The Next Best Book Club discussion

I have picked up many a book with great expectations, and found myself sorely disappointed in the end. What are some of the worst books that you have picked up? Did you finish them anyway?

One of the worst books that I ever read was Jacob's Room, by Virginia Woolf. I have issues with stream of consciousness writing. I don't think I finished it, though it was for an American Lit class.

I'll second Virginia Woolf... she's just not for me. I couldn't manage to finish Orlando, it bored me to tears. I was so hopeful, because so many people love her books.

Beloved by Toni Morrison.

I had such high hopes for that one, and then the writing was SO terrible, and the story was so awful that I just wanted to rip my eyes out of my head. I did finish it, but the last half of the book I skimmed... I couldn't bear to even read it anymore.

oh dear... that's on my TBR...

I'm sorry Hayes. If it's any consolation, there are people who don't share my opinion and think it's a great book. I'm just not one of them. :)

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

I had high hopes for this one, after it was recommended to me. However, I found it lacking in truth, depth and narrative.
However, the morals in the book are good, I must admit.

She's Come Undone - How many awful things can happen to one person before it stops being interesting or believable? Find out by reading this book.

Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks. My first and only book by Iain M. Banks--I really expected more speculative fiction and less sensational hollowood-style gore.

The one that comes to mind for me is Seizure A Novel - yuck! I finished it because it was so short, but really hated it.

I have three: Old School by Tobias Wolf (I just couldn't help wondering how many stupid things the writer was going to have his character do), The Bone People by Kerri Hulme (it had soem good parts but the ending didn't do anything for me), and Give Your Heart to the Hawks which I could NOT make myself read past 100 pages.

Samantha wrote: "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne by Truman Capote. I've heard way too much good about it that I even bought it, expecting it to be great but well...I didn't mind his writing and etc and sometimes it was enjoyable but I just never understood what the point of those stories were. It all ended with "Um okay...so what?" for me.

Catch-22

Worst book ever. And yes, I did finish it. Needed lotsa fluff-reads after to get rid of the confusion in my head.

Three Cups of Tea One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time is one book that I was disappointed in. I'd heard such great things about it and I'm fascinated by the region (I lived in Central Asia for 5 yrs) but the book was more a long congratulatory (sp?) article on Greg Mortenson than a portrait of the culture. Maybe if I'd have had different expectations I might've liked it more. As for Beloved, I haven't read it since high school, but I loved it at the time. Made me go and track down more Toni Morrison for sure!

A Confederacy of Dunces.
There are no redeeming qualities to this book.

It has words in it, doesn't it...? ; )

looks like Virginia Wolf is a winner (or loser) in this category. i hated Mrs. Dalloway with such a passion. i couldn't finish it. i flat didn't bother to read the other book of hers assigned to us that semester...something about a lighthouse?

i also couldn't get through A Tale of Two Cities, The Almost Moon, Things Come Undone, and anything by Jack London.

You mean "She's Come Undone"? I wasn't a big fan of that one, but I didn't hate it.

I did enjoy "A Tale of Two Cities" though.

Oh, i must agree about Jack London and the tale of two cities(I am reading it now). I left unfinished also The sense and sensability, though I am a fun of Jane Austen. I was very disappointed about Angela's Ashes ( I read only some pages of the beginning, but the cover and everything about the book was so dipressing, that I give it back to the library).Now I try to read THE HOST, but... it is not what I expected. Who can tell me, is it going to become interesting?

Becky wrote: "You mean "She's Come Undone"? I wasn't a big fan of that one, but I didn't hate it.

I did enjoy "A Tale of Two Cities" though. "

ha, actually no. i blend the titles of two books. i meant Things Fall Apart, from Chinua Achebe. haven't done the Wally Lamb one yet.

'Brideshead Revisited' by Evelyn Waugh, I have seen so many people put 5 stars next to this one but I hated it! It was so bring, I just kept asking myself 'what's the point?',

Kataklicik wrote: "Catch-22

Worst book ever. And yes, I did finish it. Needed lotsa fluff-reads after to get rid of the confusion in my head. "

Mine too. and I couldnt finish it. I read the same 40 pages over and over and then chucked it! ugh!

Jamie wrote: "She's Come Undone - How many awful things can happen to one person before it stops being interest..."


