Thanks for doing this! My least favourite Classic is The Catcher in the Rye. It put my teeth on edge and I had to force my way through it. John Steinbeck isn't my cuppa, either. But it's a good thing we all like different stuff!
Great review! I'm on board with a lot of these (haven't read the Machen, Christopher, or Collins entries), and for similar reasons. I think of these, Lovecraft is my favorite, but I'd been warmed to his style by his short stories. (I don't mind the form and think it's actually better suited for Lovecraft.) I actually think TotS is James's *best* work, and your issues with his prose will only be more pronounced in his other offerings. Great video and great channel!
Wilkie Collins is very hit and miss as an author so he’s worth giving a few tries as his books vary a lot. The Woman in White, Armadale, and Man and Wife are well worth a read, too, if you liked The Moonstone. Man and Wife is probably the most pacy.
I have The Woman in White so it's definitely one I'll get to at some point soon. Haven't heard of Man and Wife so thank you for putting that on my radar :)
Took me forever and audio and print to get thru David Copperfield. I did end up liking it but too much time spent. I decided if I was going to spend that much time with a book I have to be enjoying it by page 500. My favorite classics are mostly Russian, even with the name confusion, they can be difficult and long but stories within stories. currently reading The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdock and loving it, not even sure why I picked it up but so glad I did. Loved the video.
I am having a hard time reading Emma too. Maybe it is cause i spolied it by watching the movie or maybe it's just a bit boring. I love austen but even the dramatic scenes are a bit dull to me.
I honestly found it so dull! Which is a shame because I loved Northhanger Abbey and enjoyed Persuasion. It's like every time I try one of her books I have a worse experience. Hopefully this trend doesnt continue!
I felt the exact same way about "The Catcher in the Rye " when I read it as a teenager, in fact I think I dnfed it.the first time. I reread it as an adult and enjoyed it a lot more, as I felt more sorry for him. I think it's a better book once you're no longer the same age as the character😂
You’ll never guess what I finished tonight - At the Mountains of Madness. I agree with you 100%! And the minutia and farcical inferring from the etchings in the structures 🙄. I made an effort to read some of his titles this year so I would understand any references. I can say that The Color Out of Space and The Dunwich Horror were MUCH better. Enjoyed those very much!
I've read a lot of Austen. I love almost all of her works, but I had the opposite experience. I loved Emma and had such a hard time with Northanger Abbey. Catherine Morland made me cringe so badly because she spends so much time letting other people sway her opinion and decision-making. I DNF-ed it twice before listening to the audiobook at 1.5x to get through it. I can understand why people like it, but it was not for me. I love Dickens, but he's not for everyone. Not hate for anyone who doesn't like his works. You either love him or hate him. A Tale of Two Cities has taken over as my favorite of his since I read it last year. Sydney Carton is the hero we needed but did not deserve.
It’s so funny how we’ve had such polar opposite experiences. I think that’s why I love reading so much, people have such different views and even the same person at different points in their life will respond to books in a completely different way. I have a tale of two cities so maybe I’ll try and do it next year as part of my yearly classics TBRs
@@ACupOfBooks I've always been interested in how two people can have such different reactions to the same media. It could be the presentation or style of the media. I think, in some situations, a lot of it is personality and/or life experiences. For example, I have a visceral hatred for Wuthering Heights. I lived with someone who reminds me a lot of Heathcliff in that any slight, or perceived slight, has to be repaid ten times over. Because of that lived experience, I had a very different reaction to the book than most. I finished the book, but I hated every minute of it. I sometimes wonder what my reaction to that book would have been if I hadn't had that life experience. Would I have still hated it? Would I have loved it? Would I have just been apathetic about it? I find that sort of "what if" interesting when I read a book and have such a strong reaction to it, good or bad.
I see you have Black Wave by Kim Ghattas on your shelf, have you read it? I listened to her on a podcast where she spoke about growing up in Lebanon during the civil war and it was just wild. She’s very well spoken so I thought about picking up her book, my only hesitation is that it’s pretty modern history for my taste
I haven’t yet. Behind me is my to be read shelf. I’m going to get to it this year though because it’s in my around the world in 12 non fiction challenge. I get what you mean about too modern. I’m trying to read more modern stuff though.
I hated Catcher in the Rye too but I haven’t read it since high school. Since I started reading again the classic I’ve liked the least was King Solomon’s Mines by H Rider Haggard
@@ACupOfBooks it’s an adventure story largely credited with being the first to create tropes seen in movies like Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider. I could see where the inspiration came from but it’s only in like two chapters and the rest was an irrelevant side quest
@@joshadams1551 Irrevelant side quest is a hilarious way of describing part of a book and I know exactly what you mean by it! Hmmm one to avoid for me then.
@@ACupOfBooks I think it is also his books that are as you say marmite. Some are good and others not so. Nicholas Nickleby.... Perhaps because I am a chap.
Love your honesty❤. If im tuning out or distracted I think its time to dnf and move on too📚📖
Yeah definitely time to walk away when you’re tuning the book out. I’m always happy to DNF a vook
Thanks for doing this! My least favourite Classic is The Catcher in the Rye. It put my teeth on edge and I had to force my way through it. John Steinbeck isn't my cuppa, either. But it's a good thing we all like different stuff!
I haven’t tried Steinbeck yet. Distinctly lacking in the American classics department. I wonder what I’ll think to him once I finally get to him.
@@ACupOfBooks When you do, hopefully we'll hear your thoughts! Some really like him.
Great review! I'm on board with a lot of these (haven't read the Machen, Christopher, or Collins entries), and for similar reasons. I think of these, Lovecraft is my favorite, but I'd been warmed to his style by his short stories. (I don't mind the form and think it's actually better suited for Lovecraft.) I actually think TotS is James's *best* work, and your issues with his prose will only be more pronounced in his other offerings. Great video and great channel!
