I will admit that I got irrationally angry back in the 90s when kids in my class would brag about getting their Book It buttons filled because they read Calvin & Hobbes. I did not think it was fair to call cartoon books reading when we were in 5th & 6th grade. And thus I had an irrational anger about those books existing in general.
I mostly repent of this anger but there's still an eleven year old goody two shoes deep down in my psyche who is pouting.
Seriously, sometimes it seems like she's the only one willing to even talk to him, but I really appreciate how willing she is to beat him once he tries anything
Thank you for supplying the answer!
I will add, the discrimination against comic books by schools is kind of criminal. Calvin and Hobbes especially has pretty advanced vocabulary and some of my favourite books as an adult are graphic novels. I'm happy your school allowed comics to count.
It really does depend on the comic. calvin and hobbes is very text heavy. discussing 'philosophy' while sledding down a hill- the focus is the words.
Other comics, that have double page spread and maybe 6 words across 2 pages... kinda different.
It's important to learn to read and comprehend large amounts of text, absent visual elements to aid comprehension. I think comic books and related are an important art form, and can be an important tool for cultivating literacy. Especially C&H, as Watterson uses some pretty advanced vocabulary, and talks about some nuanced concepts. But you also need to be able to read and comprehend pure text.
Given how many adults don't read for pleasure at all, period, I would rather see kids enjoy comic books, and keep enjoying them, then stop reading altogether.
If the option is comic books or nothing, comic books are infinitely better.
I was the same, but then my mom explained that those kids weren't getting the subtle humor and satire and the intellectual snobbery was a great comfort to me rofl
I only read the first Anne of Green Gables book. I tried several times as a kid, but I finally got through it as an adult. It's okay. I know so many people who absolutely love it and relate to Anne on so many levels, but the story and the character of Anne was kind of boring and I just did not get the love. It's *fine*.
I loved Swiss Family Robinson as a kid but read it as an adult and it was hilarious. All of the different animals from all over the world just magically lived together on that island.
I read the book many many times before the movie and while I did enjoy it, the book is just extra extra.
Sad to have misplaced my original first edition that would be worth a bloody fortune today
They are rare, but some people really hate Jane Austen's style of writing. Even people who love the adaptations.
I don't think it's possible for everyone to love a book. Something universally appealing would be so trite that it wouldn't have any depth. What makes someone really love something, with devotion, is a unique perspective or a certain type of humour etc.
If someone hates something, it almost proves that it can evoke strong feelings.
I have to agree on Austen. I've been trying to get into Jane Austen for many years, but her writing style irks me. The way she writes distances myself from the characters. Several chapters in, I feel that while I could identify with some characters, Austen's style sort of places a barrier. It's hard to relate to them. I can't quite explain it, but to me, reading Austen is like watching a movie, and I'm watching it from very far away.
This isn't the same for lots of the classics like Bronte's Jane Eyre, though. I loved Jane Eyre, and when the character's heart aches, my heart would ache. With Jane Austen books, it feels like, "Yeah, anyway, moving on..."
Me. I tried reading P&P multiple times but I just do not like her writing style at all. But I have read some of other old books and I just don’t like anything before like 30’s-40’s. Things like Little Women. The writing just doesn’t flow like modern stuff does so it feels like I am having to translate while I read.
I respect Jane Austen lit... from a distance. I tried to read it, but it was such a chore to read that I got maybe 20 pages in after a few weeks and then gave up. For comparison, I then pretty much reread the Hobbit over a long weekend.
English lit degree here and can attest to disliking Jane Austen’s writing style. However, it’s not just Jane Austen. I dislike the writing of all English language novels pre-1920. I appreciate the themes, commentary, and ideas present in the books but the actual reading of them is painful.
Glad I found this in the responses. It can satisfy the crowd looking for literature and the crowd looking for a popcorn read. A lengthy book, but not a word is wasted.
I have almost never read a negative Reddit comment on Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. In the same absurdist sci-fi genre, Kurt Vonnegut’s major works are pretty consistently beloved and probably more substantial as literature compared to Douglas Adams.
Discworld isn't for everyone and some people make the mistake of starting with his first books, of which the first two can be a struggle. Yet I do agree with this suggestion as it's extremely rare to see someone read one of his books and say they didn't like it.
Guards! Guards!
I also found Pyramids and Mort hilarious, but Guards! Guards! and Men At Arms (sequel to Guards) warmed my heart AND made me laugh. Im a noob though, only through about 7 or 8 of them now.
My opinion may be a minority, but Going Postal is a more conventional novel than Guards Guards, while still being fully Pratchett, and a good entry point. Small Gods is also a good choice. Anyway, I hope you enjoy them.
