLD, he can't use it. If ya'll are getting serious about this, let me know, and maybe I could use his to set up on my computer. Also, if I have slaughtered the definition of what skype is, feel free to help me here. I've never actually seen it used.