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Books you never expected to like
- Thread starter Violanthe
- Start date
Anamnesis
Active Member
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris. I had no idea what to buy so I just randomly grabbed this one off the shelf. I briefly wanted to return it, but never got around to doing so. As a result Sedaris has become one of my favorite authors.
Can't really think of anything else. I'm sure there's plenty of books that have surprised me...
Can't really think of anything else. I'm sure there's plenty of books that have surprised me...
I read The Devil in the White City (Erik Larson) because I wanted to join the book discussion group at our local library and that was the book they were reading. The cover looked interesting but I was never one to read non-fiction and I always hated history in school. Well, I ended up LOVING that book and I recommend it to everyone. It was so well written and the story was so interesting that I never once thought of Sister Margaret Rose (my high school history teacher).
jaynebosco
New Member
All Quiet on the Western Front. I had read the book for my senior English class back in high school and the teacher had managed to make me dread the book due to the stupid questions that he had forced us to answer and everybody in the class loathed the book as a result. About a year later, I was taking my first university history course and my prof wanted us to read it due to the fact that we were studying Europe during the First World War and for whatever the reason being, I actually liked the book, even though the book was for a class assignment.
I think why actually got to liking the book was that (a) I had already read the book, so I knew what to expect and could grasp on the nauances of the novel, especially the historical ones and (b) I was allowed to enjoy the book rather than look for answers to some pre-determined questions set out by my English teacher. What surprised me was the pure humanity of the novel and how perceptions of who the enemy really is during a time of war/conflict/battle can be the opposite of what we think they were. I like how the German soliders were shown to be equally as human as any of the Allied soliders were during that period in time, especially when they were made to be the enemy.
While I haven't read the book in almost 8 years, the book still resonates with me and I hope to one day pick up the book and re-read the book.
I think why actually got to liking the book was that (a) I had already read the book, so I knew what to expect and could grasp on the nauances of the novel, especially the historical ones and (b) I was allowed to enjoy the book rather than look for answers to some pre-determined questions set out by my English teacher. What surprised me was the pure humanity of the novel and how perceptions of who the enemy really is during a time of war/conflict/battle can be the opposite of what we think they were. I like how the German soliders were shown to be equally as human as any of the Allied soliders were during that period in time, especially when they were made to be the enemy.
While I haven't read the book in almost 8 years, the book still resonates with me and I hope to one day pick up the book and re-read the book.
Heteronym
New Member
Wuthering Heights: I'm prejudiced against 19th century fiction general, especially Victorian, humourless tripe (i.e. Charles Dickens). But I had to read it for my English Literature class in college, and ended up loving it. Heathcliff was the clincher, of course.
Dostoevsky: I never expected to like him; again, 19th century prejudice. Only Mr. Dostoevsky writes almost like a 20th century writer, he has great dark humour, and I love his philosophical ideas. Devils disappointed me a bit, but after reading about that book's genesis I understood why some parts were uneven. Otherwise, I've enjoyed everythig I've read so far.
José Saramago: another type of prejudice, against Portuguese literature now, which is usually boring! Add to it the fact Saramago has a pretty uncommon writing style; I would just give up after a few pages. Don't really know why I started reading it, I just did. One day I was in the doctor's waiting room, waiting for my mom; and I was holding Seeing for her; I began reading it and it suddenly didn't seem off-putting anymore. I read the first chapter but it still took me a few weeks before I decided to actually read a full Saramago novel. It was The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis. Since then I've loved his work. This was probably in 2004. I finally read Seeing this year
Dostoevsky: I never expected to like him; again, 19th century prejudice. Only Mr. Dostoevsky writes almost like a 20th century writer, he has great dark humour, and I love his philosophical ideas. Devils disappointed me a bit, but after reading about that book's genesis I understood why some parts were uneven. Otherwise, I've enjoyed everythig I've read so far.
José Saramago: another type of prejudice, against Portuguese literature now, which is usually boring! Add to it the fact Saramago has a pretty uncommon writing style; I would just give up after a few pages. Don't really know why I started reading it, I just did. One day I was in the doctor's waiting room, waiting for my mom; and I was holding Seeing for her; I began reading it and it suddenly didn't seem off-putting anymore. I read the first chapter but it still took me a few weeks before I decided to actually read a full Saramago novel. It was The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis. Since then I've loved his work. This was probably in 2004. I finally read Seeing this year
Ronny
Well-Known Member
Funny, that was the first bok that I thought of when I saw this thread. I read Devil in the White City by Erik Larson (for my book club) and A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson (for my brother inlaw that's a nonfiction only type guy) and loved them. I never would have picked them up otherwise but after reading them I have developed more interest in non-fiction.
Madeline
New Member
"The Ice Limit" by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
I had this book years before I thought about reading it. Heard it was a really good book but the map in the front and all the sailing done, I didn't think I would care for that type of reading.
I had finished a really good book by them so finally I decided to read it. It was one of the best books I've ever read and now I keep looking forward to their new ones.
