The Worst Book You've Ever Read?

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Originally Posted by Sarabande

The worst book I've ever read would be a toss-up between Heller's "Catch 22" and "Our Mutual Friend" by Dickens. Joyce's "Portrait" was heavy going too and, oh, so was Richardson's "Pamela". You can see that I studied these for Literature at University, but that was over 25 years ago.

"Catch 22" just wasn't funny; or, it was funny in a Mel Brooks way - i.e. HE thinks it's funny!!

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Un-****ing-believable. Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is incredible. Maybe it's because you were forced to study it that you didn't enjoy it, I find that sometimes.

At the moment it's a tie with the not funny Catch-22 and the despair inducing Blood Meridian.

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Originally Posted by Vota

At the moment it's a tie with the not funny Catch-22 and the despair inducing Blood Meridian.

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I've never read Blood Meridian, but a friend of mine did. The only book I've read by Cormac McCarthy is The Road, which I found to be very good, despite its appalling lack of character development.

Is character development an essential element of all works of literature? I would think that's rather like criticizing Van Gogh's Starry Night for its appalling lack of red.

I found The Road's negative anthropology believable and disturbing, and its insistence on morality as a choice rather than a circumstance enormously relevant and deeply moving. I wouldn't describe its lack of character development as appalling; in fact, I don't even see it as a flaw in what is at heart a parable. The father and the boy are constants to one another. The world changes but humankind does not. Nor do they.

There is a discussion of The Road (and a number of McCarthy's other novels) on this thread:

http://www.online-literature.com/for...t=New+classics

Feel free (if you like) to join in. :)

i've had my share of bad books over the years but i'd say that my worst for 2014 was Kafka on the Shore

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Originally Posted by stlukesguild

Is character development an essential element of all works of literature? I would think that's rather like criticizing Van Gogh's Starry Night for its appalling lack of red.

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If you're replying to my comment, I'm just stating my opinion. Character development, most times, is a pretty essential part to make a great book, but again, that's just my opinion.