Category: book Nook
I have a few of these. Emma by Jane Austin, The Federalist Papers, The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, Lbj and the American Dream, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradburry, Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, etc etc.
Erm ... well this wasn't exactly for school, but I had to read The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury for a book report and I didn't like it. Also Every Man For Himself, which was about the Titanic. But I picked these books, thinking they woudl be good, and they were also recommended to me by teachers or adult friends, and I didn't like them. Lol...
The book that was almost murder was Catcher In The Rie. We had to read that awful book for English class. I can not believe she had us read that. She is usually good at picking really good books, but I suppose they can't be all pleasant reading.
I've heard Lord of the Flies is bad, haven't had to read it yet. Caitlin
Had to read both Catcher and Flies last year. I didn't like Catcher all that much at first, but as I read more I found myself relating to Holden more. Still think he's crazy though. And Flies is good, but really morbid and depressing.
Ooh I like depressing books. Heh. So I'll probably like it. And I've actually heard some good things about Rye. Caitlin
Mine are:
Well, I can't think of any. I don't read anything that I don't like
Oh yeah! I hated The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, because the language and reading it in braille made it very hard to read.
I haven't read Huck Finn, but I've either heard it's wonderful or horrible, nothing in between. So I'll let you guys know what I think once I've read it. Lol! Caitlin
There is a lot of slang in it. So, read it on cassett. It's better that way.
Which one are you speaking of, I_C? Huck?
Caitlin
In high school most of the books/pieces my english teachers chose were actually pretty decent. There were however a couple that sucked. 2 in particular stand out but I can't remember the titles as this was years ago lol.
I had to read Lord of the Flies in junior High, and I thought it was pretty interesting even though I didn't really get the point of it. *smiles* But
I'd have to say my worst book to read was Beowulf. I had to read that one in 11th grade, and it made no sense to me and still doesn't. I had to write a paper on it,
but I didn't even get that far on it because I just couldn't stand reading it; it was so boring! *smiles*
Leilani
Well, I can name three assigned books that I just couldn't get into. There was "The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway. There was "The Red Pony" by John Steinbeck. And for an applied psychology class I had to read "Waiting for Godot" which was a play written by Samuel Beckett. Now I think that play was supposed to be all avantgard and experimental and all, but I just totally thought it was nonsense. Caitlin, shame you didn't care for "The Martian Chronicles," but perhaps you're not a science fiction fan. I've always been a big fan of Bradbury. As for Lord of the Flies, never read it in school and just read it recently. It wasn't horrible at all. I did read "Catcher in the Rye" and I think I understand the point of hte book but can't really put it into words.
Lord of the Flies is great. I almost got mad when I read it, I was so in love with Jack... lol!!! I like catcher in the rye too, Holden was funny and sweet, and I could relate to him very much!!!! Yes, Bewoulf is shit, we read it for English class but I could barely understand some words cuz of the ancient language...
Agree about Beowulf and Red pony. There was no point to The Red Pony and it was really depressing. And Beowulf, as almost everyone has said, was pretty understand or get into.
I'm with Labyrinth with the "Old Man and the Sea". I loved Beowulf, actually... and I hated Macbeth... loved Hamlet. Go figure
I loved Lord Of The Flies and Huck Finn. I think one of the worst books I had to read in high school was Ethan Fromme by Edith Wharton and another bad one was The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers. Read Beuwolf after high school and most of it went over my head, lol.
lord of the flies. animal farm. daniels story (that was just too sad for me) also anne frank. that was too sad for me too. and also it was kinda weird. -Heather
Labyrinth, what was 'The Red Pony' about? I'm a huge Steinbeck fan, but have not read that one yet. Actually, I should qualify that statement: I think *some* of Steinbeck's books rank among the best books ever written (namely, of course, 'The Grapes of Wrath'), but others, such as 'Cannery Row' and that whole set I just couldn't get into.
Oh, and what didn't you get about 'The Old Man and the Sea'? It's an metaphor for life. As for 'Waiting for Godot'... I remember thinking that it was nonsensical too, but I think that is exactly the point :-). It's about despair and absurdity, but I'm sure you knew that already .
Oh God Ethan Fromme. Had to read that in sophemore year in the dead of winter and it was really depressing. The movie's even worse.
