To not get The Great Gatsby?

[MudAndGlitter]

I heard brilliant things and the writings nice and all but I just felt a bit let down. Or am I a twat who needs to be more cultured?

''Its the most boring tedious book ever.'

I think that is unfair. What about Tony Blair's 'The Journey'?

about Dickens I mean not at..

Love Hardy. The Victorian greats are simply the best, better than all the rest, better than anyone, anyone I've ever read. Straight from the heart ....

That has "relations" doesn't it though?
Have you read it?
How could he have called it such a pretentious title in the first place.

I found Dickens to be a good writer , but a bit formulatic .
All his books have the same basic plot outline.

Poor person / tragic circumstances meets nasty person , gets worse circumstances ...meets nice person ...has a little good luck ...ends up wealthy/happy/better life the end.

one plot fits all

droves, you are right. His plots are contrived and over sentimental. But his characters are fantastic and his comedy is unmatched. He brings the quirks and unique characteristics of humans to life. His books are a celebration of life and human beings.

'That has "relations" doesn't it though?
Have you read it?
How could he have called it such a pretentious title in the first place.'

Haven't read it to be honest.

I have moved into my library conservatory

Books I own but didn't either
Like or finish:

Any James Joyce
Lord of the rings
Sons and lovers (what a dick)
Hard times - I actually hate dickens
whispers animal farm
The catcher in the rye - although readable my thoughts afterwards mainly consisted of 'the point? Where is it?'

Not a classic but ATONEMENT! Ian bloody McEwan! Argh!

The waves - Virginia Wolfe
Agree with the remains of the day but dd enjoy never let me go
Tender is the night. After Gatsby I just hated this.

Frickin Narnia - you can all go to heaven except you Susan because you like lipstick and invitations to parties you hoor

It's Hard Times, not Bleak House that I hate!! Was unsure why I wasn't getting the fog references.

I love Truman Capote, Harper Lee and Fitzgerald. Wasn't that impressed by Catcher in the Rye, though - felt a bit trying-too-hard-to-be-cool.

Am a huge fan of Thomas Hardy and won't hear a word against him .

she doesn't get sent to Hell. Just misses out on a bit of Narnia.. Not quite the same Her vision is dimmed, but she's not cast into outer darkness for the lipstick. [reassures]

swan have you read " A Pale View of Hills ," ? .
Youd probably like that one too . I think it works better as its from a japanese ladys point of view , and the writer is quite obviously japanese , so has a better insight into that .
I think thats what i dislike about R o t D , its supposed to be an Engish butler , but the preoccupation with dignity and social constraints that occurs is slightly too extreme , like a parody of the stiff upper lip.

claig - i havent read tonys book .

I never said she got sent to hell

'claig - i havent read tonys book'

You're in good company, nor have many others so I have heard.

no, Droves that is good idea!

The butler does seem a bit parodic, I suppose, but on the other hand it is interesting to view him in terms of possible points of contact between two completely distinct rigid codes of stifling decorousness -- Japanese etiquette and the weird codes of serving in an aristocratic household. It needn't be read as realistic or psychological. It does seem such a calmly realistic novel compared with the strangeness of many of Ishiguro's others, but perhaps that is very deceptive.

JDub - I loved The Go Between too. Have you read any other Hartley?

And I think you mean Coriolanus, did you see Douglas Hodge at the Almeida?

Intresting point Calatalie , i always thought the author was projecting his own duel nationalty into the books.

R ot D `s steven is a bit bemused by his changing world and "struggles to fit . but seems to cling to traditions.

A P v H ...Is mainly about the ladys daughters suicde, but again has the struggle to fit in ...

As does " when we were orphans".

I might have a simplistic view of Ishiguro`s works though.

Tender is the Night was good, I found Gatsby rather dull too I think although it's a long time ago that I read either of them. I read Brideshead Revisited recently though and found that rather meh. I don't think the ennui of the rich and privileged are my favourite topics though tbh.

The Dickens/ Jackie Collins point was the best thing I have read all day!!!

Frickin Narnia - you can all go to heaven except you Susan because you like lipstick and invitations to parties you hoor

Quite. I enjoyed the whole series apart from the last book though. It's so annoying when you commit time and effort to reading something and the ending is shit/horrible.

I read all of Ulysses twice. Obviously MN had not been invented back then. Loved it. Couldn't get Finnegan's wake at all.

LeQueen, that's what I keep telling the kids.

I said it about Coleridge as well last week. He didn't think all that stuff, he was off his tits, he wasn't thinking at all FFS.

I love Remains of the Day - one of my favourite novels.

CBA with Dickens, on the other hand.