[Shaun J. Russell]

Originally posted by David Landrum:
Famous books I read and didn't think they deserve the reputation they have:

Life of Pi--it was okay, but everyone raved about it as a work of great spiritual insight. I'm still looking for the spirituality.

Jude the Obscure--my fellow grad students loved it, called it "Jude the Obscene." I found it well-written but rather boring. And it seemed unbelievable that a six year-old boy could hang his brother and sister and himself and leave a suicide note explaining why he did it.

Amen on BOTH of those counts, David.

I read Life Of Pi at the beginning of this year, and words cannot properly express how horrible I thought the book was, especially in light of all the hype it received. It reads like it was written by a teenager who had just read Old Man And The Sea and The Satanic Verses a month prior. I had honestly thought I was doing myself a favor by reading an alleged "modern classic"...and it was such a waste. There are literary authors I don't like, but for almost all of them I can at least admit that their work has literary merit, and that I can understand their allure, even if their work isn't my cup of tea. But I consider Life Of Pi an affront to my intelligence, and a cruel joke on all of the people who champion its success.

As for Jude The Obscure, it had the unfortunate effect of making me not want to read ANY other Thomas Hardy. I'm sure his other work might be more to my taste, but I just can't bring myself to pick any of it up, thanks to that book.