# Overrated Authors



## Southern by choice (Sep 13, 2016)

Ok I know this has nothing to do with anything, hence the random ramblings.

I cannot stand the writings of Jack London.  
I think his writing is so overrated. It is boring, mundane, and drawn out.

Anyone else feel the same?

The funniest part is we were reading an Edgar Allen Poe short story which is really cool despite it's darkness. But then I remembered next up is Jack London. 

It is like torture of the mind.  



rant over  

Which authors do you like? Which do you dislike?


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## NH homesteader (Sep 13, 2016)

Ahh seriously? I love The Scarlet Letter and anything Jane Austen.  I liked Crime and Punishment.  War and Peace...  That was exhausting. 

I don't like Jack London either. 

I have a degree in Literature (waste of money).  Don't get me started


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## Southern by choice (Sep 13, 2016)

LOL Every year I go through this. 

I love the Scarlet Letter!  Love the Classics! 

Anyone notice my goat names? Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte? LOL
Waiting for just the right buck... his name will be Pip! 

I think Frankenstein is interesting. My daughter had an interesting point of view. I will see if I can find her thoughts. It's archived somewhere. 

@Green Acres Farm  those are his most recognized works... have you read anything else by him? 

I feel like I am punishing anyone forced to read his stuff.


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## NH homesteader (Sep 13, 2016)

Ah I have a paper somewhere I wrote in college on The Scarlet Letter....  I'm gonna go look for it.


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## NH homesteader (Sep 13, 2016)

I don't remember Crime and Punishment that well,  I would have to look at it again to refresh my memory.  My paper is not where I thought it was....  I think it was about the Scarlet Letter and The Awakening. Hmm...  Now I have to find it.  

@Southern by choice do you homeschool your kids? Is that why you're forcing people to read Jack London? Lol


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## NH homesteader (Sep 13, 2016)

OK here is my thesis and intro paragraph.  If it will upload.  Sorry,  on a phone and no computer access. I wrote this in 2005.  But essentially that is the point of the Scarlet Letter!


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## OneFineAcre (Sep 13, 2016)

I named Fortunato from an Edgar Allan Poe short story.


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## NH homesteader (Sep 13, 2016)

A woman  who doesn't buy into the social norms of get married,  have kids.  And how difficult is was to be anything other than what society wanted you to be back in their times...  And it's epically depressing. Basically. I haven't read it since college so again I don't remember it all.


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## AClark (Sep 13, 2016)

I wish I had a literature class, reading anything would be a delightful chore versus "calculate how much medication patient X will get if you..."


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## NH homesteader (Sep 13, 2016)

Except it's far less useful in the real world.  And it makes reading for fun impossible .


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## Alexz7272 (Sep 13, 2016)

I *canno*t _stand_ E.L. James, she wrote Fifty shades of Grey.....  I could write you a whole paper on my dislike if anyone would ever read it
I love the classics though! I may have been the only person that enjoyed reading Crime and Punishment but I did read it in Russian, not the English translation, I am sure there were some variants.


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## AClark (Sep 13, 2016)

Yeah that's true, but it could be a more joyful experience than reading stuff you'll never use again...like algebra, lol.

Charlaine Harris - love the story line of her books, but my God the writing is so elementary.


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## Alexz7272 (Sep 13, 2016)

NH homesteader said:


> Except it's far less useful in the real world.  And it makes reading for fun impossible .



That is why I decided against pursuing a Literature degree, I could not imagine ruining my love of reading and writing! My best friend in Serbia has the Serbian version of a PHD in English and he has such a hard time enjoying it!


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## NH homesteader (Sep 13, 2016)

I was originally a music major.  I changed because I knew it was going to ruin my favorite thing !


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## AClark (Sep 13, 2016)

I'm similar, I started out in IT, and learned that I couldn't stand trying to walk people through very basic procedures (like modem cycling) - so I changed to pharmacy.


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## Alexz7272 (Sep 13, 2016)

I do have to say I LOVE Ken Follett, specifically World Without End & Pillars of the Earth. I got in trouble a lot in 7th grade because I read the 800+ page books in class instead of paying attention 

Also Mitch Albom. My teacher made us read 'The five people you meet in heaven' and I was instantly hooked. Every one of his books is a masterpiece.


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## Southern by choice (Sep 13, 2016)

@Alexz7272  I don't know anything about the Shade of Grey book but I get the sense it is pretty raunchy and more "porn" than anything. 
It is the NO 1 donated book. There are warehouses full of them and stacks and stacks apparently lots of people read it but don't want to be caught having it in their possession.  

I love to read. Just love it! I wish I had more time to read for enjoyment. Often it is research, articles, theory ... all useful but just not the same.

Some of my favorites are books no one has heard of. 

First They Killed My Father 
There Are No Children Here 

another I cannot remember the name of is a true story of a Moroccan Princess  -very tragic 

I really like CS Lewis - the children's books were great too!



Alexz7272 said:


> Also Mitch Albom. My teacher made us read 'The five people you meet in heaven'



I remember something like this... now I want to go look it up, I think I read this.
My memory is terrible now


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## Alexz7272 (Sep 13, 2016)

@Southern by choice  If I could eradicate one book from existence, it would be that book. It also has very abusive tendencies in it as well and as someone who has been through a domestic abuse relationship I cannot believe people enjoy that stuff. Also her writing is just SOOOOO bad, my 12 year old cousins who barely speaks English could write a better story 

You'll definietly have the check out Mitch Albom again! He has had several more books since that one. Tuesdays with Morrie, For one more Day (another two of my favorite). 
There is a website called Goodreads, it is the best for finding new books and/or reading about books before purchasing them. I use to easily read 50 books a year but now all I have time for is reading Case Studies for my Paralegal courses. I need to get back to reading, haha


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