Hehhe as for Ann Frank, I didn't know what to think of it 'cuz it started out being good, but then it got all lovey-dovey and that was like all it was about, and i didn't really like that.
Caitlin
I had to read the old man and the sea.I didn't finish it. but I must say that if all hemingway's books are as bad as that one I wonder that he was ever published.
I hated In Our Time!
The View from Saturday, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nym.
Hmm, never read those.
Anything by Goethe. Way too much lecturing. And believe me, it takes a lot to make me put down any book!
The worst book? "Berthold Brecht", a German author, with a drama, in very old language and a stupid contense.
hmm, i think the worst book I ever had to read for English was A Clockwork Orange. Just made me feel sick.
hmmm, hated Lord of the Flies, To Kill A mocking Bird and People might hear you. They were all so boring and to me, unrealistic.
I just finished drama at high school certificate levil and I studied absurdist theatre and loved it. Waiting For Godot rocked and so did Bald Primma donna and also anything by Edward Albee.
I studied Brecht in year 11 and he was awsome too. His experamental nature and beliefs were what bore the first performance art into the light.
I don't understand why so many people didn't like Lord of The Flies. I enjoyed that one a great deal. Although I enjoy some violent things so maybe that's why. Also loved Ethan Frome. Now I'll get on topic. I hated Johnny Tremain with a passion. The problem was not only did the book stink, in my oppinion, but we had to do this huge packet on every chapter. It asked all these horibley hard questions about symbolism and things like that. I always got the hard english teacher. In every grade we had a hard one and one who just watched the movies. I always got the harder one but I learned a lot so it was good. Oh BTW I also enjoyed the Pig Man.
And Loui, I loved To Kill a Mockingbird!
aaah in no particular order, the ones that stand out is the China Coin (didn't get that at all) and Gracy! ah yes and The Longest Memory and the Blooding, and Macbeth (couldn't understand that at all :) Lol and think that's about all. there were only a few that I did like (go figure :)
I loved Jony Tremain wich she'd doen a sequal.
I'm not sure there has really been a worse book in school. They were all pretty good, actually. It's a shame you couldn't get into fahrenheit, though. I admit it's hard reading at the beginning, but I absolutely loved it. Anyway, I know people are going to disagree with me on this one, but the book I liked least was to kill a mockingbird. It wasn't bad, exactly, just I'd been hearing how good it was and wonderful, I just, well I don't know. The message is meaningful, and touching, but I guess that's just not my type of book.
Isn't it funny how we all respond to things? I love love love Mockingbird, so much, and Beowulf too, though that one I love more as an influence and a reference, a source of wonderful themes and quotes, I'd never settle down with it for comfort reading.
Anyway, my only truly hated book in highschool was A Fringe of Leaves by Patrick White. He's touted as the greatest Australian writer of the 20th century, and I'm sorry, but he's complete crap! It all drags so much, with the same droll, unoriginal themes dragged out over and over again, the most pompous writing style, no beauty in the language, no spark to the characters, nothing engageing at all in plot or dialogue or content or meaning, and crytics everywhere love him! Do you ever think we assume that if a book's dense and gritty and hard to read, then it must be good? Argh!
I also didn't really get into Macbeth at the time, but I love it lots now.
I had to read Romeo and Juliet in English Literature class for school. It's really boring and really gloomy and sad.
Three books come to mind though I can only remember two of the titles.
The worst was "Lord of the Flies"
It was too violent and I never completely understood the point behind it.
Another book we had to read was "Tortilla Flat" by John Steinbeck.
(The title refers to a region in CA and not the food.)
It was more interesting to read then lord of the flies, but how it ended was depressing and it ruined it completely for me.
Most of the ones mentioned above are some of my favorites, guess it goes to show how different we all are. My all time worst favorite was "Metamorphisis" by Franz Kafka, about this guy who woke up one day to find he'd been turned into a roach (the bug), and how he and his family adapted to it. Come to think of it, I don't like many of Kafka's writings.
Bob
hmm.... well....
Lord of the flies, and animal farm were perhaps the worst books I've ever read, oh, let's not forget most of William shake spear's plays.
Just couldn't get in to them.
