Bless you for seemingly living a life where “whining for survival” or realizing that vices corrupt one’s soul are not enriching experiences. Sometimes a book is what you make of it, but the more power to you for seeking the entertainment you need! I often find growth in the discomfort a book puts me through.
I've enjoyed watching a couple of your videos (I came to this after watching the Dickens and Austen ranking videos), but I'm curious about one thing that you said: what makes you conclude that Oscar Wilde was a "really, really bad guy"?
Thanks! I answered the same question in another comment, but basically Wilde cheated on his wife with multiple of his male friends and prostitutes, as well as seducing teenage boys. He definitely did have a gift with language though.
Gulliver’s Travels is a misanthropic satire - The title character ends up being the object of the satire. As for coarse, Swift wrote an essay suggesting that hunger and overpopulation can be relieved by people eating their kids. Just curious, ever read Lolita?
I Kinda understand that feeling about dislike a classical/influential book, in my country there's a book very praised as if not the best book in our language one of the best, and I personally don't like the story and the characters, the author sure has some good points but overall i dislike the book, oh yes the book is Dom Casmurro of Machado de Assis, i don't know if there's a good translation of it but i remember seeing some people talking about it out there so yeah
He not only cheated on his wife, engaging in sexual actions with other men, (personal friends and male prostitutes), but he preyed on and seduced underaged boys. His offenses were not things that were only considered wrong by the courts because of the time period, as some people suggest these days, but crimes that still would be, and should be, prosecuted today.
@@RelishBooks Umm, OK, umm, I accept this. Umm, I can't umm, listen to this though. Umm, you might try to, umm, go to Toastmasters to, umm, stop saying, umm, umm. Toastmasters helps people stop using these bridge words that some people find irritating.
I'm with you on George Eliot. Her tone is very condescending. I've gotta be honest... I wonder why people like reading her books? Do they enjoy that feeling of being condescended to? Or I guess they put themselves in the authors shoes and enjoy condescending over the characters. 😂 I read Silas Marner and loved the story itself but found the tone of the narrative really off-putting. I do love Mark Twain, including the ones you mentioned. He's so stinking funny, but behind all the humor is important observations on humanity and American culture. My boys both read Robinson Crusoe for sixth grade literature, and while they read it, they hated it. But strangely, they both now look back at it fondly and say it was a great book. 🤷♀️
What you’re mistaking for condescension is being humane. In Middlemarch, she knows everything about every character and sympathizes with everyone. There are no outright villains. Virginia Woolf called it the first English novel written for grownups. She’s also an intellectual in a way other English novelists were not and brought that quality as well. If she’s condescending what would you call Thackeray who basically gossips about his characters in Vanity Fair.
Glad to find someone who agrees with me on George Eliot!! I know this is not the case with all of them, but some of her fans definitely share the trait of condescension. I feel like she's loved by people who like to feel smart. But I can't stand it when an author talks down to their readers, even if they claim to be oh so objective. I can get that Mark Twain would be amazing if you liked his humor, I guess some of his work is just not to my personal taste.
Gulliver's Travels contains a lot of political and societal satire that goes over the heads of modern readers not intimately familiar with Swift's time. It's really not a traditional narrative fiction novel in the generally accepted and expected way people assume today. Without being a part of that society we can really only read it as a sort of historical artifact. I can understand not liking it, or Middlemarch (what a dreadfully boring slog), but all the other books are genuinely great. To say that Frankenstein is poorly written or just an exploration of the dark is simply incorrect, it's not a matter of opinion.
Middlemarch is so humane and beautiful. She wanted to show that even small provincial villages can still have people worthy of minute attention. You just have to become accustomed to Eliot's pacing. It does not march, it unfolds.