I agree with that! I disliked Wally Lamb's other books as well.

I would also add:
A Million Little Pieces (a piece of trash)
American Psycho
Memoirs of a Geisha*
Great Expectations*
Atonement*

* = I finished these ... I suppose they weren't trash but I was sorely disappointed based on my expectations.

I second The Almost Moon, that's definitely my worst book ever. I finished it only for a book club, but was muttering to myself how stupid it was the whole time.

Christina wrote: "Jamie wrote: "She's Come Undone - How many awful things can happen to one person before it stops..."

Atonement is one of my all time fave books; of course to each his own. ;) I read it though having no expectations at all; I'd never heard of it when I picked it up. Did you see the movie by any chance?

Maria wrote: "Becky wrote: "You mean "She's Come Undone"? I wasn't a big fan of that one, but I didn't hate it.

I did enjoy "A Tale of Two Cities" though. "

ha, actually no. i blend the titles of two book..."

I also am not a fan of Things Fall Apart. I had to read it a few times, but it just really pissed me off. ^_^

Knarik wrote: "Oh, i must agree about Jack London and the tale of two cities(I am reading it now). I left unfinished also The sense and sensability, though I am a fun of Jane Austen. I was very disappointed about..."

No, it doesn't seem like The Host gets much better. That was one that I didn't finish as well.

Smashed Story of a Drunken Girlhood and Push A Novel are the absolute WORST I've ever come across so far.

Christina wrote: "Jamie wrote: "She's Come Undone - How many awful things can happen to one person before it stops..."

Oh! I loved all of Lamb's books and Memoirs of a Geisha too but I 100% agree with A Million Little Pieces- utter garbage.

Here's another- http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60...
I feel bad this guy has his picture for the world to see on it. I'm not sure it gets worse than this one.

Christina wrote: "... I would also add:
A Million Little Pieces (a piece of trash)
American Psycho
Memoirs of a Geisha*
Great Expectations*
Atonement* ..."

Haven't read the others, but I loved Great Expectations... although I didn't like it the first time round in high school. I have to be in the right time and place to enjoy some books.

Eva: don't know if I'll ever be in the right time or place for that one...

Hayes wrote: "Christina wrote: "... I would also add:
A Million Little Pieces (a piece of trash)
American Psycho
Memoirs of a Geisha*
Great Expectations*
Atonement* ..."

Haven't read the others, bu..."

The Army one right? Hahahaha...the guy contacted me on MySpace and offered to send me a copy. I said yes and immediately regreted it! LOL

Great review of "Mayhem" Eva! And I'm SO glad someone put A Million Little Pieces up...I STILL can't believe I wasted time on that piece of garbage. Ugh. I need a shower just thinking about it.

Hayes wrote: "Christina wrote: "... I would also add:
A Million Little Pieces (a piece of trash)
American Psycho
Memoirs of a Geisha*
Great Expectations*
Atonement* ..."

Haven't read the others, bu..."
Hayes, my parents are both acadmeics and they said that most people would probably read A Million Little Pieces just thinking it was absolutely ridiculous. My dad worked at Denison where James Frey went at the time the scandal came out, so I want to read it to see what erreneous claims this man has made about the town I lived in for 7 years.

Thanks April! I hate it when I see or hear someone say that if they had read it as a fiction novel it would have been fine because even then it wouldn't have. I read it before the whole truth came out and I told everyone around me there wasn't an ounce of truth to it. He knew so very little about drugs and drug abuse I'd be surprised if he ever touched one or even knew anyone who touched one.
Only people who know absolutely NOTHING about drugs would think his words were true. It was laughable that it got so many good reviews.
I've seen reviews that said (in essence) "thank God for this book- now I know what my husband, wife, child, sister, etc. is going through!' or 'I know nothing about drugs and addicts but this is a very truthful look into the life of a drug addict.'
Um, huh? How can you admit you know nothing about drugs and then call a "memoir" about drugs honest in the same sentence>? I wanted to scream- don't believe everything you read people!! LOL

Liz wrote: "Hayes wrote: "Christina wrote: "... I would also add:
A Million Little Pieces (a piece of trash)
American Psycho
Memoirs of a Geisha*
Great Expectations*
Atonement* ..."

