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I actually have a couple of books that I almost never recommend to anyone because they genuinely feel like parts of myself, and the fear of someone hating it is real—if they hate it, then they hate something that’s become part of me. It’s weird to articulate, but I have a feeling many of you understand what I mean. :)

Teri wrote: "If I don't get every single literary reference out there, it's okay. I get more than most people..."

On the subject, I have The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep on my TBR and I had no idea he was a Dickens character. But I watched the new David Copperfield film the other night and now I am prepared! I don't feel I am missing out by not reading the original though, I enjoyed the performances more than the plot.

And when I read A Christmas Carol I remember being surprised that the Muppets had so much original dialogue in their version.

I read The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep not realizing how much Dickens would be in it. I felt a little lost at the beginning, but honestly I don't feel like I now have to go read David Copperfield or other literature just to retroactively "get" it.

Ellie wrote: "Teri wrote: "If I don't get every single literary reference out there, it's okay. I get more than most people..."

On the subject, I have The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep on my TBR..."

There's no better version of A Christmas Carol than the Muppet version IMO! There's just an extra Marley :D

Teri wrote: "I just have to remember that I will never finish my "well-read" list and so I might as well read the ones I am pretty sure I'll like. It occurred to me last night that no one is ever going to quiz ..."



You make a good point. I'm 52, so maybe younger than you (I'm not sure) but I'm old enough that I'm stressed that I'll literally never get to read ALL the books I want to read. So, yeah. Maybe I should stop forcing myself. Maybe I'm just never going to read War and Peace or Anna Karenina or Madame Bovary or David Copperfield. (But I feel like I should really give Madame Bovary a try. And I've heard the audiobook for David Copperfield is great! But I hate Dickens.)

It's August now, it's been months since I picked up The Count of Monte Cristo. Maybe it's time to admit defeat - sorry, Franz, you just killed my interest in that book. (but NO NOT YET! I will not move that to my DNF shelf until Dec 31st. I still need to try it in audiobook form before I give up) Life truly is too short ...

I've read War and Peace AND Anna Karenina, and I think it was a waste of many reading hours that I could have spent reading books that I actually enjoyed. I don't know what your game is, but if you feel like that beforehand, maybe just forget about them. I go by the policy now that I only pick up books that I expect to rate 4 or 5*. Just because So many books, so little time, and because reading should be fun. We are not in highschool anymore :) But if you think you will enjoy those books and you feel you have to read them, go for it!

Nadine, I will say once you trudge past Franz, Monte Cristo does pick up. I mean it's still extremely wordy, but I was able to keep my interest much better. and by the end I actually did get through the last 300 pages or so all in one go, without taking breaks to read something else.

Nadine, I am at 72% in Monte Cristo, and I basically agree with everything Sheri said. And I am so glad that I will finally have read it.

I feel the need to loudly cheer on you Monte Cristo readers!! You can do it!!!

It's 1 I really want to read. I've started it a couple of times and liked what I read, but life gets in the way.

I've found listening to those long classics on audio works really well.

Nadine wrote: "You make a good point. I'm 52, so maybe younger than you (I'm not sure) but I'm old enough that I'm stressed that I'll literally never get to read ALL the books I want to read. So, yeah. Maybe I should stop forcing myself. Maybe I'm just never going to read War and Peace or Anna Karenina or Madame Bovary or David Copperfield. (But I feel like I should really give Madame Bovary a try. And I've heard the audiobook for David Copperfield is great! But I hate Dickens.)

It's August now, it's been months since I picked up The Count of Monte Cristo. Maybe it's time to admit defeat - sorry, Franz, you just killed my interest in that book. (but NO NOT YET! I will not move that to my DNF shelf until Dec 31st. I still need to try it in audiobook form before I give up) Life truly is too short ..."

I'm 60, and I have an incurable illness that will likely mean I won't make it to 70, so I'm on borrowed time here. But last night I went back and forth on whether I'm really giving up on "A Portrait of the Artist �" yet. I might try it in print first. I hate being a quitter. And it is ridiculous that I don't move on. But I don't want to figure out another bildungsroman to read.

I didn't know that anyone could hate Dickens. I'll not take it personally. :)

I read Monte Cristo about 25 years ago and really liked it. I don't remember it being a slog. Wonder if I read an abridged version or something?

I rounded up all the bookmarks I own, which was more than I remembered. They are now all in one place, in a mug on my bookshelf, where I hopefully will remember to use them.

Shannon wrote: "I actually have a couple of books that I almost never recommend to anyone because they genuinely feel like parts of myself, and the fear of someone hating it is real—if they hate it, then they hate something that’s become part of me. It’s weird to articulate, but I have a feeling many of you understand what I mean. :)"

The book that had the most impact on my personally was Eat, Pray, Love because I read it at a point in my life where I needed courage to make some really big changes, and this book gave me that. So it is weird for me when people say they don't like it. However, I've had conversations with some of those people explaining why it mattered so much to me, and while it doesn't change their opinion, they agree it was the perfect book for me at the perfect time.