However, am a huge Edgar allan Poe fan, enjoyed the Raven, and the Kask of Montalado.
Hi. I loved Mockingbird, Catcher in the Rye, Huck Finn, Anne Frank, Fahrenheit, and most of the books mentioned. The worst two were Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky, sorry about the spelling and The Scarlet Letter by Hawthorne. I loved Shakespear. Oh. And A Tale of Two Cities was bad too until the end.
Leena
I like reading, but I heted mice and men. that isn't a good book. I is boreing.
For High school English I read Macbeth. I hated it. I had to read it in college as well. Then for English also at college mice and men. That was okay but I never reily got round to righting a report on it as I should have done. It was a bit hard to keep up with the book.
So many great classic novels being trashed here, I'm pretty surprised...
Anyways, the worst book I had to read was "My Antonia" by Willa Cather.
The absolute worst book I had to read in school was Kon-Tiki my freshman year of high school. It was so bad that I literally fell asleep reading it! One moment, I was lying on my stomach on the floor of my room where the light was best reading it and the next thing I know, I'm drooling on my arms and there's a paperback in my face, urgh.
Hey, I go to sleep all the time reading. But, I'm usually listening, and the book goes on so when I wake up I never know where I left off.
I like the druel part of your description; it gives your description flavor <yuck>.
I hated Johnny Tremain and the Red Badge of Courage. On the other side, three books I LOVED that we read for school are: To Kill a Mockingbird, Gone with the Wind, and The Good Earth.
I hated The Old Man and the Sea. We had to read the book and watch the movie. I understand the symbolism and stuff, but it's still very dull and worth reading right before bed. lol
I absolutely loved Fahrenheit. Hated Huck Finn, and Mocking Bird.
Now that I think of it, I hated Siless Marner but that was in the eighth grade and I hated the eighth grade. So, maybe the book's okay.
Bob
This topic thoroughly depresses me. I love nearly every book mentioned.
Mockingbird, Lord of the Flies, Gatsby, Metamorphosis, Ethan Frome, Macbeth, Beowulf, Catcher in the Rye, Old Man and the Sea, Anne Frank, Huck Finn, Fahrenheit 451, The Scarlet Letter ... great books, all of 'em.
I'm not really sure I can name a required book I disliked. I hate Caesar with a passion, and Romeo and Juliet really isn't my cup of coffee, but otherwise, everything we read was pretty much fantastic. I have, however, read Pride and Prejudice, and I will agree that it is absolutely horrible. Everything I've read by Jane Austen has been pretty much the same, although Emma was okay.
The goodearth was an ok book at first but I didn't like the way it ended.
I read land rememberd, lord of the flies, jane air, and the things they carried.
Anyone have to read I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings? I just read it for fun. interesting
The Scarlet Letter. Hands down. I think it was because I was forced to read it twice, though, once in junior year and then again in senior year for AP English. I was so disappointed about reading it in AP, as the rest of the books we read that year were amazing (A Fine Balance, The Poisonwood Bible, The Rule of the Bone, Their Eyes were Watching God, Othello, The Fountainhead).
Poisonwood Bible and Their Eyes Were Watching God are ahhh-mazing.
My least favorite book I read when I was at school was Stone Cold. I think that was because I didn't really like the language in it, but I was off ill for a while at the time, so somehow I missed out on having to read it out loud anyway. I didn't mind.
frankenstein...absolutely hated it! also hamlet by shakespeare, although I don't hate it as much as Frankenstein, lol.
The worst books I had to read has got to be Lord of the Flies and Heart of Darkness.
started to read Frankenstein for fun, but didn't get the chance to finish it
Lord Of The Flies was the most boring book I had to read. I borrowed it because I wanted to see what it was about and got bored of it by the start of chapter 4, so I sent it back. The only trouble was, I had to read it again a couple of months later for our English lessons. I couldn't get into the story properly anyway, because the teacher kept jumping around all over the place, so we didn't read the whole book.
Well, most of the books mentioned in this topic are books that I have really loved and that have made my life worth living. However, the book I had to read in college that almost destroyed my love of reading was Moby Dick. We spent months going through that thing and talking about all this alleged symbolism that it's supposed to contain, which probably would have been news to Melville. Maybe I would have had a different experience if I had read it on my own; I don't know. I can only say that the experience was so distasteful that it was some time before I could read for enjoyment again.