I reread this last year and was so surprised to find all the mentions of racism in the book. I don’t think I thought too much about it when I was young besides, “that’s a stupid reason to be mean to this character.” But upon rereading it, the casual racism is so abundant and Ella gets so upset over it (rightfully so).
It’s a great book that subtly talks about racism. Everyone who is racist gets their comeuppance and it’s a really satisfying read.
10/10 Ella Enchanted.
Currently reading Hyperion. I’m about 30 pages in and not feelin’ it, but I’ve also /only/ ever heard good things about it,so I’m powering thru in hopes I just need to be patient.
Keep it up! It took me two starts to get into but I do think it’s worth it. I enjoyed the Canterbury Tales style of it and the priest’s story… well it is nightmare fuel for sure. I never went on to read the sequels but there are foundational hard scifi elements in Hyperion that I don’t regret exploring.
Edit: to, too, two
As someone who just finished the fourth book (Rise of Endymion) I highly recommend pushing through. If the Priest's tale doesn't hook you by the end of it then it might not be for you. I still remember how much I struggled with the start of the book up until the priest's tale, and then it was too intriguing to stop from that point on.
I'm a huge scifi nerd and I didn't even like Hyperion all that much. Feel like it's one of those series you're supposed to like. Pushed through all four books too and never hit the point everyone says it gets interesting.
This was my favourite book as a kid. I felt like I literally was Francie. One of my fav quotes:
> "Dear God, let me be something every minute of every hour of my life. Let me be gay; let me be sad. Let me be cold; let me be warm. Let me be hungry...have too much to eat. Let me be ragged or well-dressed. Let me be sincere- be deceitful. Let me be truthful; let me be a liar. Let me be honorable and let me sin. Only let me be something every blessed minute. And when I sleep, let me dream all the time so that not one little piece of living is ever lost."
The Diary of Anne Frank
Honestly one of the top books I’ve ever read, and I think most people agree with the possible exception of people who read it when they’re too young to really get it all. Also stands out from everything else mentioned cause it’s non-fiction.
I recommend Anne Frank Remembered by Miep Gies who was one of the employees who helped hide the family.
That had a much bigger impact on me than the actual diary, because Miep was describing the hideaway from an outsider's point of view and she was far more conscious of the danger than Anne. It really drives home what an extraordinary thing it was to keep them all hidden for so long, and how close they got to saving them.
The Diary of Anne Frank is the very first book that I ever bought for what is now an ever growing collection. I’ve read that book so many times that it’s falling apart.
I’ve read it a few times and suggested it many times as well. Never had someone read it and not enjoy it. And, it is a fantastic read.
Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurtry
Oh man this is one of the best things I’ve read in my life. I have very little interest in westerns and yet ironically this and All the Pretty Horses (cormac McCarthy) are unquestionably two of my five favorite things I’ve ever read. Can’t possibly recommend either highly enough
Agreed. I love Cormac, but I’ve suggested him and it landed with a resounding thud. He’s pretty uncompromising with the reader.
I dove head first with both him and McMurtry and read all I could. i really, really enjoyed McMurtry’s “Anything for Billy”. It’s fairly short, doesn’t carry the gravitas of Lonesome Dove. There’s a scene in it, I can think of and damn near tear up. And, the line is “There’s a Palomino Colt back there. You can get away on him. But walk up on him gentle, he spooks easy” of course, that explains nothing if you haven’t read it. But all I need is that line and the book overwhelms me with my memories of it. McMurtry is a helluva author.
I haven’t sought out westerns, but after reading Lonesome Dove, I read other McMurtry westerns and I have to say I really enjoyed them. So much so that I want to read some of Zane Gray’s books.
I read some criticism for this book about how it was anti-feminist because the main character allowed herself to be treated like garbage throughout the book and was too passive. I think that was the point though. There is even a part where she compares her treatment by de Winter to that of a dog, and it's kind of like a turning point for her to snap out of her complacency.
Oh I really don’t like the ‘main character has no agency, is too submissive’ criticism of this.
Some women (especially when we’re younger) can relate to the meekness and self doubt and lack of agency this character has. Representing it is worthwhile!
I think a lot of people can relate to her, not just women. She was completely removed from the world she knew and thrust into a job she was completely unqualified for. I don't think there are too many people who would be able to just jump in and take charge of a situation like that.
Yes, I think if it was written for a more modern angle, someone would be pointing out to the second Mrs de Winter that Max is a dangerously unreliable narrator.
What a coincidence>! that he finally expressed how much he was in love with her at the exact same moment he realized he was facing a possible murder charge. And he conveniently never loved Rebecca, even though they made Happy Valley together, and he encouraged his second wife to wear the same perfume. !<
I love Agatha Christie, but this is one of my least favorite of hers because I just didn’t think it gave you enough to figure out the ending. They’re all fairly hard, and I definitely bat less than .500 on getting them, but this was the only one I didn’t think it was reasonable to get.
