| Over-rated books 20:41 - Aug 20 with 11392 views | Logman |
OK, so we've done under-rated books, over and under-rated players, films and food. That just leaves over-rated books.
Not the most exciting of threads (not expecting more than one page) but if it saves me 3 months of tedium trying to unravel a storyline in 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez then it will make my daily commute a lot less painstaking.
Another nominee for the trash can, The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho. The first few chapters promise a magical mystery tour but then it just seems to turn into the equivalent of a journey on the Central Line, with engineering works.
Any other literary works to be given the Satanic Verses Treatment ? |  | | |  |
| Over-rated books on 11:02 - Aug 21 with 1845 views | DannyPaddox |
| Over-rated books on 10:50 - Aug 21 by CroydonCaptJack |
My favourite opening line although I have never read the book.
I absolutely love Great Expectations and Oliver Twist but struggles and gave up with Hard Times.
What should be my next Dickens based on that fact anyone? |
Give Bleak House a go
(spoiler below)
warning: may contain spontaneous human combustion |  | | |
| Over-rated books on 11:16 - Aug 21 with 1774 views | dutch |
| Over-rated books on 10:18 - Aug 21 by MrSheen |
I was disappointed when I read Hemingway for the first time - A Farewell to Arms - given his reputation and influence. It might rest on his leading the reaction against 19th century wordiness, but it left me with the same feeling I had going through those terrible Magic Key books with my kids..."Biff sat down. Chip went inside, Kipper looked at the key". Isn't reading supposed to be more stimulating than this? |
Hemingway is the great master of literary minimalism. Try doing it yourself, it is impossible, so precise, so spare, so brilliant. He may have been an old macho drunk, but blimey he could write. | | | |
| Over-rated books on 11:20 - Aug 21 with 1740 views | BrianMcCarthy |
| Over-rated books on 11:16 - Aug 21 by dutch |
Hemingway is the great master of literary minimalism. Try doing it yourself, it is impossible, so precise, so spare, so brilliant. He may have been an old macho drunk, but blimey he could write. |
I'm not mad on Hemingway's style, but I do admire his talent.
A mate of mine, who's a writer, spent a year trying to copy Hemingway's style. He gave up. Couldn't do it, just came out as drivel. |  |
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| Over-rated books on 11:28 - Aug 21 with 1701 views | nix |
| Over-rated books on 11:02 - Aug 21 by DannyPaddox |
Give Bleak House a go
(spoiler below)
warning: may contain spontaneous human combustion |
I read that once in my pseudo-intellectual phase in my teens. It nearly killed me. I've never touched Dickens since.
But another one that thought Catch-22 is hysterical. Maybe you have to be slightly cynical to find it funny though. [Post edited 21 Aug 11:32]
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| Over-rated books on 11:33 - Aug 21 with 1675 views | MrSheen |
| Over-rated books on 11:20 - Aug 21 by BrianMcCarthy |
I'm not mad on Hemingway's style, but I do admire his talent.
A mate of mine, who's a writer, spent a year trying to copy Hemingway's style. He gave up. Couldn't do it, just came out as drivel. |
it's a drill, similar to writing without using "e". I can do it but it is as hard to put down as it is is to pick up, so why do it at all? Just writing this small block to such an arbitrary standard has won down my will to go past this point. |  | | |
| Over-rated books on 11:54 - Aug 21 with 1619 views | welwynranger |
| Over-rated books on 20:56 - Aug 20 by stevec |
The Catcher in the Rye.
Read it twice, the second time slowly, in case I was missing something.
I wasn’t, utter bilge. |
I was going to submit that.
Took it away on holiday a few years ago.
Stuck with it waiting for something exciting or intersting to happen.
It didnt | | | |
| Over-rated books on 12:56 - Aug 21 with 1513 views | W4Hoop |
What other football club forum could generate this level of interest in an "over-rated books" thread? Brilliant!
I like crime fiction but cannot stand Agatha Christie. Twee, contrived plots set in bucolic English country towns peopled by one-dimensional stereotypes. Much prefer the worldly, hard-boiled cynicism of Raymond Chandler or Dashiell Hammett or George V Higgins.
Chandler once memorably said that in his novels "people kill for reasons, not just to provide a corpse, and they use the means at hand, not antique duelling pistols or tropical fish"
(PS: thoroughly agree with those who nominated "The Alchemist". Self-help drivel) | | | |
| Over-rated books on 13:09 - Aug 21 with 1469 views | BrianMcCarthy |
| Over-rated books on 12:56 - Aug 21 by W4Hoop |
What other football club forum could generate this level of interest in an "over-rated books" thread? Brilliant!
I like crime fiction but cannot stand Agatha Christie. Twee, contrived plots set in bucolic English country towns peopled by one-dimensional stereotypes. Much prefer the worldly, hard-boiled cynicism of Raymond Chandler or Dashiell Hammett or George V Higgins.
Chandler once memorably said that in his novels "people kill for reasons, not just to provide a corpse, and they use the means at hand, not antique duelling pistols or tropical fish"
(PS: thoroughly agree with those who nominated "The Alchemist". Self-help drivel) |
Love Chandler and Hammett!
