Books I Loathed discussion

Preachy books are probably my biggest pet hate. Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale comes to mind. Science fiction/fantasy is badly afflicted by preachiness - Marion Zimmer Bradley and Sheri Tepper are other serial offenders.

I can't think of a preachy book I've read lately, but I don't like it in real life either.

How about The Secret? A woman at church preached at me to read this one!


The Secret

The Secret was the worst book I ever read!

Amen

My most hated preachy book is undoubtedly 'Atlas shrugged' by Ayn Rand. Right in the middle portion she gives a sermon worthy of the dullest preacher on earth. I know she has a strong personal philosophy inspired by a great aversion to communism, but... If you wish to promote your belief system, do it honestly. Don't sandwich it into the middle of a book. It's just tacky.

I was really disappointed when the last Gemma Doyle book got all preachy. There was so much getting packed in to that last one and half of it was preachiness.
I also didn't enjoy the preachiness of the latter Maximum Ride novels. All they are now is global warming propaganda.

I definitely agree on the Maximum Ride books. I quit reading after The Final Warning got all global-warming centered, and I haven't bothered to read any more.

Minnie wrote: "My most hated preachy book is undoubtedly 'Atlas shrugged' by Ayn Rand. Right in the middle portion she gives a sermon worthy of the dullest preacher on earth. I know she has a strong personal phil..."

I don't think you could understand Atlas Shrugged without the sermons. The story is written to illustrate the sermons.

John wrote: "Minnie wrote: "My most hated preachy book is undoubtedly 'Atlas shrugged' by Ayn Rand. Right in the middle portion she gives a sermon worthy of the dullest preacher on earth. I know she has a stron..."

Exactly!!! And that is what I despise. The book was just a thin layer of icing over a heavy handed weighty tome best suited to propping open a recalcitrant door. It does not even have enough fictional substance to pass muster as a mediocre work.

Minnie wrote: "John wrote: "Minnie wrote: "My most hated preachy book is undoubtedly 'Atlas shrugged' by Ayn Rand. Right in the middle portion she gives a sermon worthy of the dullest preacher on earth. I know sh..."

I must have read it seven times. Unfortunately, it hasn't aged well.

John wrote: "Minnie wrote: "John wrote: "Minnie wrote: "My most hated preachy book is undoubtedly 'Atlas shrugged' by Ayn Rand. Right in the middle portion she gives a sermon worthy of the dullest preacher on e..."
Certain books you must read when you're young, exactly because you mature and they don't. I have the same feeling about 'Catcher in the Rye'. I was quite young when I read 'Atlas shrugged' but I disliked it even then. I had enjoyed 'the Fountainhead' much more but it did not keep up with my maturing either. ('MATURING' sounds beter than aging don't you think!)

I assume you're referring to the 60-page speech by John Galt. Her philosophy could have been summed up more succinctly: After me, you're first.

Mary Ann wrote: "I assume you're referring to the 60-page speech by John Galt. Her philosophy could have been summed up more succinctly: After me, you're first."

That's it precisely. I remember reading along at a satisfactory pace when I hit the Speech. That was the end of my commitment, to quote Linus, from Peanuts, I just "bleeped" over the rest

The shack was horrible! Could not even stomach finishing it. Ewww...