Books that I resent

[PeterL]

To Kill A Mockingbird. Yeah, fine to study when you're about 11 but when you're 15...you kind of want to study adult books.

And On Chesil Beach was dreadful. How they're going to make a film of it, I don't know.

Really bad novels are ofen made into movies. Good novels are too complicated to convert to film, but the bad ones don't have as much.

[Kafka's Crow]

Of Mice and Men, I couldn't read beyond first few pages. Finished reading The Pillars of the Earth yesterday and I resent this, one of the most 'successful' books in recent years.

[PeterL]

Of Mice and Men, I couldn't read beyond first few pages. Finished reading The Pillars of the Earth yesterday and I resent this, one of the most 'successful' books in recent years.

I'll keep that in mind. The title, The Pillars of the Earth, turns me off; it may be too pretentious.

[Dark Muse]

I usually stop after a few pages, if it's really bad, but sometimes it doesn't become clear soon enough.



Those overly long descriptions really take the pleasure out of reading.

Yeah I remember in The Grapes of Wrath, which I acutally did like more than Of Mice and Men, there was like 20 pages talking about a turtle crossing the road. It took as long to read about it, as it would take for the turtle to actually acomplish the task.

[PeterL]

Yeah I remember in The Grapes of Wrath, which I acutally did like more than Of Mice and Men, there was like 20 pages talking about a turtle crossing the road. It took as long to read about it, as it would take for the turtle to actually acomplish the task.

Was the turtle even significant to the story, or was that piece just filler? Using filler didn't become widespread until recently, but some authors used it in the past.

[Tallon]

The first time i tried to read Grapes Of Wrath i gave up after the turtle business second time i plowed through and now it's one of my favourite books :P

[dicer]

I agree about 'On Chesil Beach', though I should admit that I haven't actually read the entire thing. I read a few chapters and just found it immensely annoying. I might give it another go to be fair. I keep buying McEwan's books but I don't know why, as I really don't think I like the guy as an author. Everyone else is always so full of praises for him, but his style just irks me.

[kelby_lake]

I agree about 'On Chesil Beach', though I should admit that I haven't actually read the entire thing. I read a few chapters and just found it immensely annoying. I might give it another go to be fair. I keep buying McEwan's books but I don't know why, as I really don't think I like the guy as an author. Everyone else is always so full of praises for him, but his style just irks me.

Oh, you'll enjoy (or not) the climax of the novel. (there's a pun intended in there)

[Dark Muse]

Was the turtle even significant to the story, or was that piece just filler? Using filler didn't become widespread until recently, but some authors used it in the past.

The turtle had no real point or purpose within the story, after that one moment of crossing the road it never re-entered into the story, and I do not see as to any role it had within the story. It was just a random turtle crossing the road.

[PeterL]

The turtle had no real point or purpose within the story, after that one moment of crossing the road it never re-entered into the story, and I do not see as to any role it had within the story. It was just a random turtle crossing the road.

hat's a rotten thing to put into a novel. Everything should relate to the story in some way. I was thinking it might have been symbolic, but that should be clear.

[Emil Miller]

Perhaps the turtle was trying to beat the chicken to the other side.

[Dark Muse]

hat's a rotten thing to put into a novel. Everything should relate to the story in some way. I was thinking it might have been symbolic, but that should be clear.

If it was symbolic it was rather obscure. I think it was intended to help set the scene of the landscape, but I think that could have been accomplished without describing the turtles every single footstep going across the road.

It has been a while since I read the book, but I remember after reading the scene I just thought to myself, what the heck? And there was no point in the book in which I suddenly felt like the turtle was of any significance.

[dafydd manton]

Perhaps the turtle was trying to beat the chicken to the other side.

[PeterL]

If it was symbolic it was rather obscure. I think it was intended to help set the scene of the landscape, but I think that could have been accomplished without describing the turtles every single footstep going across the road.

It has been a while since I read the book, but I remember after reading the scene I just thought to myself, what the heck? And there was no point in the book in which I suddenly felt like the turtle was of any significance.

That would be a good reason for resenting having wated the time it took to read it.

[Scheherazade]

If it was symbolic it was rather obscure.

I remember puzzling over this as well but I think it is foreshadowing of the trying journey the family is to take in order to carry on their existence. Just like the turtle, they endure many hardships to cross (the country) against all odds (however cliche that might sound). They survive many obstacles put in their way not only by nature but also by men (like the turtle).

This is one of my favorite novels.