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guitarnan
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Another Steinbeck downer - The Red Pony. I remember reading a lot of Steinbeck in middle and high school. Sigh.
(TWO horses die. My daughter has a theory that if the word "red" is in the title of an animal book, two pets will die.  )
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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MichelleW
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I'm not sure I can say this is the worst ever, but it was so bad I couldn't get past the first few pages: "Eat, Pray, Love." It starts with her in severe emotional distress because her husband, who she admits is loving and faithful, wants to disrupt their perfect lives by having children. She utters her first prayer ever, and is overcome by what she considers to be a spiritual 'voice' that encourages her to leave her husband. Isn't this just gross?
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stacykay
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MichelleW wrote:
| I'm not sure I can say this is the worst ever, but it was so bad I couldn't get past the first few pages: "Eat, Pray, Love." It starts with her in severe emotional distress because her husband, who she admits is loving and faithful, wants to disrupt their perfect lives by having children. She utters her first prayer ever, and is overcome by what she considers to be a spiritual 'voice' that encourages her to leave her husband. Isn't this just gross? |
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It didn't get any better! I am happy, for your sake, that you quit when you did! I felt obligated to finish it for discussion with my little book group. UGH!
God Bless,
Stacy
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Pamin OZ
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Possession by A S Byatt. Actually, it was a great read but part of the way through I had to throw it out as I couldn't in all conscience keep reading because it was all based on an affair you were meant to have sympathy for. (And you could, because she is a good writer.)
I was so disappointed because I hadn't enjoyed something as much for such a long time.
So I tried another by the same author and, lo and behold, it was centred around inc*st. Aaargh.
I felt the same as others have about Jane Austen Book Club, too! Very disappointing.
I've just crossed a few books off my list- so thanks!
And I hated the Shack. Subject matter got to me as I have a blond little girl and I got sucked in because of that and then came to my senses after I'd traumatized myself.
Didn't care for the writing and though all the hoo haa was completely overblown for such an average-at-best book.
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teachingmom
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I agree with Theresa about Judy Blume's Forever. That's another book (up there with the V.C. Andrews books) that I really, really wish I had never read as an adolescent.
Stacy, I just finished Three Cups of Tea. I had read many of the Amazon reviews a long time ago and had come to the conclusion that I would not like that book. But I wanted to give it a try for the sake of cultural literacy because it's another book that so many people have read and talk about. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I really enjoyed it. It wasn't as poorly written as I had anticipated, and I really have to admire the guy for this mission he has taken on. And a bonus has been that I understand a lot more when I read about Pakistan in the news now.
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guitarnan
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LOL, I tried to read Possession and just couldn't! I heard a good interview with the author and thought it would be a great read. Oh, well.
I liked Three Cups of Tea. I empathized with the author's struggles to understand and work within the local culture. (I know something about that part of the world, not only from dh's job but also from a two-year stint working at a local airport. Many of my colleagues were from parts of the world where Americans aren't too welcome these days.)
My dd was invited to join a book club (with friends we've known a while) and their first selection was Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret (another Judy Blume) and I was so, so glad she could utter that famous phrase:
"I can't...I have dance."
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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stacykay
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teachingmom wrote:
....
Stacy, I just finished Three Cups of Tea. I had read many of the Amazon reviews a long time ago and had come to the conclusion that I would not like that book. But I wanted to give it a try for the sake of cultural literacy because it's another book that so many people have read and talk about. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I really enjoyed it. It wasn't as poorly written as I had anticipated, and I really have to admire the guy for this mission he has taken on. And a bonus has been that I understand a lot more when I read about Pakistan in the news now. |
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I got the opposite impression from the Amazon reviews . I thought we would love it! I do admire Mr. Mortenson's work. I think our take on it, the part we didn't like, was more on that it seemed too much talk of how he was so humble, over and over, to the point we just didn't see that as being humble. We did agree that he is brave!
Have you checked out his new book,Stones into Schools?
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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doris
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'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society'. I bought it after lots of keen blog posts about it. Honestly, what a load of drivel! Stereotypical characters, implausible plot lines, clunky epistolary structure, and lots and lots of Americanisms! Couldn't they have hired a British copy editor, at least?
Is this heresy?!
ETA: Not the worst read ever, but certainly a big disappointment after the positive reviews.
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teamommy
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The worst book I have read recently was Julie and Julia. Julie was foul mouthed, whiny, and ungrateful. I just wanted to shake her until she started being nice and then I wanted to wash her mouth with soap and water. I could not even finish the book, as I got tired of "hearing" the F word every time she opened her mouth. I read a review for her latest book, in which she chronicles how she cheated on her husband. They did reconcile and are still married, but I refuse to be entertained by details of some one's sordid affair!
