The worst book you've ever read or had to have read

I whole-heartedly agree. Especially with the end of Huckleberry Finn.

 

Any books by Margaret Atwood
I know she is a Canadian Author and I am supposed to be awed by her but she is so boring and long winded.
Alice Munro is another.
The books are just weird.
One entire chapter in one book talked totally about her monthly period.
Now I am a grandmother and had 2 children so I really don't find the topic at all interesting.
But to go on for pages about it is just disgusting.

 

My mum has started to read Huckleberry finn and she is struggling because of the way its written. She is thinking of giving up.

 

That was my favourite book when I was about 14, and I still dip into it from time to time.

My favourite book for years has been Kingsley Amis' 'Lucky Jim'. It still makes me laugh every time I open it. My worst was 'Silas Marner', the only school book I was unable to finish--oh yes, and anything by Conrad.

 

Yes, but at least Ulysses gets seduced by a literal sex-goddess (Calypso)! None of that sort of thing for Frodo!

 

Worst book? Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. He breaks two of the golden rules simultaneously -- he consisently tells rather than shows, and he reveals his research. Page after page of dimensions, densities, masses, water displacements, power calculations, latitudes and longitudes, all covering up for the lack of a story. Even the incidents that occur progress neither plot nor character. What's the point? Why is this remembered?

 

While I don't mean to offend anyone since this is a popular book series, but definitely the Twilight Saga. There are so many things wrong with this series... Plot is thin and lacking, characters personalities are non-existent, and it sends a horrible message to the readers. Things such as pedophilia, abusive relationships, suicide, and stalking are glorified in these books... And for some reason I just cannot fathom, people absolutely love these books.

Though I do have Twilight to thank for making me a better writer... not only does it show a clear example of what is a badly written book, but it opened my eyes more to writing. I probably wouldn't be as good a writer today if I didn't start noticing all the flaws in Twilight, it helped me notice become aware of important writing things quickly.

 

Recently, the worst I've read is Lisey's Story by King. Extremely boring, teeming with forced diction, and his hammering repetition of several certain words ("piebald" and "smucking" come to mind) drove me crazy. Terrible, terrible novel.

Also, The Plague by Camus. The Stranger was pretty good, this book was unbearably dull.

 

Just to point out, the pedophilia part is a very weak thing to complain about. Mostly because Bella is 17, close to being 18 and a legal adult. Not to mention they never have sex until she is a legal adult.

 

Personally, I didn't like Twilight because I didn't like the writing. I can see where, arguably, it promoted some bad behavior, but mostly I didn't like the writing.

I didn't like Outlander by Diane Gabaldon because it promoted spousal abuse. The "hero" beats up his wife, the "heroine," and it's viewed as perfectly okay. The author defends this by saying, it's the time period the character lived in. The problems with that are (1) then you don't have to make the character a hero and (2) the author is implying that every man in that time period beat his wife. I don't think such a time period ever existed, so that's a poor defense. Her character could have gone against the common behavior time period--it would have meant her character is unique, and frankly, more heroic.

 

Not to mention that in many countries -- here in the UK for instance -- 17 is a legal adult as far as engaging in sex is concerned (though not, in the UK, for being depicted engaging in sex or for viewing explicit sexual depictions).

 

I would have to say the book Lucia Lucia by Adriana Trigiani stays with me as the most terrible book I have read. I would say it falls firmly in the chick-lit genre and has all the usual sugary stereotyped characters you would expect.

It's the kind of book people who don't really care about reading love.

 

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. Hated it.

The plot stank. The characters were worse. And the final message? She spends her LAST DAY on Earth screwing some guy? That was the point?


ugh.

 

Well in the states it largely depends on the age difference. In many states if the age difference doesn't violate the law they are able to consent. But I suppose this doesn't matter because Edward is well beyond that difference.

 

Wasn't she raped and murdered?

 

I think the poster was refering to the imprinting of the warewolves onto toddlers rather than Bella.

 

My Eleventh Edition Educational Psychology Textbook by Anita Woodfolk. It's required reading for my educational psychology class, but as of now, I cannot stand cracking the book open! I can hardly get past what I don't like to see if there's anything I like.

 

Call me a racist if you will, but I absolutely was disgusted with The Joy Luck Club... I was forced to deal with that in grade 10 and I've never forgiven myself for actually reading it.

 

That's how I understood it as well. Breaking Dawn was my least favorite for this reason....couldn't get past it.

Personally, I didn't like her writing, but I found her character development very enjoyable. Edward...mmm, mmm. He was the reason I continued to read.

 

Twilight. Read the first chapter or so and it was awful.

 

well, yes, but the way the plot works out, she comes back from heaven and gets one day on earth to do whatever she wants...

and she spends the time screwing some guy.

that was all I meant. sorry for the confusion.

 

The worst book I ever had to read I think was Animal Farm. I had to read it for a history class and books about political issues with animals as surrogates really doesn't hold my interest.

 

I had to read he The Piano Teacher for postmodern literature class on university. I don't know how it got the Nobel prize, but it was pain to read... not only trash, but misanthropic.

 

Sigh...Elfriede Jelinek is among my favourite authors....The Piano Teacher probably my second favourite novel...I know its not for everyone, but it belongs in lit classes...

 

I thought Digital Fortress was really good. I never thought anyone could get me to care about computer encryption, let alone make it almost apocolyptic.

Worst book I have to mind was the Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum. For such an exciting premise and enjoyable films, I found the book very flat and dull. Probably the only case I know of where the film is better than the book.