This week, TWQ (The Weekend Question) opens the pages of your book collection with three questions.
1: What is the most overrrated book you've ever read and why?
2: What are you reading right now?
3: Have you ever bought a book purely because you like the cover?
My answers are:
1: 'The Time Traveller's Wife' by Audrey Niffenegger. Though popular with many, I found the characters extremely unlikeable, especially Henry the time traveller. If I couldn't warm to the characters, the purpose of reading it was lost.
2: 'Faithless' by Karin Slaughter. One of the Sara Linton crime novels.
3: I bought 'Voyage of the Jerle Shannara Book 1: Ilse Witch' because of the attractive cover. It was a good story as well.
Now it's over to you...
But before you go....
Don't forget that Monday 30th April will be my Second Blogaversary! Hope you'll be there!
18 comments:
This is a tricky question for me as it is so long since I read a book purely for pleasure since I strated my MBA!
What I am reading right now is one of my text books. I cna't think of an overrated book right now. I have never bought a book purely for it's cover though I have picked them up for a closer look becasue of it.
Michele sent me to wish you a pleasant weekend.
hi captain. i'll read anything about chocolate or that has a photo of chocolate on the cover or inside.
and congratulations on your 2nd blogaversary! will there be chocolate?
smiles, bee
Two books hit me as being over rated recently that I've read. The Da Vinci Code, which was poorly written, and The Historian, which was well written but executed somewhat clumsily.
Right now I'm reading PJ Farmer's Tiers novels again. It's been about 12 years since I read them last.
I've bought many books over the years due only to the cover but no names come to mind.
Michele sent me to congratulate you on your upcoming anniversary, Captain.
1. Everything I read is because I've heard about it and I already like the author and/or have heard them on T.V. before so I've never read any overrated books. They've all met expectations.
2. The current book I just picked up again after having laid it down is "Bringing Up Boys" by Dr. James Dobson. I like anything that's practical and as a parent, this one is definitely that. The subtitle says it all..."Practical advice and encouragement for those shaping the next generation of men".
3. Nahh, I'm not impressed by covers. It's all about the content.
Happy pre-bloggervesary!!!
1 Da Vincimcode - to be fair its just not my scene.
2 'Shaggy Blog Stories' and 'Stephen King On Writing'.
3 No! I'm too mean to fork out merely for a cover. I need additional blurb or crit.
Nichele says hi!
Hey J.L.,
Second Blogaversary? What do you do there? Will Sid be there?
Book questions:
1. Most overrated book: That one is easy. Carl Pops Up by Alexandra Day. First of all, who in they right mind gonna believe a dog, a rottweiler no less, is gonna take care of a baby when ol' hussy Momma runs out to the corner bar for a few drinks. In real life that dog done woulda ate that tot for supper and the cookie-sellin' Girl Scout at the front door too. Trusty rotty my foot. I woulda put this book down after the first too pages but the popups wuz two intrigueing. I aint never seen popups before.
2. Right now I readin How to Win in Politics by Fuller Warren (Florida's governor from 1949 to 1953) with appendix by Allen Morris (Peninsular Publishing Co., Tallahassee, Fla., 1949). Book chock full of good stuff and man, J.L., you can't git no better advice on public speakin' than this here straight from the book:
I recommend the use of many adjectives, in fact, a profusion, a plethora of adjectives. Never use a lone adjective where ten can be crowded in. The goal of most orators is sound, not sense, and an array of euphonious, alliterative adjectives make mightily for sound.
For example, instead of saying an opponent is a "mean man," fulminate in stentorian tones, "he is a snarling, snapping, hissing monstrosity." And, instead of saying a girl has a "sweet voice," intone that she has "a soft, susurrant, satisfying accent" or, "a dulcet, melodious, melliflous voice." Or, instead of calling a vicious man a "cad," really swing out and castigate him as a "lying, libidinous, lecherous libertine."
3. I dont git impressed by book covers, I dont reckon. What is it they say about book covers -- you can't judge a book by its cover some of the time, but teach a book to fish and you can git the milk for free. If you was askin about record album covers, now, that I git impressed by, especially if the Hager Twins from Hee Haw is on it. Jim and Jon Hager is the world's most famous twins, you know -- their Web site says so.
