Note from me: I thought I start doing some general book discussion pieces to break up the book review posts. I hope you enjoy them and I welcome any feedback or joint discussions. My aim is to just discuss broader topics to do with books, my feelings regarding reading, and open up discussions with booky people. Please enjoy.
The other day I was having a lovely chat to a booky friend and the topic of Jane Austen came up. My friend nattered away happily about the wonders of Jane Austen, while I sat their quietly going "mmm hmmm" and acted like I knew what the heck she was talking about. Because I have a confession, I have never read a single Jane Austen novel. Not ever. In fact I can barely tolerate watching movies based on a Jane novel book. I think the only one I can safely say I enjoyed was the 90's movie Clueless. Thank goodness though Jane Austen references are EVERYWHERE so I didn't look completely clueless about what my friend was chatting about.
It got me thinking though, what books have people not read or have no desire to read? We all have them. I am sure if you are a booky person and talk with your booky friends at some point you have had the "I would never read that book because..." conversation. I have noticed though if you confess to not liking a book that that the rest of the world seems to like people seem to think you are weird. Why is it ok to say "I don't like trashy novels" but not ok to say "I don't like Jane Austen"? While I will not dismiss a book just because of the genre it falls in, there are some genres I generally don't like, or tend to steer clear of.
But that is a conversation for another day. I thought I would confess my book reading no go's. So here are some of my no no book reads (I have lumped them in to categories because listing them would be kind of boring)
Classics
Pretty much anything written before 1980 and not a children's book, fails to make me even remotely interested in it. I have made numerous attempts over the years to try reading any classics, most recently "The Hobbit" and "Madame Bovary" but I was lucky to make it to the end of chapter one. The language is boring and for me difficult. I loose interest fast. I really have no desire to read any classics. Most have been made into movies anyway so I will just watch the movie.
Modern Blockbuster
This is a grayish category for me. A lot of the books that become massive international hits are just not my cup of tea and if I do give in and read it I am usually disappointed. Occasionally I do love a book that the rest of the world likes but not often (For instance The Time Travellers Wife, or Hunger Games Trilogy click on the hyperlink to see my review). Having learned from past experience though, I haven't even bothered to try and read it. Like "Twilight". Haven't read it, don't want to, even the fist movie put me to sleep. "The Davinci Code" I tried it and it bored me to tears. "50 Shades of Grey" Not going to read it, not interested, so stop asking if I am going to read it.
Literary Books
This genre generally bores me. Very rarely I read one I like, and I will confess that when I find this rare book I do like, such as The Guernsey Potato Peel Pie Society I am usually blown away by how good it is. But most of my attempts to read literary books end in an epic failure. My last attempt which was The Idea of Perfection by Kate Granville, and I couldn't even make to 50 pages. However as I do occasionally like a literary book I do still keep trying with this section.
Hope you liked my first discussion post. Feel free to share any books you just wont read or are not interested in reading.
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