Teri wrote: "I read Monte Cristo about 25 years ago and really liked it. I don't remember it being a slog. Wonder if I read an abridged version or something?.."


I accidentally started with an abridged version (and the abridged version was still about 500 pages, so not a short book, but ...) - no where on the e copy did it say it was abridged! (It's the version with an introduction by Tim Green, who is not Tim Green the football player - that was confusing, too.) It was pretty good. Then I realized my mistake and switched to the full length. I have wondered if that was a mistake.

Someone gave me a gift of the full-length version of Don Quiote de La Mancha, but knew I was never ever going to read that thing. I read an abridged version of it and was much happier. No regrets.

You may boo me, but most of the time I end up watching the movie of a classic book first. I commit a couple of hours of time watching a movie to figure out if the story is appealing before I try to actually read it. That's why Anna Karenina and War and Peace are on the tbr list.

Teri wrote: "I just have to remember that I will never finish my "well-read" list and so I might as well read the ones I am pretty sure I'll like. It occurred to me last night that no one is ever going to quiz ..."

About 5 years ago I started a nominating and voting process for the book club I facilitate. Any time they wish to recommend a book for consideration, I add it to the list. By year's end we typically have 20-30 books listed and everyone votes (I think we each select 5, I have to check my notes every year... lol) and then I create the year-long 12-book listing from that. (The book receiving the most votes and on down.) I do not vote until I have compiled the comprehensive listing in order of most votes and I mark who recommended each book. Then it usually works out just right for me to spread my votes out so each member has at least 2 books on the final list that they recommended. This has really helped eliminate members getting "blamed" so much when we all tended to pan a book, etc. It also makes it more fun for all of us.

Teri wrote: "But last night I went back and forth on whether I'm really giving up on "A Portrait of the Artist �" yet. I might try it in print first. I hate being a quitter. And it.."


It is a really short book I remember. Or maybe it was just short compared to everything else I was reading that semester. And definitely a more approachable Joyce. I read it in college...and liked it. Maybe you need to read some of Joyce's letters to his wife...which are a bit naughty to say the least.

Erica wrote: "You may boo me, but most of the time I end up watching the movie of a classic book first. I commit a couple of hours of time watching a movie to figure out if the story is appealing before I try to..."

That's a good idea! Although there are many classics I feel I "should" read, I don't unless I think I may enjoy them.

@Erica I would say start with one of them before committing to both.. In my opinion, they differ a lot from the movie. Anna isn't even the mail character in 'her' book? Also, I wanted a lot of drama, and a lot of the drama was skipped over, while I did got countless pages about farming.. It was really disappointing for me. Another tip: carefully pick a translation (assuming you're not reading Russian). My translation to Dutch was not as well-written as the translation that a friend of mine read, and she enjoyed the writing style way more, I really felt bleh about mine!

Theresa wrote: "Teri wrote: "But last night I went back and forth on whether I'm really giving up on "A Portrait of the Artist �" yet. I might try it in print first. I hate being a quitter. And it.."


It is a really short book I remember. Or maybe it was just short compared to everything else I was reading that semester. And definitely a more approachable Joyce. I read it in college...and liked it. Maybe you need to read some of Joyce's letters to his wife...which are a bit naughty to say the least.

..."


yes, Portrait and Dubliners were both quite approachable and fairly short (well, Dubliners is a collection of short stories, so you can take it in small bites), I read them at some point when I was a teen. I'll NEVER read Ulysses LOL!


I'm actually kind of sorry I've read some of his letters to his wife! There are some things you just can never erase from your memory!!!

@Lynn, I have moved to the same format for the book clubs I organize! It definitely helps increase buy-in and reduce blame. ;)

My book is librarian run, during all this pandemic there were a couple votes on books available on hoopla, but overall she just selects them herself. Although she does take recommendations sometimes, and takes her regular members into account. So she'll try to mix up her selections with things she thinks the various regulars might like + things she thinks will generate good discussion.

Erica wrote: "You may boo me, but most of the time I end up watching the movie of a classic book first. I commit a couple of hours of time watching a movie to figure out if the story is appealing before I try to..."

I'll do that with any book I'm unsure about which has a movie version. I read Anna K earlier this year, but haven't seen the movie yet. But I really want to when I have a chance.

Odette wrote: "@Erica I would say start with one of them before committing to both.. In my opinion, they differ a lot from the movie. Anna isn't even the mail character in 'her' book? Also, I wanted a lot of dram..."