I had this book years before I thought about reading it. Heard it was a really good book but the map in the front and all the sailing done, I didn't think I would care for that type of reading.
I had finished a really good book by them so finally I decided to read it. It was one of the best books I've ever read and now I keep looking forward to their new ones.
Since then I read Isaac's Storm (also by Erik Larson) and loved that, too. I recommend it to you...
Ronny
Well-Known Member
I bought a copy but have not had a chance to read it yet, maybe I'll bump it up my tbr list a bit
abecedarian
Well-Known Member
I resisted Lolita, thinking it was just another smutty book(said in my best Hermione Gringold imitation)..they say peer pressure is a bad thing, but in this case that's just a lie from the pit of hell..Once I took the plunge and got started, I understood what the hoopla was about.
Another book I didn't expect to like was Broken April by Ismail Kadare..its about blood feuds, for pete's sake..how depressing is that? In fact, I really didn't like it that much all the way through the book. Then as I thought about my feelings, I realized that the book's message was much more important than whether I liked it or not. It was more important that I see Kadare's message that the 'establishment' in Algeria was in the business of keeping this blood feud practice going to generate more revenue (since each person who killed someone had to pay a 'tax' to keep square with the law). While I didn't 'enjoy' the disturbing images Kadare used to tell his story, I found myself thinking them over afterwards. So now I'd have to say I really DID like the book for forcing me to think about an issue I was totally oblivious to previously.
Another book I didn't expect to like was Broken April by Ismail Kadare..its about blood feuds, for pete's sake..how depressing is that? In fact, I really didn't like it that much all the way through the book. Then as I thought about my feelings, I realized that the book's message was much more important than whether I liked it or not. It was more important that I see Kadare's message that the 'establishment' in Algeria was in the business of keeping this blood feud practice going to generate more revenue (since each person who killed someone had to pay a 'tax' to keep square with the law). While I didn't 'enjoy' the disturbing images Kadare used to tell his story, I found myself thinking them over afterwards. So now I'd have to say I really DID like the book for forcing me to think about an issue I was totally oblivious to previously.
"You People" and your Nabokov - am I really going to have to subject myself to reading this and feeling like an idiot AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!! 
Maybe I should download the audio book and listen to it at the gym - will that be good enough for "you people"?????
Speaking of audio books - anyone use NetLibrary - I am having trouble...
Maybe I should download the audio book and listen to it at the gym - will that be good enough for "you people"?????
Speaking of audio books - anyone use NetLibrary - I am having trouble...
abecedarian
Well-Known Member
"You People" and your Nabokov - am I really going to have to subject myself to reading this and feeling like an idiot AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe I should download the audio book and listen to it at the gym - will that be good enough for "you people"?????
Speaking of audio books - anyone use NetLibrary - I am having trouble...
I can't do audio books..they tend to drive me crazy..but I'm deaf in one ear, and the other one gets what I call sensory overload. Too much noise in my everyday life for me to get much out of audios..but hey, if it works for you and gets you to discover that Nabakov fella, go for it
ions
New Member
"You People" and your Nabokov - am I really going to have to subject myself to reading this and feeling like an idiot AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe I should download the audio book and listen to it at the gym - will that be good enough for "you people"?????
Speaking of audio books - anyone use NetLibrary - I am having trouble...
I have nothing against audiobooks but that's not really the best way to experience Nabokov's beautiful prose.
FrodoLIVES
New Member
I think there are a lot of these...
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
I'd heard that everyone hated it who read it, but I ended up loving it.
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
Before I read this I was totally against historical fiction, but I loved this so much I went to an anuthor signing when she came here for The Constant Princess. I am eagerly awaiting the next book.
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Again, it's the same predjudice against things other than fiction. I ended up really liking it and feeling strong emotions for the characters.
I'll probably think of more later...
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
I'd heard that everyone hated it who read it, but I ended up loving it.
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
Before I read this I was totally against historical fiction, but I loved this so much I went to an anuthor signing when she came here for The Constant Princess. I am eagerly awaiting the next book.
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Again, it's the same predjudice against things other than fiction. I ended up really liking it and feeling strong emotions for the characters.
I'll probably think of more later...
Peronel
New Member
I was expecting to dislike In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead by James Lee Burke. I studied it in high school, and thought the title sounded a bit pretentious. I loved it. It was fantastic to be reading a crime novel at school, and the atmosphere of the story is gorgeous (I love Burke's use of weather to highlight the changing tones of the story).
direstraits
Well-Known Member
To Kill a Mocking Bird. It's a school required reading, for crying out loud - it's supposed to be mind-numbingly boring!
It wasn't, and I'm incredibly glad of it too.
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It wasn't, and I'm incredibly glad of it too.
ds
abecedarian
Well-Known Member
That's another one that was a pleasant suprise. We had to read it for English my sophmore year in high school, and I loved it. I think it helped that I had a good teacher for this book.