Ten Books I Would Not Recommend to Anyone
By APOOO • Sep 18th, 2008 • Category: Thinking Out Loud •
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The list below appeared on Times Online yesterday under the heading of 10 Books Not To Read Before You Die. In the politically correct world we live in today, as well as the fact that many readers do not want to appear to be less read than the next person, it is actually quite refreshing to find a list that takes a number of recommended reads to task. I do not know about you, but I remember hating War and Peace by Tolstoy and I ain’t ashamed to say that Cliff Notes were my best friend for that book and a number of other required school reads. Unlike some of you, I did not have good teacher’s for American or English Lit…who could bring good stories to life. They were as dry and boring as some of the courses they attempted to teach.
Now, on the other hand, when I got to college and my first African-American Literature course, it was on. I was hot and poppin…even the most challenging book was welcomed because my Professor was just that good. Sister Prof so enjoyed what she was teaching that her spirit was infectious. If you did not understand something or see it the way she did, you voiced your point-of-view and did not feel compelled to back down because she was the Prof. There were any number of reasons that I enjoyed African-American Literature during college. Maybe it was because I was required to think rather than regurgitate stories or maybe it was because I was reading about folks that looked like me and I could identify with them and their plight. Oh maybe it was because I was more mature–yeah a whole TWO years–that was the ticket…hehe.
Too often books that are heralded as classics, are added to class syllabuses without much thought by teachers/professors. So students bear the brunt of reading books that are not necessarily great and maybe overrated because of a few folks opinions. Provided below is the list of books that made Wilson, TimeOnline’s reporter list. Looking at this list made me pause and think what books would make my list. I highlighted the ones on Wilson’s list where I share the same sentiments. I am still thinking and will be back shortly with a few more. In the meantime, feel free to peruse Wilson’s list. To view the original article, CLICK HERE.
Books are listed in numerical order, with the worst book shown as number 10.
- Ulysses by James Joyce
- Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolken
- For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
- À la Recherche du Temps Perdu – Marcel Proust
- The Dice Man – Luke Reinhart
- Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas – Hunter S Thompson
- The Beauty Myth – Naomi Wolff
- War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy
- The Iliad — Homer
- Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
From Richard Wilson in Times Online (Taken From Can’t Be Arsed: 101 Things Not to Do Before You Die by Richard Wilson (Portico Books, £9.99). Illustrations © Jack Noel.)
Okay, I cannot believe that my beloved Pride and Prejudice is his least favorite book…lol. Oh well, that’s the beauty of lists, we all can all express our opinions.
DISCUSSION QUESTION
So, APOOO wants to know, which books from Wilson’s list made your list?
What other books would add to the list?
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APOOO is a book club and an online author and reader community dedicated to advancing African American literature. Our mission is to expose readers of all ages to a good book in any genre; to support African American authors, books, literary events and bookclubs; to provide marketing resources, tools and tips to authors; and, to promote literacy within the African American community.
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I have never before had to read any of those listed above. However, I do have a few that I have read recently that make the grade. But since these authors are still alive and kicking and probably check your blog on the regular, I don’t want to offend anyone, but my review of their books tells it like it is.
Jennifer C.’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen #7- Sweets I like to Eat
I have read 6 of the 10 – ( I majored in Literature)
Ulysses by James Joyce
Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolken
For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy
The Iliad — Homer
Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
Never finished War and Peace and for the most, I enjoyed them.
Cilla, does the fact that I like Lord of the Rings movies count.
Lord of the Rings…. Blasphemy!!!!
Julia…why is it blasphemy?
I loved the Illiad. Some of the others I started but never got into. Maybe one day. Ha ha.
Dera’s last blog post..I’ve Been Called Out
I love Lord of the Rings! How in the world did it make it on a “do not read” list????????
Nooooooooo! Not “Pride and Prejudice.” I love me some Jane Austen so I definitely disagree. I have some books (plenty) that I would not recommend to anyone. You know the ones. The ones with a non existent plot, characters that have no development, events that only could happen on the tv show McGyver, multiple subplots that have nothing to do with nothing, switching between first and third person narrative, no editing…I could go on and on. I’m not gonna put anyone on blast over here. Like Jennifer said, I let my review say it.
I only read two of those books and I loved both of them- The Iliad and Pride and Prejudice. But let me be real, I would not read the Iliad again though. LOL
Lisa, see you wouldn’t even recommend them to anyone else…but hmmm I’m still filling Jane Austen.
Wanda, lol…thanks for keeping it real.
What the Hell??? Most of the books on this list I had no freaking choice but to read because they were required reading in my junior and senior years in High School and this was an urban school with Black and White English Literature teachers!
Ulysses by James Joyce
For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy
The Iliad — Homer
Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
And had to write term papers for them…
would I do it again…probably not!
LET ME SAY THAT AS REQUIRED READING IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL IN NEW YORK STATE, ALL BUT ONE WAS REQUIRED READING. THE WAY THE TEACHERS APPROACHED THESE BOOKS WAS VERY INTERESTING AND DEFINATELY THOUGHT PROVOKING FOR THE STUDENT PLANNING ON BECOMING AN ENGLISH MAJOR,
TEACHER OR EVEN GO INTO LAW! I FELT THE BOOKS HAD MERIT AND HELPED TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS MY APPRECIATION OF ALL GENRES AND AUTHORS OF VARIOUS BACKGROUNDS IN ADDITION TO AFRICAN AMERICAN
AUTHORS! NOTHING CAN BE LOSS OR HARM DONE BY READING ANYONE OF THESE BOOKS ONLY GAINED
AND EXPANDED!
The Iliad is the only one I can say I read.