Books that you have read which did live up to the hype

Ulysses

fiachraX wrote: »

I'd second 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. I think it's on the Leaving Cert syllabus now, which might take the shine off it for some who have to study it, but I read it before that and it really struck a chord.

I had to do Silas Marner. Worst book I ever read. and that is not just because I did it in school .

Dracula lived up to my expectations too. I actually liked it a lot more than I thought.

BaZmO* wrote: »

Thirded! Fantastic book.

I don't think having to study it will take that much of a shine off it. I had to study Lord of the Flies and Animal Farm for school, and if anything, I enjoyed them more for it, especially LotF. It was nice having the added depth teased out for us, probably would've missed a lot of it if I was left to my own devices.

My brother had done LotF in school too, so last year I said Id read it. Sure its only 80 odd pages, how hard can it be?!?!

I hated it! took me about 3 wks to read the fecking thing because I dreaded picking it up.

I am going to read animal farm soon, its been on the list for a while!
I read Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry recently, another book that people I know have done in school. I liked that.

GerB40 wrote: »

Catcher in the rye is the biggest load of shyte I've ever read. How it's considered a classic is beyond me..
Edit: Looks like I misread the title of this thread but I stand by what I said. Catchere in the rye is total bóllox..

Feel free to give us a book that DID live up to the hype though

SarahBM wrote: »

Feel free to give us a book that DID live up to the hype though

The book thief. The writing style is a bit unusual but the story is brilliant..

I'm not sure I understand the concept of this thread properly, it's books that you've heard are good that turn out to be good?
I could give hundreds of examples, some of which have been given by others.
The count of Monte Cristo crops up regularly on this forum, I may have a crack off it some time.

SarahBM wrote: »

Books that some has said to you "OMG this is the best book I have ever read! You have to read it!" and you like "Ok so, I'll give it a go"

and when you have finished your like "OMG they were so right!" :D:D

OK, I'll give you Crime and Punishment so. Birdsong also.

SarahBM wrote: »

Isnt Crime and Punishment that Russian book that's like 1000 pages??? I have tried reading other russian books and I nearly died. I dont think Id read that. Birdsong, I would be willing to try.

My copy is 434 pages, not one of which is dull.:p

SarahBM wrote: »

Isnt Crime and Punishment that Russian book that's like 1000 pages??? I have tried reading other russian books and I nearly died. I dont think Id read that. Birdsong, I would be willing to try.

Are you thinking of War and Peace? I have the two books on my shelf for a couple of years and can't bring myself to start. So many other good books to read that are shorter!

TransAtlantic was another one that I felt lived up to the hype and the kids book Watership Down is one of my all time favourites

Miss.Mayhem wrote: »

I completely agree. I've never hated a character in a book as much as I hated Holden Caulfield. He was such a whiny little wanker. I don't understand how this book has made it on to so many "top 100" literature lists.

Yes I certainly agree with you there, Couldn't stand his self-important attitude to everything.
Maybe it was the desired effect for us to dislike him perhaps.

SamAK wrote: »

Not one mention of 50 Shades of Grey yet?

I have to be honest, I haven't read it, but based on reviews from learned and book-wormy friends I've been avoiding it.

Maybe I should give it a go.

Thoughts?

Get away outta that.
Read something with a bit of substance, and not something written with an appeal to the lowest common denominator.
William Trevor's once stated something along the lines that literature is being converted into some sort of fashion where much of works recently published are more talked about than read which certainly applies to 50 shades of grey.


Anyhow I really have taken a liking to James Joyce lately, I love his prose which seems to convey a joyous feeling running parallel with a morose feeling and is never tied down to a single meaning.Always multiple meanings from his inventive word-play.

Anyways Dubliners is simply astonishing,I think many people could benefit greatly from reading it.
I've read so much about 'The Dead' that when I got about ten pages into it I felt somewhat ... disapointed.The tables turned thankfully and that ending is so good.Genius writing there and I seriously recommend it.

I've not read much of Portrait yet,Read Ulysses and loved it(not getting into here, would take night and day) and I'm going over Finnegans Wake and love it.Like magic to the ear as its a very lyrical and musical book.

Miss.Mayhem wrote: »

Don't! It reads like a horny 12 year old boy wrote it. Best to avoid it at all costs.

All it is is a trendy piece of **** designed for people that want to brag about managing to read a book.

Will be considered what it truly is when the last of the hype has been dusted away.

SamAK wrote: »

I mentioned giving it a go because I feel that I can't really have an opinion on it if I haven't read it. I'll try it if someone gives me a copy, because I sure as hell am not paying for it.

Reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman at the moment. Good so far, full of mythology.


I have a sneaking suspicion that the 'success' of 50 shades has something to do with hoards of sexually repressed and down-trodden housewives up and down the country reading it and realizing that they actually have a sex-drive and it's not sinful to be horny...

Just a thought :rolleyes:

Your sneaking suspicion is of course the reason, Alongside teenage girls that seem to hop from book to book solely on its trendy natures.Woman.:pac:

Oh yeah and American Psycho turned out to be an enjoyable.Even if the constant description of what people wore and the long conversation on things like restaurants really went through my head which was obviously the desired effect.Film was good aswell.

And Clockwork Orange is a fantastic book,First proper book I ever read.I know Anthony Burgess disliked it but that's because it overshadowed the rest of his work and it rested on the laurels of the controversy of the film version(My favorite film ever by the way)