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In an attempt to broaden my literary horizons, I am issuing myself a new reading challenge. I'm a bit too lazy to organize it all fancy like and make it an "Official Book Blog Reading Challenge" with graphics and progress bars etc. I'm simply issuing it to myself, and if you feel inspired, so be it, but given the subject of the challenge, I wouldn't blame you if you passed on it :)
I'm going to read books I swore I'd never read, or read again, as the case may be with some on the list. I don't know how long it will take me to get through this challenge as I will likely procrastinate the crap out of some of these. Here is the list:
1. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. I know what you are thinking: Kate, why would you hate this book? It's a classic, it won all sorts of fancy schmancy awards! I'll tell you why. I have actual anger toward this book, even though I've never read it. I saw the movie, and yes I'm sure the book is better than the movie, that isn't the issue. My issue is a certain character you fall in love with dies and I felt gypped. I hate when children die in books. Call me unrealistic, I don't really care. I was mad.
2. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. Dogs die. I'm not down with that.
3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I read this in high school and I swore I'd never read it again. I'm annoyed with whiny rich people. Actually, I'm annoyed with whiny people in general, this book had 'em all over the place. I'm going to re read this, maybe I'll like it better the second time around.
4. The Awakening by Kate Chopin. I think there are other ways to discover yourself and awaken from your self imposed repression other than having an affair, abandoning your children and committing suicide. I'm just sayin. Plus! It was a snoozer.
5. Anything by Charles Dickens. I think he is a great story crafter. His stories have really stood the test of time, but his actual writing is not my favorite, so I'm going to give him another shot.
So what are the books you are totally self proclaimed judgmental about? Are there any you are brave enough to give a chance? Are you in shock over some of my choices? Don't be shy, let me know!
28 comments:
What a great idea - will be so interested to hear whether your opinion changes. I have reread a few books that I remember liking, and usually found I loved them more, but can't think of any didn't like rereads.... but it's a very appealing challenge!
hahah I love your list. I started giggling about the pie chart.
P.S. I swear Charles Dickens is my least favorite writer...and that's saying something...TOO Wordy! :)
-Em
haha - great idea! Although you're doing pretty well if your list only consists of these 5!
Both The Great Gatsby and something by Charles Dickens is definitely on my list - I'd be keen to read these two so let me know if you want to do a little "mini readathon" where we procrastinate together!!
OMG! I was just laughing about the 1 and 2 reason.
I cried so much when I saw Bridge to Terabithia...I couldn't believe it!
About the dog dying, you are so right! Did you saw Marley and Me? Another movie to cry like your own dog just died and it was just fault. Really, how can I read that book now?!
Great post!
I had to laugh at #2. I soooo totally agree with that!
Interesting idea. Right now the only two books that come to mind are Twilight and Harry Potter. And nothing really against Harry Potter, it's just not something that appeals me enough to pick up the book plus I have way too many books to read already. With Twilight, I just get bored easily when any type of vampires are involved and I did try reading the book but only made it a few pages in before I quit.
Oh, and maybe Lord of the Rings. I tried reading The Hobbit once and didn't make it far in that book either.
I'm not doing this challenge, because I just don't have the time to force myself to read something I don't want to read =o) But, if I did the challenge, my list would look like this:
1. Obasan by Joy Kogawa
2. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
3. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
4. Nation by Terry Pratchett
Good luck!
I haven't read any of those books, and somehow I think it will probably stay that way. :) I saw the Bridge to Terabithia movie & still can't believe that kid is going to be Peeta in the Hunger Games, so I'm sort of biased against it, too. Even though it has nothing to do with the books.
Love the pictures.
@Gaby-I refuse to read Marley and Me, I didn't even put it on my list bc I knew I wouldn't read it. reason1-dog dies, reason 2-Jennifer Aniston bugs me and if I read the book I won't be able to get her out of my head lol
@Dawn Embers-You won't read Harry Potter? As an obsessed Potter-ite, I think I just died a little inside :)
Twilight
'Nuff said :)
http://www.ManOfLaBook.com
LOL, I love the graph for dogs dying versus characters dying.
We have nominated your blog for the Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award! It will post on our blog tomorrow morning, so stop on by and pick up the badge!
Congrats!
KW
http://www.ekfamilybooks.blogspot.com
You've got an interesting list! Some of them I can't believe you haven't read (Harry Potter)! You totally should make it official though... It would be so fun, and give you a reason not to procrastinate!
