Community Chat

[insomniac]

I like this author--I would read anything she wrote.

[RINGER]

This is clearly the MAIN reason I will NEVER join a Book Club because I have heard far too many people who are a part of such a club, they didn't like the book, etc! I am VERY picky reader and there is NO WAY I would stick with a book 200 pages in not liking it! SO MY MAGIC NUMBER IS 30 PAGES OR I AM DONE! If a book cannot capture the interest of the reader via characters or any other means, then it is a loser in my opinion! Now that I just read this book was a part of Oprah's book club, that answers that question. Her choices and mine are a world apart!!

[RINGER]

On 9/28/2014 sunala said:

september, I tried reading Stones from the River about three or four times over the years, and finally gave up. Sometimes you have to say "enough already" and pull the bookmark.

I had to do that with The Book Thief as well. I know so many people adored it, but I just couldn't get into it. No book is worth it!

Glad to read you finally let it go.

I too did NOT like The Book Thief so you were not alone....didn't even like the DVD and that is why I will NOT read Gone Girl but get it on DVD and rather think I will not like it...

[Qlady100]

For years I made myself finish every book because I felt like I HAD to. But one day I grew up and decided that with all of the gazillion great books to read in my life, and never enough time, why fight a book that doesn't grab me ?

Life is short, it isn't homework ! I don't get paid to read, so I'm moving on to all of the other great reads out there ! I'll give the author another chance later on another title, but I won't fight a single book just to say I read it.

[lovescats]

On 10/5/2014 insomniac said:

I like this author--I would read anything she wrote.

I'm glad you said that because I have 2 other books by her I bought on sale but haven't read yet.

Edited by me

I forgot to talk about The Book Thief I listened to this as an audible book and the narrator was so perfect so I don't know if I would feel the same way if I read it. I really don't think they could make a movie as good as the book I listened to.

Then I have to stay away from The Gone Girl threads because I don't want to read about the changed ending because I know whether intentional or by accident someone will give away the ending.

[Vamp]

I read it ages ago and thought it was okay. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. However, recently one of my GF's listed it as one of her top ten books that had an impact on her.

I do remember it reminded me a lot of Gunther Grass's The Tin Drum, which I thought was freakishly brilliant. Maybe because I read The Tin Drum first, Stones from the River didn't have as strong of an impact on me as it might have otherwise. Who knows? You like what you like. You don't have to justify liking or not liking any book, any work of art, or anything else.

[september]

Well, it remains clear to me.. That so many people loved this book, and I just didn't. But I don't agree with the poster who said she wouldn't join a book club because there might be choices she wouldn't like. In the nearly three years I've been in my book group, I've liked at least 90 percent of the books, and many of them wouldn't have been ones I'd have chosen on my own. It's good to branch out and read a wider variety of books.

[lovescats]

I wanted to mention a type of book club I heard on the podcast Books on the Nightstand. Neither of them belong to book clubs but one narrator belongs to a circle of friends who read a book for 2 months then mail it to the next person along with a notebook where everyone journals their thoughts on the book. when the book completes the circle you get your book back with the notebook with everyone's thoughts and reviews. I recommend the podcast both of them work for Random House but it is not a Random House podcast they do it on their own.

[Vamp]

On 10/7/2014 september said: Well, it remains clear to me.. That so many people loved this book, and I just didn't. But I don't agree with the poster who said she wouldn't join a book club because there might be choices she wouldn't like. In the nearly three years I've been in my book group, I've liked at least 90 percent of the books, and many of them wouldn't have been ones I'd have chosen on my own. It's good to branch out and read a wider variety of books.

I agree with your views on bookclubs. I think they are great! I have been exposed to a number of books that I probably wouldn't have picked up on my own, and it isn't that often that I don't like at least something about the books others have chosen.

[september]

Lovescats...that sounds like an interesting concept. I listen to lots of podcasts, and will check out the one you mentioned.

Vamp, even when I don't like one of the book club books (rarely), it's still interesting to go to the meeting and take part in the discussion. Now...I need to get busy with the next book, since it looks like another long one!