# Hard to Read



## variousitems (Feb 3, 2007)

I read often, and so I often stumble into a book that makes me vomit out my mind.  When this happens I just can't finish reading the damned thing.  This bothers me because people often tell me to read bad books as well as good; to learn from their mistakes.  What are your thoughts on this?


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## terrib (Feb 3, 2007)

Variouiten, I know just what you mean, I've just read a terrible book by a bestseller. I do finish the books though, not to learn what not to do, but because I can't stand to leave one unread.(I guess I was hoping it would get better). It didn't. It's amazing how many 'bad books' are out there. 
                                                                      Terri


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## Mike C (Feb 3, 2007)

Don't read bad books. Life's too short.


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## lisajane (Feb 4, 2007)

If a book is crap, I don't make myself finish it. Why bother? So many better books to read.


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## variousitems (Feb 4, 2007)

I will take your wise advice my friends.


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## red lantern (Feb 4, 2007)

Perhaps as authors (and hence by default more than average readers) it falls in part to us to read the bad books or hard reads so we ourselves know what/how not to write yes?


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## nostalgicdemise (Feb 7, 2007)

I hit a twelve-chapter span in one book in particular (are we naming names?) that was so empty and lifeless that it nearly did me in.
It wasn't hard to read, it was just hard to continue.


(...Not that there was any payoff in the end, though.  I'm not sure what I was expecting.)


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## deviger (Feb 7, 2007)

I am slightly ashamed to say I couldn't finish "Moby Dick".


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## variousitems (Feb 7, 2007)

nostalgicdemise said:
			
		

> ...(are we naming names?)...



I've never been able to finish a book about king Arthur.  And I've tried more times then I care to count.


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## Watcher (Feb 11, 2007)

*Difficult read*

"The Return of the Native" by Thomas Hardy finally defeated me.


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## The Hooded One (Feb 22, 2007)

variousitems said:
			
		

> I've never been able to finish a book about king Arthur. And I've tried more times then I care to count.


 
Jack Whyte did a very good job mixing history with fiction in book one "The Skystone" of _a dream of eagles_. He basically describes the beginning of Camelot. I highly recommend this series.


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## Straylight (Feb 22, 2007)

Do you mean "bad" like Dan Brown is bad, or "Hard to read" like Pynchon?  If the former, I suggest having your own little book burning party, but if it's a good book where the density of the text causes problems, I recommend muscling through it -- I've learned a lot by reading (and re-reading, and re-re-reading) Pynchon, even though I'm still not entirely understand I understand all the subplots in "Against the Dark".


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## variousitems (Feb 22, 2007)

Straylight said:
			
		

> Do you mean "bad" like Dan Brown is bad, or "Hard to read" like Pynchon?  If the former, I suggest having your own little book burning party, but if it's a good book where the density of the text causes problems, I recommend muscling through it -- I've learned a lot by reading (and re-reading, and re-re-reading) Pynchon, even though I'm still not entirely understand I understand all the subplots in "Against the Dark".



I'll admit that a high density of text scares me, but if it's a good book it's not a problem.  My trouble is when I want to read the book, but there's so many characters with difficult names doing the same thing they did last chapter, that I just lose track of everything and stop caring, as happens in some Arthurian legend type books ukel: , though I'll check out Jack Whyte's series and blame The hooded one if I don't like it:wink:.


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## Anarkos (Feb 22, 2007)

Mike C said:
			
		

> Don't read bad books. Life's too short.



Many brilliant books are very hard to read.  JG Ballard's Atrocity Exhibition is a perfect example.


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## VinrAlfakyn (Feb 22, 2007)

variousitems said:
			
		

> I've never been able to finish a book about king Arthur.  And I've tried more times then I care to count.



The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley was a very good read. It's from the women's point of view, so I don't know how you'd like it, but I absolutely loved it.


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## variousitems (Feb 22, 2007)

VinrAlfakyn said:
			
		

> The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley was a very good read. It's from the women's point of view, so I don't know how you'd like it, but I absolutely loved it.



I'll give that one a shot also.  Thanks for the suggestion.


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## Holocoz (Feb 22, 2007)

Has anyone read Trainspotting? It almost killed me. First ten pages and that book's down in my trashbin.


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## Anarkos (Feb 22, 2007)

Holocoz said:
			
		

> Has anyone read Trainspotting? It almost killed me. First ten pages and that book's down in my trashbin.



Yes, and Irvine Welsh's other works.  Throwing it in the bin is a terrible sin.

It is a brilliant novel, albeit hard to read until you get into the dialect.


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