I read Gatsby and some of Dickens in school and HAD to like them :)
Try a mystery: here
ok so i cant think of any books i will never read but its probably like a bodice ripper or something like that. i had my share of them in high school. other than that, while i'm pretty picky about books, i cant think of a particular book that i will not read. who knows, you might discover a new fave, huh?
lol... No, I won't read Harry Potter mostly because I don't have time. I haven't read The Hunger Games either, yet. I just have to pick and choose. If I'm going to read an epic long fantasy series, I have a few on my list already waiting. Maybe in the future I will get around to Harry Potter. My family can't believe I haven't read it yet.
i think this is a great idea. I have to say my ALL TIME favorite book is Tale of Two Cities. Has been since Mrs. Smiths English Lit class. I've re-read it since HS even. It takes real effort to get into, but is worth it at the end. I cried at the end both times i read it. HOWEVER, I still have 0-desire to read Harry Potter even though I understand that the books are better than the movies. I'm just over the idea of the books. And I've never heard anything about the awakening, but it sounds VERY similar to Leo Tolstoys "Anna Kerenina" that I'm reading now. I'll let you know if your synopsis for "The Awakening" matches with Tolstoys novel. Love the idea. Love you.
The HP series was once on the list of books I didn't want to read ... but ever since I picked it up, I've loved it. So, hopefully you'll enjoy these books more this time too :-)
My list would include Number the Stars by Louis Lowry (I found it really boring and only barely finished it), books by Jane Austen, and Eat, Love, Pray. The main character sounds really self-centered. I should read those, but it probably won't happen this summer.
I read A Christmas Carol and really enjoyed it, even though I was pretty young.
@Elyse-first off, I love your guts and miss you! Tale of Two Cities is probably my most favorite of the Dickens, so I'll probably read that one for the challenge :) I've read Anna Karenina, and I did enjoy it, but probably bc I have an obsession with all things Russian :) Also, I miss Mrs. Smith, she was the best teacher ever!
@Kah Woei-I'm glad you gave Harry potter and chance, they are so good!
@CollegiateDown-If you decide to give Jane Austen a try, it has to be Pride and Prejudice, it is my favorite book of all time, it is soooooo good!
I loo-oo-ove the picture/snipet of Dwayne Johnson and Leslie Burke. It makes me smile. :) I wish you much luck with the reading. Personally, I loved the Bridge movie and think I read the book, though I'm not sure. (I don't remember most such things) Never read the Gatsby, love myself some good Dickens (I think he's a total guru), but haven't heard of the others. Maybe, maybe I'll be inspired by your self-implemented torture challenge and read Eat, Pray, Love again-ish. I never finished it, it was so awful...... maybe this time? Then again, I may cheat and watch the movie like a high-school jock, and say that gives me the 411 on story plot. After all, Julia Roberts is the star. There's an elephant. How bad can it be? :)
I remember my mom reading Bridge to Terabitha to me when I was a kid. She started crying so much that she couldn't finish the book. My sister finished reading it to me. But, despite the tears, I still love it. I totally agree with you on The Awakening though. I thought it was the dumbest ending ever.
My addition would be The Scarlet Letter. I would not go back and touch that with a 10 foot pole. It was awful to read!
Lol at your entire list. I loved your sense of humor and I can understand your reasoning. However, I loved all the books you mentioned! Well, except for The Great Gatsby. I don't like whiny rich people either.
Excellent challenge, looking forward to seeing your progress. Totally agree with you, killing animals in fiction is NOT okay. Screw the humans, but kill a cat or a puppy and I am putting that book down.
The Cait Files
Twight. I swore I would never read any book in the Twilight series. And just a tip: if you hate it when characters die, don't read any of the Game of Thrones books. Everyone dies!
Shannon
Iowabookworm.blogspot.com
Hi! Cool challenge you have going on.I swore never again to read (I really hated) anything by Mark Twain, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and 1984 by George Orwell.But I read the Great Gatsby a few months ago and I really liked it. I would like to read Where the Red Fern Grows and Marley and Me, as well, even though the dog dies. I liked the pie chart. Funny.
I completely agree with The Awakening. YUCK. Read it in high school, but really didn't READ it. I gave it another shot recently and really couldn't stand it. Wah.
The Catcher in the Rye is my pick for your list. Goodness, I hate that book.
Mickey @ imabookshark
Hello! I'm a new follower visiting from BookBlogs. I laughed out loud at your pie chart about what makes you sad when reading a book!
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