I'll check out Higgins. | |
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| Over-rated books on 13:16 - Aug 21 with 1417 views | _tf_ |
| Over-rated books on 11:33 - Aug 21 by MrSheen |
it's a drill, similar to writing without using "e". I can do it but it is as hard to put down as it is is to pick up, so why do it at all? Just writing this small block to such an arbitrary standard has won down my will to go past this point. |
Hemingway's initial style was hugely influenced by Stein and Joyce et al in Paris but equally as much by the fact he was a journalist and filing copy back to the States. This was paid for by the word so hacks then were encouraged to be as brief as possible. His first collection of short stories in some places is almost a collection of bullet points. Think his writing became less focused as he progressed and the booze and his myth became more foregrounded. | | | |
| Over-rated books on 13:26 - Aug 21 with 1359 views | joe90 |
| Over-rated books on 13:16 - Aug 21 by _tf_ |
Hemingway's initial style was hugely influenced by Stein and Joyce et al in Paris but equally as much by the fact he was a journalist and filing copy back to the States. This was paid for by the word so hacks then were encouraged to be as brief as possible. His first collection of short stories in some places is almost a collection of bullet points. Think his writing became less focused as he progressed and the booze and his myth became more foregrounded. |
For sale: baby shoes, never worn.
Apparently not written by Hemmingway, but often used to explain/analyse his style. |  | | |
| Over-rated books on 13:51 - Aug 21 with 1298 views | loftboy |
The bible or any other religious crap designed to keep the poor in line. |  |
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| Over-rated books on 13:52 - Aug 21 with 1294 views | CiderwithRsie |
| Over-rated books on 12:56 - Aug 21 by W4Hoop |
What other football club forum could generate this level of interest in an "over-rated books" thread? Brilliant!
I like crime fiction but cannot stand Agatha Christie. Twee, contrived plots set in bucolic English country towns peopled by one-dimensional stereotypes. Much prefer the worldly, hard-boiled cynicism of Raymond Chandler or Dashiell Hammett or George V Higgins.
Chandler once memorably said that in his novels "people kill for reasons, not just to provide a corpse, and they use the means at hand, not antique duelling pistols or tropical fish"
(PS: thoroughly agree with those who nominated "The Alchemist". Self-help drivel) |
To be fair, I only clicked on the thread because I'd been reading the Transfer Rumours thread and thought this might be about QPRs end of year accounts [Post edited 21 Aug 13:52]
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| Over-rated books on 13:57 - Aug 21 with 1280 views | E17hoop |
| Over-rated books on 12:56 - Aug 21 by W4Hoop |
What other football club forum could generate this level of interest in an "over-rated books" thread? Brilliant!
I like crime fiction but cannot stand Agatha Christie. Twee, contrived plots set in bucolic English country towns peopled by one-dimensional stereotypes. Much prefer the worldly, hard-boiled cynicism of Raymond Chandler or Dashiell Hammett or George V Higgins.
Chandler once memorably said that in his novels "people kill for reasons, not just to provide a corpse, and they use the means at hand, not antique duelling pistols or tropical fish"
(PS: thoroughly agree with those who nominated "The Alchemist". Self-help drivel) |
Agatha Christie is of its time - I'm not and find it really tough. Same with Sherlock Holmes. I 'know' it's a literary character of much love and admiration but I get bored reading it.
I really struggled with Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. Not for me. |  |
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| Over-rated books on 15:30 - Aug 21 with 1153 views | BucksRanger |
| Over-rated books on 13:52 - Aug 21 by CiderwithRsie |
To be fair, I only clicked on the thread because I'd been reading the Transfer Rumours thread and thought this might be about QPRs end of year accounts [Post edited 21 Aug 13:52]
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Must find my reading glasses. I thought the title was Over-rated boobs. |  | | |
| Over-rated books on 16:28 - Aug 21 with 1085 views | R_from_afar |
| Over-rated books on 22:20 - Aug 20 by Lanhoop |
Everything and anything written by James Joyce. Sorry, I tried them all and they were all a battle to complete. |
Funnily enough, that is almost word for word what Mrs R from Afar said when I mentioned this thread to her.
I would disagree with you - respectfully - because I've read The Dubliners and actually enjoyed it. It's a collection of short stories, quite a thin tome, and fairly accessible, even if laden with symbolism. |  |
| "Things had started becoming increasingly desperate at Loftus Road but QPR have been handed a massive lifeline and the place has absolutely erupted. it's carnage. It's bedlam. It's 1-1." |
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| Over-rated books on 16:36 - Aug 21 with 1064 views | R_from_afar |
| Over-rated books on 22:53 - Aug 20 by QPRSteve |
Moby Dick |
I recently read the book which was the source material for all the Moby Dick stuff, The Wreck of the Whaleship Essex, by Owen Chase. I found it interesting, especially some of the incredible feats of navigation, but undramatised as it is, it is a bit of a plod. | |
| "Things had started becoming increasingly desperate at Loftus Road but QPR have been handed a massive lifeline and the place has absolutely erupted. it's carnage. It's bedlam. It's 1-1." |
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| Over-rated books on 16:36 - Aug 21 with 1059 views | Wegerles_Stairs |
| Over-rated books on 10:50 - Aug 21 by CroydonCaptJack |
My favourite opening line although I have never read the book.
