Worst book ever written..

[Apostateabe]

Zomg Lyndon Larouche... that nutbag was once my nextdoor neighbor. He had armed guards in jeeps that would shoot uzis over the heads of little kids (i.e., me and my buds) playing in the woods next to his property for kicks.

On the Catcher in the Rye front, it's not strictly a Y chromosome thing, unless I and all my male friends with taste are somehow gender-traitors. It sucked. And I've never figured out how on earth it became mandatory reading.

Those must have been the good old days. I wish I had bodyguards of a cult leader shooting Uzis over my head.

[Capellini]

Zomg Lyndon Larouche... that nutbag was once my nextdoor neighbor. He had armed guards in jeeps that would shoot uzis over the heads of little kids (i.e., me and my buds) playing in the woods next to his property for kicks.

On the Catcher in the Rye front, it's not strictly a Y chromosome thing, unless I and all my male friends with taste are somehow gender-traitors. It sucked. And I've never figured out how on earth it became mandatory reading.

That's easy - nationalism demands that pretty much every high school teach American literature, convention demands people refuse to label anything not at least 50 years old 'literature', and political correctness makes much of American literature from before 1950 inappropriate for high school. Therefore, all you have left for a high school American lit course is total garbage. So you get stuck with Catcher in the Rye.

Sadly, many literary traditions were either born or well-developed by American writers - horror, the macabre, the detective novel, satire, etc, but too many people would object to a class that taught Lovecraft, Poe and Vonnegut.

[S'presso]

The Violin Lover - Susan Glickman
The characters were dull and whiny, the story was dull, and had almost nothing to do with violins. Plus, the ending sucked.
Interestingly enough, it has a 5/5 rating on Amazon. Of course, it was only 2 reviews.

along with 'A Day No Pigs Would Die'- Robert Gregory Peck
But that was because it was a dull book

[Zankou 2.0]

I can definitively say that Breaking Dawn is not the worst book ever written. I am thoroughly enjoying it.

[black bart]

I can definitively say that Breaking Dawn is not the worst book ever written. I am thoroughly enjoying it.

Have you ever thought of writing a book mate?

We could probably discuss it in this category.

[Zankou 2.0]

I can definitively say that Breaking Dawn is not the worst book ever written. I am thoroughly enjoying it.

Have you ever thought of writing a book mate?

We could probably discuss it in this category.

...You're so hurtful.

[fueledbycoffee]

I can definitively say that Breaking Dawn is not the worst book ever written. I am thoroughly enjoying it.

I can too, even though I've always hated that whole series, and that was the worst. People need to realize that there is always something worse. Just because you didn't like a book, does not mean it's the worst ever, it means it may not have been great. Stop thinking in extremes, people.

(In my defense, yes, I did post a book, but that was only because after years and years of read, The Eye of Argon is still the only one whose prose feels like sandpaper on my eyes, and I am absolutely convinced that it was originally penned on flesh. It is Satan in book form, and not the cool alternative Satan from Neil Gaiman and Mike Carey comics, the old, nasty Satan. Cthulu kidnapped him and put him through a press, with his death cult chanting around them in circles. It is the worst book ever.)

[Edd]

Sadly, many literary traditions were either born or well-developed by American writers - horror, the macabre, the detective novel, satire, etc, but too many people would object to a class that taught Lovecraft, Poe and Vonnegut.

I wish I had a class like that in high school; I was reading all those on my own.

Unfortunately, you’re right. Far too many would object to teaching those three amazing writers, never mind the fact that it would probably encourage many kids to pick up a book on their own. Murder, mayhem, satanic, otherworldly cults, insanity, sex, drugs, cannibalism, and deep, dark, suicidal depression – what’s not to like?

[fueledbycoffee]

Murder, mayhem, satanic, otherworldly cults, insanity, sex, drugs, cannibalism, and deep, dark, suicidal depression – what’s not to like?

Let's see, Seventh grade we read Catcher In The Rye and Flowers for Algernon, Ninth was Fallen Angels and Jurassic Park, Tenth was Lord of the Flies (Complete with a sexual analysis of the pig killing scene), Eleventh was The Bell Jar, Twelfth was The Scarlet Letter.

War, violence, suicidal depression, insanity, misanthropy, religious persecution, kids killing each other (Piggy's death... that was not appropriate for our age group), sex, retardation, dinosaurs eating your face...

I would say our class reading wasn't much better.

[Edd]

Jurassic Park?

In high school?



I am officially old.

[fueledbycoffee]

Jurassic Park?

In high school?



I am officially old.

Yes, you are. I'm old, and I'm only 21. Kids these days are reading frakkin' Harry Potter in Twelve grade. I remember when that goddamn series came out. Now, it's more popular than the Beatles, who, you must recall, are more popular than Christ. I am old. And let me tell you whippersnappers about what Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles really was, none of this "New Series" CRAP...

[/topic derailment]

[Zankou 2.0]

Jurassic Park?

In high school?



I am officially old.

Yes, you are. I'm old, and I'm only 21. Kids these days are reading frakkin' Harry Potter in Twelve grade. I remember when that goddamn series came out. Now, it's more popular than the Beatles, who, you must recall, are more popular than Christ. I am old. And let me tell you whippersnappers about what Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles really was, none of this "New Series" CRAP...

[/topic derailment]

Hell, I am old. I remember when TV was good.

[WelshRarePasta]

^I realized I was old when I showed Apocalypse Now to a freshman level University class and 75% of them thought it was about either Korea or WWII . I decided I didn't want to be a teacher anymore.

--disclaimer-- I'm about to insult a well-beloved poetess, and although I won't apologize, those of sensitive literary tastes and fragile senses of self-worth may want to avert their eyes...

Vonnegut should be required reading for all Americans, but I can take or leave Poe. And yes I'm aware of the 'must teach American lit!' hysteria in American public schools. I always felt victimized by that mindset when we had to read ALL of Emily Dickenson's poetry in 10th grade, which to me felt like 3,000 iterations of the same crappy poem about a fucking circle. I mean seriously, that lady needed to get out in the fresh air.

[black bart]

Sadly, many literary traditions were either born or well-developed by American writers - horror, the macabre, the detective novel, satire, etc, but too many people would object to a class that taught Lovecraft, Poe and Vonnegut.

I wish I had a class like that in high school; I was reading all those on my own.

Unfortunately, you’re right. Far too many would object to teaching those three amazing writers, never mind the fact that it would probably encourage many kids to pick up a book on their own. Murder, mayhem, satanic, otherworldly cults, insanity, sex, drugs, cannibalism, and deep, dark, suicidal depression – what’s not to like?

I agree, three brilliant authors, of which my favourite is probably Poe. If you like ghost stories try reading M R James, although whereas I would say Poe's work is other worldly, M R James's stories are very English, full of ancient curses and english landscapes..

[pieces o'nine]

I always felt victimized by that mindset when we had to read ALL of Emily Dickenson's poetry in 10th grade, which to me felt like 3,000 iterations of the same crappy poem about a fucking circle. I mean seriously, that lady needed to get out in the fresh air.

True, but "Go manacle your icicle / Against your Tropic Bride." was a pretty good line, IMO.