Did anyone see the movie, and was it better than the book?
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teachingmom
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doris wrote:
| 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society'. Is this heresy?! |
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I cannot argue about the Americanisms, because I wouldn't have noticed them! But I definitely agree that a book like that ought to have a British editor along the way.
But, yes, I think you are bordering on heresy here. Just kidding!!! 
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teachingmom
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teamommy wrote:
| Did anyone see the movie, and was it better than the book? |
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I saw the movie and did not read the book. I enjoyed the movie quite a lot. I read an article about the real Julie that mentioned her affair, and I was shocked. The movie does a good job of portraying her as a positive (if somewhat whiney) character with a good marriage overall.
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teachingmom
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stacykay wrote:
| I got the opposite impression from the Amazon reviews . |
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I can understand why you would be confused by what I wrote, Stacy! The vast majority of the Amazon reviews were completely positive. But the ones that were negative resonated with me and I had assumed that I would end up agreeing with those folks. So I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy the book as much as I did. Not sure if that makes any sense.
Not yet. Actually I'm not sure that I'd be interested in another entire book on the subject, but I might check it out at some point.
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Anneof 5
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The Bell Jar as a high school junior for "religion" class. Very depressing. I know I was not emotionally mature enough at that age to handle it. It left me feeling very depressed back then with "Sister Mark", the teacher, not offering much in the line of discussion or support concerning the story.
Anne
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donnalynn
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Very interesting thread!
The books I regret reading mostly are from my teens - I had no oversight whatsoever - I'm with those who said
anything by V.C. Andrews
"Forever" by Judy Blume
and I'll add
"Go Ask Alice" - what a horrible, horrible book.
More recently -
I did like the books I've read from the "Outlander" series - I do not like how graphic they are but I really like the characters of Jamie and Claire. My dh has read all these books several times. He likes the character of Roger. And it's nice to read a book in common with dh - he mostly reads sci fi type stuff that I don't like.
I also liked the "The Time Travler's Wife" - I guess I am fascinated by the whole concept of time travel (The Outlander series has time travel too). And this is another one that dh read.
And I tried to read the "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" - but after reading "84, Charing Cross Rd" that I just loved - I could not get into the other one. Not sure why.
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aforb001
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Donna, I too liked The Time Traveler's Wife and am also fascinated by the whole time travel concept.
The worst book I read recently was Practicing Catholic by James Carroll. He is an ex-priest and the book gives his reasons for leaving the priesthood but continuing to practice his faith. I had to skim read it because he basically had liberal views that were the reasons for his leaving the priesthood.
Adele, who loves to read and loves any thread about books!
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Booksnbabes
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People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks.  Just kept hoping it would get better, but it was quite the opposite. And definitely anti-Catholic. Bad enough that I do not want to read anything else by this author.
Lord of the Flies.
Catcher in the Rye.
Anything by VC Andrews.
Anything by Stephen King.
Clan of the Cave Bear (and others in the series). The first was on the shelves at home, and I actually checked the others out of the library as a pre-teen/teen.  Still wonder what the librarians must have thought. 
Wicked. Loved the musical, was shocked by the book and the difference between the two! Actually threw this book away as I didn't want anyone else getting their hands on it. Still disturbed by this one.
The Jungle.
The Pearl.
Of Mice and Men.
Several modern American short stories I had to read in college, of which I've thankfully forgotten the names.
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kristinannie
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In my freshman year of college, I took a class called The Novel. I ended up having to read Lolita and Death in Venice. Both books are about child molestation. In fact, in Lolita, the author acts like she wants it. It is disgusting.
The worst book I have ever read in my entire life was James Joyce's Ulysses. This is what I had to do my senior thesis on and it was a ridiculous book. The last chapter was 50 pages and didn't have puncutation. The main character spent most of the time masterb*ting. I have never been so thoroughly disgusted in my life.
As an English Lit major, I was subjected to some awful reading. I honestly don't even see how it qualifies as "literature." And then I wondered why I went off the rails spiritually....how can you not when you are not only forced to read that trash, but write papers and really reflect on it?
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Booksnbabes
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kristinannie wrote:
| As an English Lit major, I was subjected to some awful reading. I honestly don't even see how it qualifies as "literature." |
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Commiserating as a fellow English major. We had to read so many things that were a waste of paper and time!
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4Real Forums : Book Club
Topic: Worst read, ever
