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What's the worst book you've ever read
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le coeur
 08 Jun 2009, 21:35 #60763 Reply To Post
I thought it would make an interesting topic for members to list the WORST book they've ever read. I am prompted to do this as I currently own the worst ever book in the whole history of publishing. Map Of Bones, by James Rollins. Allegedly a best selling author pubbed by Orion.
I have been an avid reader for over 30 years and this piece of trash is driving me senseless, but I will finish it, if it kills me-I have NEVER not finished a book in my life.

For the sake of fairness in listing please do not list any ywo'ers as that would just be taking the petrol.

fudgefase
 08 Jun 2009, 21:55 #60765 Reply To Post
We gave up Ivanhoe as a collective decision in second year. I think we were about 20 pages in and finally an old guy appeared, collecting wood, in the extensively described forest. The teacher let us decide as a class.
I may be doing WS a disservice here, but crikey, it had a knight on a horse on the front - how about some action!
Happy Christmas poppets!
sulcus
 08 Jun 2009, 22:02 #60766 Reply To Post
Two political novels vie for worst:

"The Good Terrorist" by highly acclaimed Doris Lessing was trite, cliched and caricature and made me fling the book across the room and actually throw it in the bin, which I have never done before or since.

"Demo" by Alison Miller purported to be about political opposition to the Iraq War, but was in fact about a Trustafarian couple who were odious in their spoiled rottenness. Dreck.
MLT
 08 Jun 2009, 22:34 #60769 Reply To Post
When I was in my teens ( a long time ago, I admit) I was an avid reader of John Buchan's novels. Recently, for reasons which are irrelevant, I re-read one or two of them. I was very disappointed to discover how shallow, anti-semitic and stereotypical they were. Maybe it was because of the period when they were written, but I am not surprised that they have not stood the test of time.

I also found Mrs Dalloway extremely tedious.
le coeur
 08 Jun 2009, 23:33 #60775 Reply To Post
Quote: MLT, Monday, 8 Jun 2009 22:34
When I was in my teens ( a long time ago, I admit) I was an avid reader of John Buchan's novels. Recently, for reasons which are irrelevant, I re-read one or two of them. I was very disappointed to discover how shallow, anti-semitic and stereotypical they were. Maybe it was because of the period when they were written, but I am not surprised that they have not stood the test of time.

I also found Mrs Dalloway extremely tedious.


Re buchan:
Are you sure it is not you who has moved on? there are many authors good and bad who were very much of their time.
Ais
 09 Jun 2009, 05:25 #60781 Reply To Post
There have been a few alright in the past, picked up and attempted, then discarded for various reasons - I can't name them now though.

After a short while I got good at buying books that were all pretty good until recently, when I decided to give a new SF author a go. Keeping It Real was terrible, clichéd and shallow. I got no further than nineteen pages into it before flinging the damn thing away in frustration.
Work as if you live in the early days of a better nation - Alasdair Gray
sulcus
 09 Jun 2009, 07:15 #60783 Reply To Post
Quote: Ais, Tuesday, 9 Jun 2009 05:25
There have been a few alright in the past, picked up and attempted, then discarded for various reasons - I can't name them now though.

After a short while I got good at buying books that were all pretty good until recently, when I decided to give a new SF author a go. Keeping It Real was terrible, clichéd and shallow. I got no further than nineteen pages into it before flinging the damn thing away in frustration.


Didn't it's modish title tip you off that it was likely to stink ?
Tommi
 09 Jun 2009, 08:32 #60788 Reply To Post
Graham Swift's "Tomorrow". Middle-class, whingeing bourgeois rubbish. It may be, as allegedly claimed, a highly believable voice, but if that's the worst of someone's worries they need to get a life. IMHO
Steevang
 09 Jun 2009, 09:49 #60801 Reply To Post
Shantaram, by Gregory David Roberts is some of the worst, self -agrandising piffle I have ever read.

Ulysses, by Jame Joyce - lets all be honest about it, it is simply baffling, poorly punctuated, badly edited and fantastically dull. I only completed it so that I did not have to lie to people anymore when saying i had read it all.

The frog and the scorpion is NOW available to buy at www.amazon.co.uk,WH Smiths and Waterstones or visit my website and blog www.steevanglover.com




sulcus
 09 Jun 2009, 09:50 #60803 Reply To Post
Quote: Tommi, Tuesday, 9 Jun 2009 08:32
Graham Swift's "Tomorrow". Middle-class, whingeing bourgeois rubbish. It may be, as allegedly claimed, a highly believable voice, but if that's the worst of someone's worries they need to get a life. IMHO


I haven't read Swift for the reasons you state, but you can add that other cream of contemporary Brit Lit, Martin Amis and Julian Barnes under much the same criticism. Bourgeoise slumming it. I have had the misfortune to read both of these scribblers. Back of fag packet/ beer coaster while doing their 'research' in spit and sawdust pubs, before decanting themselves to a bijou little wine bar in Hampstead.

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