I agree with your parents 100% Liz. The majority of people knew right away what a load of garbage this is. Common sense tells you he's lying when reading the book. Ugh....I just want to forget I ever opened it.

I'm glad to see that so many people agree ... MAYBE if it was published as fiction would I have forgiven all its inadequacies, although even then it would have been poorly written and unbelievable. I got about 50-70 pages in, realized what crap it was, looked ahead to see if I would be missing anything and came across the ridiculous "gang-rape" scene. I never regretted putting the book down, only regretting picking it up in the first place.

I feel I have to get this off my chest! The Birthing Houseis the worst book I have ever read, and judging by the number of '1 stars' on GoodReads, I'm not alone! The 'blurb' promises so much, but it was just a huge pile of badly written tripe! There, I feel better now :)

Re The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - I think for me it just didn't live up the hype around it, and I found the whole sitting at the fence of a concentration camp thing totally unbelievable. But it was, for me, an interesting read nonetheless.

Oh, and I loved Memoirs of a Geisha! lol - but what a boring place the world would be if we all liked the same things!

I agree with the Almost Moon too - I couldn't finish it, it was awful, but I have enjoyed Sebold's other books.

Christina wrote: "I'm glad to see that so many people agree ... MAYBE if it was published as fiction would I have forgiven all its inadequacies, although even then it would have been poorly written and unbelievable...."

Well, you were smarter than me because I finished it! LOL At the time I read that I was still very bad st not finishing a book, no matter how horrible it was. It's still difficult for me to do but with work I can usually manage it now. :)

SuzieR wrote: "I feel I have to get this off my chest! The Birthing Houseis the worst book I ..."


I've heard so many people say The Almost Moon was no good and I'm surprised. I haven't read it yet (am planning to for this challenge actually) but I have read
The Lovely Bones and Lucky and I liked them both. I liked TLB a lot actually and thought Lucky was about average if I remember correctly.
But I've heard so many people say this about TAM that it'll be interesting to read it to see how I feel about it.

Liz wrote: "Knarik wrote: "Oh, i must agree about Jack London and the tale of two cities(I am reading it now). I left unfinished also The sense and sensability, though I am a fun of Jane Austen. I was very disappointed about..."

No, it doesn't seem like The Host gets much better. That was one that I didn't finish as well. "

I really liked The Host. It was pretty slow for a WHILE, but it got quite quite good at the end, I thought.

I really liked Memoirs of a Geisha. He did pretty thorough research on it at least.

My worst ones would be:

Bastard Out of Carolina (I hated the mother and I thought she was totally unrealistic at the end, even for a doormat.)

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox (Not too horrible but the writing wasn't very good, in my opinion and the end was too abrupt)

I've read Predator by Patricia Cornwell and it turned me off on the whole Kay Scarpetta series

Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

Forgot about this one: Women of the Pleasure Quarters by Lesley Downer.

A Tale of Two Cities
Lord of the Flies
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
The Road

I totally agree with Lord of the Flies. That one is on my list of worst books ever as well.

Ditto on Lord of the Flies. Gick.

I could not stand Jane Eyre or Tess of D'Urbervilles
I don't like that period of British writing in general. All the ridiculous coincidences drive me nuts.

But obviously worst book ever is personal taste, since several people have chosen one of my top books - Lord of the Flies. Might not be a fun read but I think its informative about human nature.

Oh, and I also loved Catch-22 . My brother who is not a big reader re-reads that one ALL the time, he loves it.

Manday wrote: "I could not stand Jane Eyre or Tess of D'Urbervilles
I don't like that period of British writing in general. All the ridiculous coincidences drive me nuts."

The Gothic tragedy stuff? Yeah... NOT my cup of tea. I hated Jane Eyre, too. Now I know to avoid Tess as well.

But I lurrrvvvved Lord Of the Flies...!!

My least favorite books of all time are:
Lord of the Flies
To Kill a Mockingbird
Animal Farm
Hey, look at that, all of my least favorite books have an animal in the title... there are others that I dislike, but they don't have animals in the title so I will leave them off for now... I finished all of these books, but I hated them every step (page) of the way!

Kathryn, I can't tell you how much I appreciate that, as TKAM gets so much hype, whereas I thought it was slightly overrated.