Books you enjoyed as a young 'un and now think are utter nonsense

[LadyJaye]

Inspired by a previous thread.

The Catcher In The Rye: brilliant when you're 14, insufferable at 41.

On The Road: ditto

American Psycho: the only book I've ever refused to finish reading

Anything by Tolkien: my undergraduate degree was in linguistics.

I can’t read Tolkien either, I’m also a linguistics graduate.

I adored Sweet Valley High books, I think they’d drive me to distraction now. However, I’d love to re-read Forever Amber, but I think I might hate it now. It seems to be out of print, perhaps I should take that as a hint?

The famous five, I recently read it again and Nancy Drew. I suppose I was looking for a happier time long before COVID. It didn’t work.

God yeah, Catcher in The Rye! I thought Holden Caulfield was so cool as a teenager, irritating little twerp 😂

I dunno, I read a lot of Jackie Collins as a teenager but her books were pretty trashy really weren't they.

If Tomorrow Comes by Sidney Sheldon. I remember it as being thrilling, fast paced and like nothing I had ever read before. Out of curiosity I downloaded it a few months ago, oh dear. Stilted dialogue, one dimensional characters who get themselves into ridiculous situations that are so unrealistic they might as well be on the moon. Throw in a healthy dose of misogyny and outdated views. Of course I hadn't read anything like it before - I was 15 and just upgraded from Judy Blume, what did I know!

Ditto Jackie Collins, although respect due as she knew what she was creating and did it brilliantly, rather than trying to be a serious author.

In the vein of Sidney Sheldon and Jackie Collins, I would love to re-read Lace by Shirley Conran as I loved that as a teenager. Now I think I'd be horrified!

Judy Blume!

Mills and boon..loved them as a young teenager.what utter tosh!

Yes! All of the above mentioned. If not just rubbish, then too long-winded. How in earth did I read all of the Anne of Green Gables books? I loved them, but don't have the patience now.

Oh yes If Tomorrow Comes. I loved that book!

Famous Five I still love mainly for the food porn.

I was really disappointed when I re-read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

I enjoyed The Catcher in the Rye quite a bit on re-reading a few years ago. I think I felt a bit maternal towards Holden Caulfield, poor boy.

I expect Lace is a cringe fest too even though I loved it as a teen with my eyes on stalks at the sex scenes. Something to do with a goldfish bowl or did I make that up?

I read a trashy book called Jemima J when I was a teenager and adored it. I was very overweight and it was about an obese woman who shed all her excess weight, moved to California and snared the love of her life. I used to think that if she could do it, I could do it too.

I reread the book around 5 years ago and was appalled. The author clearly thinks fat people are grotesque and unworthy of being loved, and the ways in which the main character loses weight are frankly dangerous. I was so upset and angry with myself that I felt the book was something to aspire to as an impressionable teenager!

@ArtichokeAardvark

I read a trashy book called Jemima J when I was a teenager and adored it. I was very overweight and it was about an obese woman who shed all her excess weight, moved to California and snared the love of her life. I used to think that if she could do it, I could do it too.

I reread the book around 5 years ago and was appalled. The author clearly thinks fat people are grotesque and unworthy of being loved, and the ways in which the main character loses weight are frankly dangerous. I was so upset and angry with myself that I felt the book was something to aspire to as an impressionable teenager!

Oh i loved that book!

Came here to say on the road

I really really wanted to love On the Road.

But even as a late teen i thought it was self-indulgent tosh.

The I tried with a bunch of other Beats.

But I was never that cool to be honest in my reading!! I tried a bit of Truman Capote also.

I am a bit of a Rosamunde Pilcher girl at heart,

and the ways in which the main character loses weight are frankly dangerous

Oh, I remember that one. She has something like a glass of water for breakfast, a green salad for lunch and a grilled chicken breast for dinner, while spending hours at the gym.

In real life, you'd keel over after a couple of days of that, and you'd end up with loose, saggy skin from losing weight too quickly - not a 'hardbody' as she narcissistically notes she has.

there is a Jennifer Wiener book called 'Good in bed' that I think I may have mixed Jemima J up with.

That is a good book, and very funny.

Jemima J is the worst! I loved it too when I was in my early 20s. I thought it was great that she'd lost so much weight. I suspect I'd be horrified by her before weight now as I bet it's really low.

I re-read forever a few years ago, it still seemed fairly good. Same for Trebizon and what Katy did series (have all 5!)

I have the if tomorrow comes sequels in my library list.

I'm another one who loved Sidney Sheldon in my teens, tried re-reading them a few years ago and was not impressed. They went to the charity shop.

Dennis Wheatley. The haunting of Toby Jugg terrified me at 15 but he's another misogynist with added racism and gratuitous violence.

@Audreyseyebrows

Judy Blume!

Wash your mouth out!!!

I re-read catcher in the rye about five years ago and still loved it.

Haven't thought about Lace in years! We used to "play" it in the playground. 🙄 "Which one of you three bitches is my mother?" Lol we were all around ten years old! 🤣🤣😮 Must try and get hold of a copy.

Think I looked for Lace on Amazon and it was so expensive!

The point horror books and sweet valley high!