I can't end this without stating that Golding's Lord of the Flies is one of my favorite books of all time. Leena, I can understand that Crime and Punishment isn't everyone's sort of thing, but it's one of my favorites, and Dostoyevsky (Sometimes spelled Dostoevsky) is my very favorite author. I love most Russian literature, anyway.
Bob, I can certainly understand why you might not like Kafka's writings. When I was young, I couldn't connect with Kafka at all. The older I get, however, the more I realize how Kafkaesque so much of real life is.
reclusive thinker, you are probably right about Kafka. I think he and I got off to a bad start. When I was a freshman in college we had to read his story "a country doctor" and I just wasn't ready for that type of literature. The idea of the doctor's horse sticking his head through the window and talking to the doctor just threw me for a loop.
However, I loved Crime and Punishment.
I think quite often what you think of an author and a book depend on your circumstances at the time.
When I read crime and punishment I was a student, and was very depressed. I really identified with the main character so much that I can't re-read it today without going back to those times in my mind.
oh, I forget the topic "worst books" not "best books". Sorry.
Any alternate history books. Can't stand them.
Bob
Anyone ever had to read The Odesey by Homer? Ugh, gag me!
Our english teachers were madly in love with f...ing Shakespeare. We had to read three of his bloody plays, out loud as well. The Merchant Of Venice, Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's dream. God, I got so, so close to slitting my own throat after Romeo and Juliet. I swear I'll never read Merchant Of Venice or Romeo and Juliet again. Those two're absolutely my least, favourite and most depressing of all the great novels and plays ever written.
I remember having to read A Mid-summer Night's Dream, and Romeo and Juliet aloud. God, were there some monotone readers in my class. lol
It is interesting, what we all like and dislike. I loved the Odyssey. That was a fun book, but I've always been into Greek mythology, and Athena has always been my favorite goddess. One of the reasons I liked the Odyssey was because she was so prevalent in it.
OK, so my all-time worst books are:
Scarlet Letter
Red Badge of Courage
of Mice and Men,
Grapes of Wrath
Metamorphosis
Animal Farm
We also read this really short story called the Lottery that I dind't like too well.
I think one difference that hasn't really been talked about is the difference between a depressing book, and a good one. Like Ethan Frome was very depressing, but I didn't mind it. Anne Frank I can't really criticize, because that wasn't fiction, that was her own thoughts and feeligngs during a time I can't even imagine having lived in. I know there was more I meant to write here, but gotta leave the computer, so I'll be back later.
To Caitlin's earliest post (number two) I read the Martian Chronicles. There were a few stories in there I didn't particularly care for, but I generally liked it. My favorite in that book was "There Shall Come Soft Rain" I liked that one.
Yeah. Back on topic--the worst book I think I've ever had to read for school was Tom Sawyer. I just didn't like reading it very much. He.
I've honestly had to read some pretty awful books in my time. I think some of the worst were A Separate Peace, The French Lutenent's Woman, that one was really ad I have no problem with sensuality that however was rediculous, and A Farewell to Arms. Christine
I just read "hamlet" it was thw worst thing I have read in a while
oops, mest up in that last post
The canterbery tales, some of shakespere's stuff--confusing, um, let's see what else from British lit...oh...baywolf. I think that's all we red. My class really didn't do anything.
Awww, you guys make me sad sad sad.
Tom Sawyer is awesome, as is Hamlet. And A Midsummer Night's Dream. Those are two of the very few Shakespeare plays I can tolerate.
Frankenstein is horrible, though. We managed to get out of reading that one in English--we read Jane Eyre instead.
well, for Hamlet, it was my personal oppion... I have nothing agenst it at all, it was so long though
I didn't like reading Cyrano Debergerac. That play was horrible.
Most of the books i read for school were pretty good, the only books that i didn't like were math and science books. Those books with equation's instructions that can drive you crazy. Oh, i hate those, but most of the fiction i read were interesting.