I absolutely love Great Expectations and Oliver Twist but struggles and gave up with Hard Times.
What should be my next Dickens based on that fact anyone? |
David Copperfield was Dickens' favourite novel and has a lot of the same stuff about his childhood that Great Expectations has, though perhaps with less pathos (he was more cynical when writing the latter).
Bleak House is probably the other one I'd recommend as it's more complex than his earlier stuff and has the same late period pessimism as Great Expectations (though obviously tempered by his omnipresent sentimentality). | | | |
| Over-rated books on 16:49 - Aug 21 with 1043 views | R_from_afar |
| Over-rated books on 00:41 - Aug 21 by MrSheen |
Errrr, War and Peace. Tolstoy is a writer capable of great narrative flow, but his character are so boring and lifeless. The nobles are vapid ninnies and the common people are either faithful farm animals or shifty wild animals, with no distinctive feelings or intelligence. I gave it up on the penultimate page (of about 1,100) as a protest. Dostoyevsky is mych more interesting and surprising. |
"Vapid ninnies".
That has made my day 
Quentin Pose (the intellectual character created by Kenny Everett) would be proud of you. | |
| "Things had started becoming increasingly desperate at Loftus Road but QPR have been handed a massive lifeline and the place has absolutely erupted. it's carnage. It's bedlam. It's 1-1." |
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| Over-rated books on 16:53 - Aug 21 with 1035 views | Wegerles_Stairs |
| Over-rated books on 09:27 - Aug 21 by MrSheen |
Fair enough on the War sections - the battle scenes are outstanding, as are action scenes like hunting. If only one of the millions of shots fired at Borodino didn't account for Pierre, couldn't bear him.
I love the darkness and doubt in Dostoyevsky, even if I don't always understand it, and that everyone is entitled to their share of it, rather than just people who can speak French.
Love James Joyce too, though my Irish background and Catholic/classical education helped a lot. I am going to get Ulysses out soon for another read. Not Finnegan's Wake though, that's like the bottle of over-proof raki you bought for a laugh but you never dare get out of the cupboard. |
Yes there are obviously a few chapters that are more abstruse than others (such as Oxen of the Sun) but Ulysses is such an incredible and (crucially) hilarious novel. I can understand why he wrote Finnegans Wake because where else can you go after Ulysses? | | | |
| Over-rated books on 16:59 - Aug 21 with 1029 views | qpr_1968 |
janet and john.....just keeps repeating itself. | |
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| Over-rated books on 17:03 - Aug 21 with 1025 views | terryb |
| Over-rated books on 21:30 - Aug 20 by derbyhoop |
Foucault's Pendulum
The Sea, the sea by Iris Murdoch
13yo self couldn't finish Lord of the Flies. |
I'm another one for Lord of the Flies.
I never managed to finish The Kon-Tiki Expedition either. Both part of my CSE syllabus! | | | |
| Over-rated books on 17:06 - Aug 21 with 1024 views | R_from_afar |
| Over-rated books on 10:23 - Aug 21 by DannyPaddox |
I’m mostly an admirer of Dickens literature but the first line of A Tale of Two Cities. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, Come on mate, make your fkkn mind up. |
At uni, in one of my German literature seminars, our lecturer, with a completely straight face, declared: "The meaning of meaning is essentially meaning".
Utterly memorable but 38 years later, I still don't have the foggiest idea what he was on about  | |
| "Things had started becoming increasingly desperate at Loftus Road but QPR have been handed a massive lifeline and the place has absolutely erupted. it's carnage. It's bedlam. It's 1-1." |
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| Over-rated books on 18:02 - Aug 21 with 939 views | numptydumpty |
| Over-rated books on 10:21 - Aug 21 by hantssi |
OMG, my wife and son LOVE Stephen King!
Should I be worried?! |
Jeez
Omg
Yous in trouble my man.
Lock every door.
Hide all the knives.
Check under all the beds.
Keep a baseball bat by the side of your bed.
Change your will pronto.
And possibly if none of this works, say a prayer to the God Almighty Queen s Park Rangers boss up in the sky !@@@!
😂😂😂 [Post edited 21 Aug 18:05]
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| Over-rated books on 18:07 - Aug 21 with 923 views | Gus_iom |
| Over-rated books on 09:57 - Aug 21 by BrianMcCarthy |
"He's a natural story teller and a great writer, as opposed to a writer with ideas, if that makes sense."
I think you've nailed it there, Joe. Nothing revolutionary, no new philosophies, just a truly great wordsmith. |
'Grapes of Wrath' inspired the revolutionary fervour in me. | | | |
| Over-rated books on 18:29 - Aug 21 with 890 views | Boston |
| Over-rated books on 08:27 - Aug 21 by qprxtc |
The Holy Bible
Not that I’ve read the whole of the bastard but the bits I have read are fairly dark.
Loads of notes too. |
Dominus vobiscum. | |
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