Have a happy 2 blogerversity!
BFF,
Miss T
1) The Bride Stipped Bare, Nikki Gemmell (Australian book)
2) Norman Mailer's new one about Hitler
3) haven't we all?!?!
I can't remember what the most overrated book I've ever read. It was quite some time I've read a book. I've been reading but mostly they are things that I can share with my blogging friends. Reading right now? Just mentioned it. And, oh yes! I did buy a book purely because the cover attracted me but only to find out later it was not so good.
this question is a trap!
it is wise for me to keep... shhh!
silent!
1. "Paddy Clarck Ha Ha Ha" by Roddy Doyle: winner of the Booker Prize, but I don't like his style;
2. "Jingo" by Pratchett;
3. "Anansi Boys" by Neil Gaiman: the huge spiderweb freaked me out, but next to it it said 'brilliantly bonkers' so I wanted to know why...
I thought 'The Da Vinci Code' might get mentioned. Though I haven't read it, many have said it is poorly written and overrated.
Miss T, the Second Blogaversary means it was two years ago when I started this Journal.
How is it I can't get on Michele's blog? It seems to be blocked by a domain ad?
1. There are too many overrated novels that I've read...most of them are in the cloak of literature...so I nominate Moby Dick..
2. I'm reading Tom Robbins Another Roadside Attraction right now and I wish I wasn't.
3. I've bought plenty of smutty novels because the covers were pleasing to the eye :)
I can't think of a novel that is really over rated, but I did read a book on chinese glazes that my tutor said would be really useful and I could not cope with it at all.
I've been reading Jane Austen, and just finished Sense and Sensibility, and I'm on about page 2 of Persuasion.
Err, a book by Phillippa Gregory that is on my "to read list".
PS I loved the Time Travellers Wife, though I can't cope with hubbys Terry Pratchet books.
I can't think of an answer for the first question, although I did NOT read the DaVinci Code because my husband read it and was somewhat disappointed.
Right now I am reading, "Death on the Family Tree".
I have bought several books because I liked the cover....sometimes it is a good choice but sometimes NOT!
Thanks for coming by my blog. I welcome the visitors and comments.
Most overrated book: My personal most overrated book is My Sister's Keeper. It was a good book, until the cop out ending. I personally feel she took the easy way out. I thought the moral dilemma of a girl saying 'enough is enough' was huge, strong, and a difficult subject matter, but then she goes and makes her altruistic... blah... Raymond Feist's Feat of Crows is overrated, too. Now the story is just going off in so many uninteresting directions... also doesn't help that all of my favorite characters were killed off...ARGH.
I will also mention the Da Vinci Code, I'm agreeing with Jane, it was barely a plot... yet they made a movie out of it and it hit the bestseller list, ugh. It was awful.
Currently I'm reading Anna Karenina. I just never got through it, and think it'd be nice too.
Yes, I bought The Life of Pi based on the cover. I've bought a few other books based on the cover, too, but only after reading the back (duuuh). Some are winners and some make me want the hour spent realizing it was an awful book back.
I love reading and don't recall ever having my hands on a book that I though was a waste~
Right now I'm reading 'Inspiration, Your Ulitmate Calling' by Dr. Wayne Dyer.
Can't say I've ever bought a book purely because of it's cover~ I try not to 'judge a book by it's cover'! LOL
most overrated would probably be a kids book that had so much hype before it was released, there is no way it can ever live up to it. i'm reading mags at the moment, books are in my summer schedule and i did buy a book for it's cover, can't remember what it was called, but it was a horrible read, didn't get past the first four chapters.
Now a book question, my kind of thing.
1. I loved the Time Traveller's Wife, I even bought it after I read the library copy. But the Ladies' Detective Agency novels by Alexander McCall Smith are rubbish in my opinion,ducking.
2. Theft by Peter Carey. Long time since I've read him but enjoying it. Almost finished.
3. Well the cover attracts for sure but what's inside the dust jacket counts, the blurb.
Now if you were asking did you buy a book because of its title, yes,
Five Men who broke my heart,Susan Shapiro. Very funny book, true too.
I love to read everyone's else suggestions.
regards
jmb
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