Who Is The Worst Writer Ever?

[kelby_lake]

Did you not like Glengarry Glen Ross?

I didn't read that- after reading about 3 pages of American Buffalo and Sexual Perversity in Chicago I realised that it wasn't going to get much better and he just throws in lots of swear words to sound cool and edgy. He just sounds sick.

[Carpalim]

I didn't read that- after reading about 3 pages of American Buffalo and Sexual Perversity in Chicago I realised that it wasn't going to get much better and he just throws in lots of swear words to sound cool and edgy. He just sounds sick.

But maybe he throws in the swear words to reflect what he hears about him? (one of the tasks of literature) It's difficult if you hate these words, I agree. But if they're used realistically as they are in Glengarry Glen Ross, then this is not a sign of sickness - the exact opposite in fact. Any play or novel which would claim to realistically portray the language spoken in a modern city, but which leaves out the ubiquitous offensive language is in something of a sick state of denial, I'd say.

Mamet's characters may be 'sick', but it doesn't follow that Mamet is.

[Equality72521]

Nietzsche. Sorry, had to throw that one out there.

[johann cruyff]

Nietzsche. Sorry, had to throw that one out there.

Huh... Why Nietzsche? His writings aren't really classical fiction, they merely serve the purpose of showing his philosophical ideas through symbolism.

Anyway, I haven't checked the entire thread, but I'm surprised I've seen no mention of De Sade.

BTW, shouldn't the thread title say something like: "Who is the worst famous writer ever"? I mean, I'm pretty sure I'm far worse than any name mentioned in this thread The title of the worst writer ever is ridiculous, we can't possibly know that - we can only look for overrated ones amongst the ones we've read.

[Equality72521]

Huh... Why Nietzsche? His writings aren't really classical fiction, they merely serve the purpose of showing his philosophical ideas through symbolism.

I know that he doesn't technically qualify as classical lit. but the guy spent most of his life in a mental institution and people think that he's a good source to listen to? That's where that's coming from.

No offense to you Nietzsche fans or w/e but I just don't like his writings, on top of the previous stated reasons.

[kelby_lake]

But maybe he throws in the swear words to reflect what he hears about him? (one of the tasks of literature) It's difficult if you hate these words, I agree. But if they're used realistically as they are in Glengarry Glen Ross, then this is not a sign of sickness - the exact opposite in fact. Any play or novel which would claim to realistically portray the language spoken in a modern city, but which leaves out the ubiquitous offensive language is in something of a sick state of denial, I'd say.

Mamet's characters may be 'sick', but it doesn't follow that Mamet is.

Okay, fair enough. But he seems to go in for the idea that if you shove a lot of four-letter words into a play it makes it 'gritty'.
Sure, have some, but theatre isn't reality. I don't want to watch characters on stage that are just like the kind of idiots I try to avoid in real life.

[Carpalim]

Okay, fair enough. But he seems to go in for the idea that if you shove a lot of four-letter words into a play it makes it 'gritty'.
Sure, have some, but theatre isn't reality. I don't want to watch characters on stage that are just like the kind of idiots I try to avoid in real life.

That's an interesting point there at the end. I've thought about it before; it raises odd questions for people like me who enjoy reading a character like the foul-mouthed lout Begbie in 'Trainspotting', while wishing for his real-life counterparts to be raised up from the feral loathsomeness of their behaviour. Perhaps it's to do with exorcising our demons or something - the fascination with evil is, after all, pandered to somewhere in most works of literature.

[kelby_lake]

Actually I say I dislike swearing in literature but I do like a play called East- written in a mixture of shakespearean language/70's cockney.

[librosdesangre]

all these old time writers. they are soooooo boring! I mean who reads that stuff!

tell me, who is for you an old time writer?

[dafydd manton]

I had to read War and Peace in the original Russian, for a course I was doing, and I still bear the scars. No other book has made me so bored that my jaw started to ache. I've never had the heart to read it in English.

[mystery_spell]

I really dislike Stephenie Meyer (of the Twilight saga). I really don't think she writes well at all.

[Gretchen]

J.K.Rowling, Nicholas Sparks, Robert Silverberg and Terry Pratchett.

[Zee.]

I think the worst writers in the world are the ones that bore you.

A writer doesn't have to be a wonderful writer to entertain you. Even the greatest of the great make me feel like jumping off the next building in to a fiery pit of hellish, skin licking fire. Cough, Dickens, cough.

[jon1jt]

Worst writers would include every pop novelist and spiritual guru whose books are thoroughly stocked in commercial book sellers around the world.

I'll be back with more.

[Zee.]

Go to the psycho *psychology, section at borders.

There's a section on incest.
THAT is terrible.