@@RelishBooks I loved the count of mc and I would really only recommend the musketeers books for people who did also and also enjoy reading for the mental exercise. There’s a million long French names to remember and royal court type gossip and intrigue to keep track of with no real grand finales. And also the main characters are not even really likable as people lol. If you weren’t into the count of mc I’d say you probably shouldn’t bother with the musketeers books. I would however recommend The Scarlett Pimpernel as a shorter and faster paced adventure book with a great ending. Enjoy your reading 👍🏻
@@RelishBooks cool. Le Mis? Must have. That’s another one of my favorites too. Couldn’t make it too far into the Hunchback though. I wonder what your issue was with Count of MC. I also read a lot of nonfiction and history and always recommend one book that I feel is world changing, “Demonic Males; apes and the origins of human violence” by Richard Wrangham and Dale Peterson. For those who dare….
@@madlynx1818 Les Misérables is amazing. :) Nonfiction is a genre I rarely enjoy, but there are exceptions, like The Zookeeper's Wife and The Peregrine. I have a video talking about several of my problems with Count of Monte Cristo. I go back and forth on how much I like it because there are elements that I do appreciate, but I think it's overwritten and the characters aren't great. Plus I don't like the ending.
You are not a very deep thinker. You are not articulate. What criteria do you even set for books? Did you really read the entire books or just listen as an audiobook and search for a summary?
No, I think people should read whatever they want how ever they want. All I’m saying is your comment is condescending. Who cares about exercise if people don’t enjoy it. It perfectly fine to dislike a classic to just dislike it.
Bless you for seemingly living a life where “whining for survival” or realizing that vices corrupt one’s soul are not enriching experiences. Sometimes a book is what you make of it, but the more power to you for seeking the entertainment you need! I often find growth in the discomfort a book puts me through.
I've enjoyed watching a couple of your videos (I came to this after watching the Dickens and Austen ranking videos), but I'm curious about one thing that you said: what makes you conclude that Oscar Wilde was a "really, really bad guy"?
Thanks!
I answered the same question in another comment, but basically Wilde cheated on his wife with multiple of his male friends and prostitutes, as well as seducing teenage boys. He definitely did have a gift with language though.
Gulliver’s Travels is a misanthropic satire - The title character ends up being the object of the satire. As for coarse, Swift wrote an essay suggesting that hunger and overpopulation can be relieved by people eating their kids.
Just curious, ever read Lolita?
This was fascinating. I disagree with most everything you say here, but it was delightful nonetheless. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you! I love it when people can disagree in a kind way. ☺
Here before the Middlemarch army 🪖 comes 😂
I Kinda understand that feeling about dislike a classical/influential book, in my country there's a book very praised as if not the best book in our language one of the best, and I personally don't like the story and the characters, the author sure has some good points but overall i dislike the book, oh yes the book is Dom Casmurro of Machado de Assis, i don't know if there's a good translation of it but i remember seeing some people talking about it out there so yeah
❤
I'm confused, maybe I just don't know history that well but what made Oscar Wilde a REALLY bad guy??
I'm guessing it was because he cheated on his wife?
So did Dickens.
He not only cheated on his wife, engaging in sexual actions with other men, (personal friends and male prostitutes), but he preyed on and seduced underaged boys. His offenses were not things that were only considered wrong by the courts because of the time period, as some people suggest these days, but crimes that still would be, and should be, prosecuted today.
@@RelishBooks Umm, OK, umm, I accept this. Umm, I can't umm, listen to this though. Umm, you might try to, umm, go to Toastmasters to, umm, stop saying, umm, umm. Toastmasters helps people stop using these bridge words that some people find irritating.
