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The Catcher in the Rye for me - I hated it!

Why it is consider a classic because it was a book before it's time. Books like this weren't published all the time. It is a dated book now. Back then, things were still very conservative. You have a guy like Holden, cursing like a sailor, reflecting on things like drinking under age and sex (though he was still a virgin). People thought their kids were perfect little angels and the last thing they needed was for their children to get their hands on a book like Catcher In The Rye and have them exposed to a character like Holden, though behind their parents back they were a Holden, or other characters you came across in the book.

 

The book is also a very different writing style and seen through a different perspective. This isn't Jodi Picoult or Stephenie Meyers here, who make their teenage characters somewhat unrealistic. Holden is raw, we all had a little piece of Holden in us when we were teenagers. We didn't want to tell the whole story, though we rumbled on with the stories we told for ages. We shyed away from the crush we wanted attention from. Our attention fully wasn't on school, and many of use cared less about it, we dealt with depression, sexuality, etc. But during the rough time of being a teenager, we wanted nothing more than to hang on to innocence, even if it was a little piece of it, though that it something we can't hold on to.

 

Sorry for my rambling, but this why Catcher In The Rye might be considered a classic and overrated. It's a book that takes awhile for the reader to appreciate.

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When I was at college nearly everyone in my psychology class had read "Sophies World" by Jostein Gardner and I kept hearing how good it was. I hated it!

 

Aw, I loved that book! :)

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When I was at college nearly everyone in my psychology class had read "Sophies World" by Jostein Gardner and I kept hearing how good it was. I hated it!

 

Aw, I loved that book! :)

 

That book was Reason No 3 on my list of reasons to stydy philosophy.

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I'll bite. What were the first two reasons? (apologies if you've mentioned them before and I've forgotten/missed them).

 

I mostly enjoyed Sophie's World but it took me a very long time to read. I remember making copious amounts of notes.

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I'll bite. What were the first two reasons? (apologies if you've mentioned them before and I've forgotten/missed them).

 

*laughs* nothing too exciting, I'm afraid. I wanted to go home and I thought it would be a good 'general knowledge' subject. I always planned to take something else alongside of it, all along. Reason No 4 was it was maman's favourite subjects, she loved philosophy. No 5 was it was kind of sexy.

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Soooo pleased to find I'm not alone...Catcher in the Rye and 1984 for me.

Also, was really looking forward to The Historian and Glass Books of the Dream-Eaters and both were huge let down...flung them across the room in disgust after 50 pages!!

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Agree, Angels & Demons far better read. Deception Point also quite good.

 

Agreed! Completely, Angels and Demons was good, so was Deception Point. Davinci Code was alright, but not as good as I expected.

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  • 1 month later...

My favorite, haha :smile2:.

The twilight saga, honestly...I listened some of New Moon in audiobook and didn't listened again...horrible writing and bad messages (though I have to admit, I like the movie very much when I saw it:blush:-probably good direction)

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I found The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde very boring compared to how i expected it to be, it was really short too ):

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Agreed! Completely, Angels and Demons was good, so was Deception Point. Davinci Code was alright, but not as good as I expected.

 

Definately. I read Da Vinci Code first and thought it was good but Angels and Demons was definately the more enjoyable and suspenseful read for mine.

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Twilight, it's an easy read and has an ok plot but reads like fanfic (and some fanfic is better). It is kinda addictive though, I do kind of want to read the others, just not to pay for it!

 

And the Da Vinci Code, it's ok and quite readable but nowhere near as good as people seem to think it is

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I picked up the Da Vinci Code again recently and am finding it really enjoyable and fluent. It's nowhere near as good as Angels and Demons but am pleasantly surprised. I still think there is far too much fact-spewing and dialogue as opposed to actual story action though.

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Harry Potter is an interesting one. I think it's popular essentially because it's a fun read and an interesting idea. I've read each one at least twice. But you're right, they aren't the most well-written books in the world.

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I know The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards was popular for a while around here... I tried it and couldn't get into it at all. Don't know what I was missing... :shrug:

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To be honest I thought it was one of the most depressing reads ever. You're right it isn't a light read, and his depictions of the most bleakest 'greyest' future to come unsettled me. Maybe its because we had to do it at school for our exams (and bear in mind this was just before the actual year 1984) that might have tinted my view a bit, but from what I can remember I dragged myself the whole way through it. Sorry! :shrug:

 

I read 1984 when I was very young.... before 1984....... I remember it being a bit of a struggle. I have ordered it from the library though as I am hoping to understand a little more now I am more... um mature... perhaps I may even enjoy it, who knows.

 

I wasn't overly impressed with Atonement which I read recently. I do remember quite enjoying the Da Vinci Code though.

 

I got bored with the Harry Potter series. I enjoyed the first couple and then gave up on the third I think (although I have been told that the third is the 'best').

 

No way could I ever read Lord of the Rings. (yawn)

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Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man and Life's Greatest Lesson - Mitch Albom

 

Life of Pi - Yan Martel

 

Left Behind Series - Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim F. LaHaye

 

The Shack - William P Young

 

All best sellers, can't understand why?

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