emelee Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Let's say for school, or in a reading circle where you are opposed to reading a certain book. Can you enjoy a book someone else has ordered you to read? I am like a 2 year old kid in this respect. I hate having people tell you what you MUST read. Even for school. It becomes a chore. Homework. I might have chosen to read that book on my own at some point, but when someone forces me to read something, I get a negative start which can alter the way I end up feeling about the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delilah Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I have the same problem when trying to join a book club. Haven't joined one locally because I'm not even remotely interested in the books they are reading! I have to have some affinity for a book selection being at the top of the book charts or the winner of a prize will just not do it for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sod Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Absolutely, I had to read book called 'The Schopenhaur Cure' by Irvin D Yalom, for one of my units at Uni, my first thought was WHAT a novel to read along with all of my other readings, however my lecturer was correct in getting us to read it, as it was one of the best books that I have read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I generally don't end up even finishing books I'm told to read, especially books for school. The ones that I have enjoyed have been few and far between. Despite my love of reading, I am even more stubborn and will find that my stubbornness gets in the way a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmylou Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I felt like that at school, a resistance to read a book because it had been chosen for me. But then the story over took that feeling in some cases, and I am grateful now as I can honestly say that I would never have read or discovered some amazing books if I hadn't been forced to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easy Reader Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I am the opposite. I find when friends have told me I must read a book its normally a book that I would never have considered reading and I feel they wouldn't be telling me to read it if I wouldn't like it. Most of my favourite books were actually ones that I have been told/recommended to read. Left to choose my own books I would probably just end up reading the same style books time and time again. re joinging a book club I have never been brave enough to do this in case: a. the books are too high brow for me b. I can't read the books in time c. no-one agrees with what I say Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I think it is possible to enjoy a novel that you're asked to read, but I think it's harder to enjoy it than it is to enjoy a book that you've picked up of your own accord. I think when you've been asked to read a certain book, it sticks in the back of your mind somewhere that it wasn't your choice, thus you go into reading it with a different mindset than when you read a book of your own choice. However, I do think it's possible to enjoy it, as I enjoyed immensely The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald that I had to read as one of my school texts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Interesting question. I had to read Lord of the Flies at school, and didn't really like it. But years later I decided to give it another go and really liked it a lot - I don't know if it was because it was my choice to read it second time around, or just because it was wrong book at the wrong time when I read it the first time. I do belong to a reading group, and have really enjoyed some of the books which we've read, even though I would never have chosen them for myself. So I'd say that yes, I can definitely enjoy a book I haven't chosen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oceansoul Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I hated every book I was forced to read at school. Partly because I was forced to read them and partly because they were pathetic mundane stories. I apologise to those that read and enjoy those kinds of novels, but for me it was torture. No blood, no monsters, no murders, no real peril. Just normal people doing normal things. I have considered joining local book clubs. Then I think of the drivel I'd probably have to read and walk swiftly in the opposite direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickle Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I think the most frustrating thing about the books I was forced to read at school was the length of time we spent reading it, some of you might realise I am a quick reader and I don't skim the books I do actually read them, but in class which was mixed ability we would spend days if not weeks on the same book, we didn't even have meaningful subjects of discussion as a result of the subject matter and we still had sessions where we would read out loud so I was bored bored bored most of the time and it was pure torture. I can only remember a few books now that we read Of Mice and Men it did inspire me to read a few mopre Steinbeck novels and Things Fall Apart we also studied The Crucible and Macbeth so there was a lot of potential. Unfortunately my love of books was really encouraged by my dad rather than my school. Text books are another matter I discovered archaeology text books and subsequently client reports are great cures for insomnia (there are only a few exceptions to this) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I think it's about being open minded. If you feel you're being forced to read a book then I think you're automatically in the mindset to have a strong negative reaction to the book. If someone asks you to read a book, says you should read a book because they think it's great or think you'll think it's great, or you go to a book group and are given the choices, then this still your decision to read the book, and you're more likely to have an open approach. I've read plenty of books in my reading group that I would never have picked up on my own which I've enjoyed (ranging from "Ok" to "Absolutely brilliant!"). At school I loved some of the set books and hated others, but the only difference between then and now, was that I was an obnoxious teenager then, but also that I had to finish the book regardless of whether I liked it or not - now if I'm not enjoying the book I've got to read, I can still just choose to stop reading, which tempers my reaction from an outright hatred of the book, so an ambivalent "not for me". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luthien Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 If I recall I didn't really enjoy any of the books I had to read at school. It got better in my advanced courses, but we did not read any books I would have picked. But I am with chesilbeach there and think it has a lot to do with being open minded. The books we read in school weren't alltogether bad, but having somebody tell me when and how much I have to read generally raises my hackles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadya Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Sure, I can enjoy such a book if the story is well or the topic is interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 I think the most frustrating thing about the books I was forced to read at school was the length of time we spent reading it, some of you might realise I am a quick reader and I don't skim the books I do actually read them, but in class which was mixed ability we would spend days if not weeks on the same book, we didn't even have meaningful subjects of discussion as a result of the subject matter and we still had sessions where we would read out loud so I was bored bored bored most of the time and it was pure torture. I can only remember a few books now that we read