@@juliehughes1258 Um thanks 🙃
I'm with you on George Eliot. Her tone is very condescending. I've gotta be honest... I wonder why people like reading her books? Do they enjoy that feeling of being condescended to? Or I guess they put themselves in the authors shoes and enjoy condescending over the characters. 😂 I read Silas Marner and loved the story itself but found the tone of the narrative really off-putting. I do love Mark Twain, including the ones you mentioned. He's so stinking funny, but behind all the humor is important observations on humanity and American culture. My boys both read Robinson Crusoe for sixth grade literature, and while they read it, they hated it. But strangely, they both now look back at it fondly and say it was a great book. 🤷♀️
What you’re mistaking for condescension is being humane. In Middlemarch, she knows everything about every character and sympathizes with everyone. There are no outright villains. Virginia Woolf called it the first English novel written for grownups. She’s also an intellectual in a way other English novelists were not and brought that quality as well. If she’s condescending what would you call Thackeray who basically gossips about his characters in Vanity Fair.
Read Romola, Daniel Deronda, or Felix Holt The Radical, and report back.
Glad to find someone who agrees with me on George Eliot!! I know this is not the case with all of them, but some of her fans definitely share the trait of condescension. I feel like she's loved by people who like to feel smart. But I can't stand it when an author talks down to their readers, even if they claim to be oh so objective.
I can get that Mark Twain would be amazing if you liked his humor, I guess some of his work is just not to my personal taste.
George Eliot's a woman?!
@@JDoe-gf5oz yep!
Gulliver's Travels contains a lot of political and societal satire that goes over the heads of modern readers not intimately familiar with Swift's time. It's really not a traditional narrative fiction novel in the generally accepted and expected way people assume today. Without being a part of that society we can really only read it as a sort of historical artifact.
I can understand not liking it, or Middlemarch (what a dreadfully boring slog), but all the other books are genuinely great. To say that Frankenstein is poorly written or just an exploration of the dark is simply incorrect, it's not a matter of opinion.
Well I can respect that. It's your opinion.
Middlemarch is so humane and beautiful. She wanted to show that even small provincial villages can still have people worthy of minute attention. You just have to become accustomed to Eliot's pacing. It does not march, it unfolds.
Frankenstein was so lame. Ever read any Dumas, Count of MC, Musketeers?
I have read The Count of Monte Cristo. I have pretty mixed feelings on it. The Three Musketeers is on my list to read this year.
@@RelishBooks I loved the count of mc and I would really only recommend the musketeers books for people who did also and also enjoy reading for the mental exercise. There’s a million long French names to remember and royal court type gossip and intrigue to keep track of with no real grand finales. And also the main characters are not even really likable as people lol. If you weren’t into the count of mc I’d say you probably shouldn’t bother with the musketeers books. I would however recommend The Scarlett Pimpernel as a shorter and faster paced adventure book with a great ending. Enjoy your reading 👍🏻
@@madlynx1818 I love the Scarlett Pimpernel! One of my favorites. :)
@@RelishBooks cool. Le Mis? Must have. That’s another one of my favorites too. Couldn’t make it too far into the Hunchback though. I wonder what your issue was with Count of MC. I also read a lot of nonfiction and history and always recommend one book that I feel is world changing, “Demonic Males; apes and the origins of human violence” by Richard Wrangham and Dale Peterson. For those who dare….
@@madlynx1818 Les Misérables is amazing. :) Nonfiction is a genre I rarely enjoy, but there are exceptions, like The Zookeeper's Wife and The Peregrine.
I have a video talking about several of my problems with Count of Monte Cristo. I go back and forth on how much I like it because there are elements that I do appreciate, but I think it's overwritten and the characters aren't great. Plus I don't like the ending.
You are not a very deep thinker. You are not articulate. What criteria do you even set for books? Did you really read the entire books or just listen as an audiobook and search for a summary?
Man, why are you out here writing shit like this? She's a human being.
You must be fun at parties. “Look at me I’m so so smart.”
@@virgo2282 Literature is an intellectual exercise. Are you really going to downplay the importance of intelligence when reviewing literature?
@@virgo2282 Did you even read the booksw?
No, I think people should read whatever they want how ever they want. All I’m saying is your comment is condescending. Who cares about exercise if people don’t enjoy it. It perfectly fine to dislike a classic to just dislike it.