I agree. I'm glad I read it, but it wasn't quite what I was expecting for a book about infidelity...

enjoying the classics discussion. I feel like I have to try some of the ones I haven't read - but I do give myself permission to dnf if I truly dislike them. I listened to Anna Karenina this year and enjoyed it. And just found out my hold on War and Peace is ready - 61 hours - I am a little scared!!! Been pleasantly surprised in the past by books that I wasn't sure about going in - but ending up either loving or at least appreciating. And the positive accomplishment of having read it!

Nadine wrote: "The start of my review: This book is a long, wordy, depressing slog. I imagine the appeal is the same as pressing a bruise. Oh, that hurt. Let me try it again. Yep, still hurts. It's books like this that are the reason I tend to avoid long time best sellers

And that pretty much captures exactly how I felt. But readers praise this book so hard - it's lyrical, powerful, breathtaking, amazing, etc - and they use the same words to praise Suns ... I've seen readers say that they liked Suns better, but they all seemed to like Kite Runner just fine, so I didn't trust any of them hahah!

Now I feel like I should add Suns to my TBR. But ... it's like when I stand on a high dive and look down. I just cannot make my body take that leap.."

Sorry for the late reply! Lots of migraines lately. :( Loved reading the discussion that was sparked though! :)

Ahaha, how you felt was completely relatable for me! I actually temp DNF'd The Kite Runner about 2/3rds of the way through (and I so rarely DNF), then picked it back up 8 months later and powered through it due to fomo on something amazing since I enjoyed Suns and since so many people rave about it!

When this kind of situation comes up, I try to elaborate on my thoughts/feelings a bit more. I always find that the more I hear about peoples' feelings on a certain book, the more easily I'm able to decide whether it's for me or not so this is how I remember feeling:

I'm not one who cares much whether writing is lyrical or not so I can't say I remember paying attention to that but I found in Suns, that the story pulled on my heartstrings a lot more and felt more personal for the character (the inner monologue was so much better than in TKR imo) plus the character encountered more situations instead of harping on the same thing for the whole book. Certain aspects of it were more universally relatable. I definitely cried! I don't remember it being very plot driven and I took my time reading it because I read it during a phase where I was only reading a little but I do remember things happening at least! :) I think if I were to pick it up now and try to read it at my normal pace now, I would feel as though it's a bit long and drawn out so I guess I'm glad that I read it the way that I did back then.

Shannon wrote: "I'd say if you hate Kite Runner so much, what's the point of trying one of his others? There are so many other books in the world--why waste time when you know you don't like the author's writing style? I'm genuinely curious. I've seen conversations like this pop up a lot where someone absolutely hated an author's work but keeps trying to read them and keeps hating them, and I guess I don't understand."

In my case, I'm more of a plot driven reader and less of a character driven reader (I'm not fussed about the writing itself at all and I can enjoy a great story in vastly different styles although I feel like I could go on a whole tangent about the correlation of lyrical writing and plot types) so I find that sometimes my enjoyment of books by the same author can vary so wildly because some authors write wildly different types of plots across their books. The Hunger games series and Naomi Novik's books are good examples of this for me: I really enjoyed the original Hunger games trilogy but really didn't like Ballad. I really enjoyed Temeraire but really didn't enjoy Spinning Silver... because these books are just so different plot and pacing wise!

I never pick up books with the intention of rant reviewing them or disliking them. I read A Thousand Splendid Suns first and really enjoyed it! Then picked up The Kite Runner a couple years later and really didn't! In this case, if I had have read The Kite Runner first I probably would never have picked up Suns because I likely would have just justified everyone raving about it as them having different tastes, haha!

I'm definitely guilty of trying again with an author sometimes though and I think for me personally I can suffer from FOMO when I hear something raved about pretty often by so many people. I'm always discovering new nuances of my tastes at least by not being afraid to check out new things which I am grateful for! I'm someone who for the longest time didn't necessarily gravitate to any specific genre or writing style and so I participate in popsugar & other challenges to help encourage variety in my reading and entice me to pick up some new and different things so I can properly figure out my tastes. This is my 3rd year doing challenges and I'm even now just learning new stuff about what I like and don't. xD

Stacey wrote: "Nadine wrote: "The start of my review: This book is a long, wordy, depressing slog. I imagine the appeal is the same as pressing a bruise. Oh, that hurt. Let me try it again. Yep, still hurts. It's...

I'm not one who cares much whether writing is lyrical or not so I can't say I paid attention to that but I found in Suns, that the story pulled on my heartstrings a lot more and felt more personal for the character and certain aspects of it were more universally relatable. I definitely cried! I don't remember it being very plot driven and I took my time reading it but I do remember things happening at least! :) I think if I were to pick it up now and try to read it quickly, I would feel as though it's a bit long and drawn out so I guess I'm glad that I read it the way that I did."

Hope the migraines have left for a long while!

As I read this, I was wondering if perhaps a woman wouldn't connect much more easily with Suns given the subject matter...