Of Mice and Men it did inspire me to read a few mopre Steinbeck novels and Things Fall Apart we also studied The Crucible and Macbeth so there was a lot of potential. Unfortunately my love of books was really encouraged by my dad rather than my school. I had the same problem with the speed of reading at school. I read quite quickly, and would alsways finish books quite soon, and then get bored going over it in class. I also studied The Crucible, but in Drama rather than English. Playing the roles rather than just reading it made it a more enjoyable experience for me. I didn't like reading Shakespeare - still don't really, but I do love seeing the film and stage adaptations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ticketyboo Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Well...... At 17/18 I ATTEMPTED (with not so good results) to do my Alevel English literature, and as a class we had to read "The Dubliners" by James Joyce, initially I thought "Oh I aren't going to enjoy it" but in actual fact, if I'd not had to study it, I wouldn't have read it, and I found I really liked it. I'm not saying I'm going to go and buy his whole collection because that'd be a lie, but I did find that I really enjoyed it. I loved all the short stories. Just a shame I failed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I have to say some of the best books I have read are those that have been chosen for me for example I would probably not have read To Kill A Mockingbird if it had not been picked for a Rory Read last year. Its now one of my favourite books of all time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 I guess the only books I've been forced to read were at school, and I enjoyed most of them reasonably well, although they became less and less enjoyable the more we dissected them. I've reread some of those books many years later and found them more enjoyable because I don't have to pick them apart and analyse them sentence by sentence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 I tend to find that being forced to read a book has no impact on whether I like the book, either I like it or I don't, but if I don't like it, being forced to continue will lead me to resent it. Also, dissecting it may also lead me to hate it even if I like the story. In some cases, I end up being grateful for the deep insight into aspects of the book I wouldn't otherwise have picked up on. It really depends on the book for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyzenthlay Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 I enjoyed all the books forced on me in school, to lesser and greater extent. I was also one of the few who actually finished all of the books we had to read.... most people, you know, read online summaries. But I remember my mother forcing a book on me, it was called The road to Agra and I couldn't help but hate it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Road_to_Agra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seraj Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 I enjoyed the books forced on me at school aswell, although I wasn't a huge fan of books like Pride and Prejudice, I still read and enjoyed it. I think every book I was given in English I read within the week I was given, which made my life easy, as the homework was usually to read chapters of the book. Usually the books you are forced to read at school are of decent quality, its not like the teacher/curriculum is going to pick out the most badly written book for you to read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emelee Posted August 27, 2011 Author Share Posted August 27, 2011 re joinging a book club I have never been brave enough to do this in case: a. the books are too high brow for me b. I can't read the books in time c. no-one agrees with what I say The top 3 fears that also keeps me from joining a book club! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emelee Posted August 27, 2011 Author Share Posted August 27, 2011 Great replies, all of you! I can agree with all of you, even though I generally dislike books forced on me. Only SOME I have liked. (Riotous Assembly by Tom Sharpe for instance). It is hard this thing with school. You can't really rely on ALL students to really find a good quality book to read. Some students will always do an "easy pick" by choosing a book they have already read before, or a short book or just choosing one randomly at the library. I think teachers need to control more what students read, but to a certain extent. I believe in presenting a list of approximately 10 books to choose from and then the students can choose freely one of the good quality books on the list. Usually the books you are forced to read at school are of decent quality, its not like the teacher/curriculum is going to pick out the most badly written book for you to read Very true. Although they will probably choose books that is considered boring by many, books they are not ready for. And by deciding what they MUST read, they may react by automatically hating it. It is such a tough situation for teachers. As a future teacher, I will have to deal with this problem. I do hope my idea of making a list of approx. 5-10 books that the students can choose among is a good idea. I will for sure try it out sometime. And then discuss the books in class, but NOT too much and too carefully. I never had book talks in school until University really. I find it to be a good way to work with a book, as long as it is on a book circle level and not having to write an essay featuring some literary theories to it. That is HELL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I am usually ok with enjoying the book, but I might take longer to start reading it. I remember in highschool I was one of the few who enjoyed some of the novels we were forced to read, but I was also always in a hurry to finish on time because I just didn't feel like beginning the book once I knew it was a forced read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I am the opposite. I find when friends have told me I must read a book its normally a book that I would never have considered reading and I feel they wouldn't be telling me to read it if I wouldn't like it. Most of my favourite books were actually ones that I have been told/recommended to read. Left to choose my own books I would probably just end up reading the same style books time and time again. re joinging a book club I have never been brave enough to do this in case: a. the books are too high brow for me b. I can't read the books in time c. no-one agrees with what I say I love my book club, although I had the same fears as you. It only meets once a month, which seems to be more than enough time for everyone to read the book, and I don't find the books are necessarily high-brow (we've had every genre from horror to romance, and everything in between). I actually prefer it if there's lots of different opinion - it makes for a more interesting discussion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptashka Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 I don't like being told what to read... The reason to that are some dreadful memories of my school lessons. My teachers were too forceful with their recommendations and that took all the fun from reading. Literature lessons at school were boring. We not even once had a normal discussion. Our textbooks had only a few selected chapters and the summaries. Sometimes it was very hard to find a full-text book. Seriously! I remember this one time in middle school, when we had to read a novel, but there was just a single copy in the local library. So we all gathered in the hall of the library and one of our parents had to read it out loud. There's a bunch of awesome books I started reading but never finished. They are now on my to-read list, but I just can't get my hands on them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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