Oh that’s helpful to know about Henry James! Maybe I’ll put off his other work for a while longer. Glad you enjoyed the video 🥰
The Catcher in the Rye is one of the most consistently entertaining books ever written which stands the test of re-re-reading perfectly.
I’m glad you enjoyed it. It didn’t work for me
Wilkie Collins is very hit and miss as an author so he’s worth giving a few tries as his books vary a lot. The Woman in White, Armadale, and Man and Wife are well worth a read, too, if you liked The Moonstone. Man and Wife is probably the most pacy.
I have The Woman in White so it's definitely one I'll get to at some point soon. Haven't heard of Man and Wife so thank you for putting that on my radar :)
Took me forever and audio and print to get thru David Copperfield. I did end up liking it but too much time spent. I decided if I was going to spend that much time with a book I have to be enjoying it by page 500. My favorite classics are mostly Russian, even with the name confusion, they can be difficult and long but stories within stories. currently reading The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdock and loving it, not even sure why I picked it up but so glad I did. Loved the video.
Yeah Russian stories the names are the hardest part I feel! Well done for getting that far through David Copperfield!
I am having a hard time reading Emma too. Maybe it is cause i spolied it by watching the movie or maybe it's just a bit boring. I love austen but even the dramatic scenes are a bit dull to me.
I honestly found it so dull! Which is a shame because I loved Northhanger Abbey and enjoyed Persuasion. It's like every time I try one of her books I have a worse experience. Hopefully this trend doesnt continue!
I felt the exact same way about "The Catcher in the Rye " when I read it as a teenager, in fact I think I dnfed it.the first time. I reread it as an adult and enjoyed it a lot more, as I felt more sorry for him. I think it's a better book once you're no longer the same age as the character😂
That’s fair. Although given I find teenagers quite annoying right now so maybe I’ll still dislike the narrator
Classics I didn't enjoy - Frankenstein, The Great Gatsby and The Haunting of Hill House
Oh I liked Frankenstein and the haunting of hill house. I’ve yet to do The Great Gatsby. One day maybe
Your accent is lovely even with roasting books❤❤❤
Thank you
You’ll never guess what I finished tonight - At the Mountains of Madness. I agree with you 100%! And the minutia and farcical inferring from the etchings in the structures 🙄. I made an effort to read some of his titles this year so I would understand any references. I can say that The Color Out of Space and The Dunwich Horror were MUCH better. Enjoyed those very much!
Oh what a weird coincidence! Hmmm thank you for the advice for him. Maybe I’ll try him again.
I've read a lot of Austen. I love almost all of her works, but I had the opposite experience. I loved Emma and had such a hard time with Northanger Abbey. Catherine Morland made me cringe so badly because she spends so much time letting other people sway her opinion and decision-making. I DNF-ed it twice before listening to the audiobook at 1.5x to get through it. I can understand why people like it, but it was not for me.
I love Dickens, but he's not for everyone. Not hate for anyone who doesn't like his works. You either love him or hate him. A Tale of Two Cities has taken over as my favorite of his since I read it last year. Sydney Carton is the hero we needed but did not deserve.
It’s so funny how we’ve had such polar opposite experiences. I think that’s why I love reading so much, people have such different views and even the same person at different points in their life will respond to books in a completely different way. I have a tale of two cities so maybe I’ll try and do it next year as part of my yearly classics TBRs
@@ACupOfBooks I've always been interested in how two people can have such different reactions to the same media. It could be the presentation or style of the media. I think, in some situations, a lot of it is personality and/or life experiences.
For example, I have a visceral hatred for Wuthering Heights. I lived with someone who reminds me a lot of Heathcliff in that any slight, or perceived slight, has to be repaid ten times over. Because of that lived experience, I had a very different reaction to the book than most. I finished the book, but I hated every minute of it.
I sometimes wonder what my reaction to that book would have been if I hadn't had that life experience. Would I have still hated it? Would I have loved it? Would I have just been apathetic about it? I find that sort of "what if" interesting when I read a book and have such a strong reaction to it, good or bad.
Mill on the Floss and Adam Bede. Impenetrable!!
I’ll watch out for them when I eventually get to them via collecting all the penguin English library classics.
I see you have Black Wave by Kim Ghattas on your shelf, have you read it? I listened to her on a podcast where she spoke about growing up in Lebanon during the civil war and it was just wild. She’s very well spoken so I thought about picking up her book, my only hesitation is that it’s pretty modern history for my taste
I haven’t yet. Behind me is my to be read shelf. I’m going to get to it this year though because it’s in my around the world in 12 non fiction challenge. I get what you mean about too modern. I’m trying to read more modern stuff though.
I hated Catcher in the Rye too but I haven’t read it since high school. Since I started reading again the classic I’ve liked the least was King Solomon’s Mines by H Rider Haggard
Oh not even heard of that one!
@@ACupOfBooks it’s an adventure story largely credited with being the first to create tropes seen in movies like Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider. I could see where the inspiration came from but it’s only in like two chapters and the rest was an irrelevant side quest
@@joshadams1551 Irrevelant side quest is a hilarious way of describing part of a book and I know exactly what you mean by it! Hmmm one to avoid for me then.
Your offense to sharring the name with the book you did not enjoy😂😂😂😂. I get it. If “Cathy” was not riveting to me I would call it out too😅
So insulted. How dare Austen!
@@ACupOfBooks 😆😆😆
Nicholas Nickleby.....
Dickens is a very marmite author.
@@ACupOfBooks I think it is also his books that are as you say marmite. Some are good and others not so. Nicholas Nickleby.... Perhaps because I am a chap.