Well, of course the textbooks are stupid. I meant the stories for English classes that bored the daylights out of you. already given my views on this subject
The worst book I had to read in school was probably Johnny Tremain. I just found it super boring. Maybe it was because with each book we read, we had to do packets that asked us rediculous questions. We had to find symbolism and stuff so ontop of reading the book, which i found boring, the packets were horible. I loved Lord of the Flies though and Shakespeare was fine.
Oh, amen to whoever said Ethan Fromme. Egh. Anything Heminway and Steinbeck was just awful too. I never read them, just sparknotes and synopses. That's the way to go...
Yeah, I read Lord Of The Flies because my friends pushed it on me, and I supposed I read it to argue with them, but I couldn’t even read half of it (shutters) looks like I have to read it next year though.
I love Shakespearean English, and I can respect him for being the “Father Of English,” but I also found Romeo And Juliet pointless, but if they didn’t kill themselves, it might be less so. I had to also read his Sonnetts, and they aren’t my favorite either. Oh, I read Taming Of The Shrew for Extra Credit, and lets just say, I didn’t get the extra credit, nor did I finish.
Animal Farm was horrible. It went by so fast and it wasn’t that descriptive, I was lost.
The Kask of Amontalado was a bit, ruthless and pointless, I didn’t enjoy that short story, and I also hated Poe’s Red Death, bah, talk about unrealistic.
(shutters) Ugh, no! I hate The Good Earth. I live in an Asian family, and it is like what people go through in the Good Earth with all this Chinese culture, it’s not even pleasant. I hate Confucius for the most part.
Yeah, Jane Eyre had a little too much religious talk. I hated the part with Lowood. Ug, and I have to discuss it tomorrow. Great…!
Ug, the odyssey? Yeah, I hated it, and no matter what version it is, I will. It’s so unrealistic and so strange it’s hard to see. I liked the nobody joke though.
Fahrenheit451 was bad, I didn’t think it realistic. Couldn’t he have at least come up with a more realistic name than “Firemen?”
Jacob Have I Loved was just long and dry.
Where The Red Fern Grows, Ug, long and too much of an Animal and nature book.
Things Fall Apart Crude and uncalled for, Ug, no, I hated it.
The Pearl, Just was boring, and the conversations were dull.
Giver, was so unrealistic, and boring that I have to oppose.
Great Expectations was just plain nonsense. Gentleman and rich people aren’t bad, and the desire of being rich isn’t bad either. Actually it’s good to be rich. I know a decently rich person or at least I think so, and no, on the contrary, he doesn’t itch to buy things or want your money badly. He was actually trying to get this free class started and adviced me to wait as I wanted to take his class. So, no, not every rich person acts like Estella, pip, or Ms. Havishams.
To Kill A Mockingbird, that was all right. Not my favorite, but has no business in my worse list either. Anne frank I liked. I liked Tom Sawyer too, but that wasn’t my favorite either.
Go Ayn Rand and Fountainhead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love howard roark! And Gail wynan! Haha, love how he kicked Toohey out, he totally deserved it!
I heard someone mention A Tale of Two Cities. I cringe now in my seat as I think about that book. I heard that in the time that that book was written, authors were payed for their books by the word, and it was clear to me that the writer of that particular gem was going for enough money to win the fucking lottery. I could never get into it, there was way too much elabouration, I could hardly understand the writing at certain points. it was just, bad. Now maybe now, about a year later, I would understand it, but at the time, it was boring as hell.
Post 1, you didn't like the hatchet? I loved that book, and the river. Not a fan too much of shakespeere romeo and juliet was ok, but not my favorite, Hamlet I kin of liked, but that might have been because our teacher gave us two choices, we could either have the old english ones, or we had the one where in the margins of the book, it explained and put it into modern day english. Bewulf I liked, as well as the lotery and some of Poe's writings. I also liked the scarlet letter, bit slow at the beginning, and my English teahcer knew the whole movie that we watched by heart and he would just start saying the lines with the people in the movie, which made it funny. I really haven't had any ooks that I really did not like.
I liked the Hatchet, but here's the weird thing about it. I hated that book when I was being forced to read it in school, but then once I sat down and read it on my own, I liked it.
Anything by Shakespear. I thought The Great Gtsby was totally dumb and pointless. The other book I hated was Lord Of The Flies. Uck.