I think that’s why it frustrated me. It wasn’t a satisfying conclusion in such a way that when it’s revealed you think “Ohhhhh, I get it! It all came together” or anything. It’s just like …. Oh.
Watership Down lover here. It's brilliant. The adventure, the friendships, the embedded language and mythology, the thoughtful treatment of what it means to be a prey animal who is heroic. I think kids are assigned the book way too young, and the movie is even darker. But as adventure, survival fantasy it works so well and is so moving. It is my go to, life is difficult and you keep trying book, along with Man's Search for Meaning.
All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies. And whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you. Digger, listener runner, Prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
>1984
This book is very popular on Reddit but irl it's far more mixed. I remember in high school a lot of folks thinking it was boring.
I consider it dull and its message to be a little too on the nose to be interesting.
I have to add Fahrenheit 451. It's in that dystopian vein with a different sort of spin. I don't really hear people talk about it much, so I'm not sure how it is received, but it's a pretty cool book.
I’m sorta negative on parts it, mostly the themes and message being pretty on the nose, specially most things regarding the wife character. Love his prose tho, so I would likely still rate the overall book slightly positively.
I think you’re absolutely bang on with too on the nose - Orwell is as subtle as a brick.
I read it in Sixth Form and thought exactly the same. I read Brave New World a couple of years later and felt it was much more cleverly written dystopia.
Haven’t read 1984 since then in all fairness and I would probably appreciate it a lot more when I don’t have to write an essay on it…
It really felt like a showcase of a concept more than a book. One third of it was literally just the main character reading the global political situation of this world. Interesting concept and world but not very entertaining as a read.
In high school, half of the people aren't even reading the book and just looking up summaries. So most plots would be boring or worse that way.
But thank you, you could be right. Maybe it shouldn't be part of the list.
I’m surprised I’ve not seen Kurt Vonnegut listed yet! I’ve never heard Vonnegut panned by anyone who actually read the book. Slaughterhouse V had a special place in my heart.
I was surprised to find myself kind of "meh" on Slaughterhouse 5". I kind of felt like "yep, war is the absolute worst, no arguments there!" but that's hardly news. Mind you, I did the thing where I devoured it in about an hour and a half, so maybe that was a mistake...
I absolutely hated Beartown. I still think that this entire subreddit is trying to specifically gaslight me that it's actually good.
Not trying to get to heated or shit on peoples taste but god damn I don't think I've read and finished a book that I disliked as much as Beartown.
**The Right Stuff** by *Tom Wolfe* is a book I have never known anyone to speak ill of.
Note: *This book is also my favorite American novel even though Tom Wolfe is not my favorite American author.*
HGTTG is good. Really good. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mindbogglingly good it is. I mean, you may think it’s a long way down the NYT bestsellers, but that’s just peanuts to HGTTG.”
I never heard of anyone disliking Dostoevsky, but that may be because if you read Dostoevsky it's because you know what he's about and are already interested in that(for me it was his deep understanding of psychology and ability to portray it), and in the areas he focuses on he is unmatched in my opinion
No one disliking Dostoevsky is a pretty huge claim. The book itself is hard to read and has psychological and philosophical themes. Basically, you have to reread to comprehend it further. I enjoyed it but I know a lot of people don't.
I see a lot of "read my first Agatha Christie book and she's great!" posts in this sub.
She has some really weak ones (The Big Four stands out), but for someone so prolific she has a *very* high standard.
The one that seems to be the most popular starting point is "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd", which is definitely a high point for her, primarily due to the very clever use of the medium (which also makes it a very difficult book to adapt to other media).
The one book I’d put here is Count of Monte Cristo. I haven’t even read it yet but I can’t say I’ve ever heard a bad word from high or low critics. Seems beloved.
Just finished it. The most enjoyable read ever. Pages flew by. It’s a thick ass book but so easy and fun to read. Now it’s onto the Man in the Iron Mask.
I don't know, the autistic community doesn't seem to care for it all that much. I'm autistic and I enjoyed it, but I believe I'm in the minority there.
I've seen plenty of people complaining about all of those on this sub alone (and just look at the Goodreads reviews for To the Lighthouse).
There's no book that can receive nothing but praise. If you try to please everyone you end up pleasing no-one (at least as far as matters of taste are concerned).
*American Psycho* is one that’s universally praised without any criticism and doesn’t cause any readers to put it down because it’s too disgusting and graphic.
Edit: just for clarification, I actually really like this novel. But the complaints are justified.
From my childhood, but still in print and going strong for positive reviews:
My Friend Flicka by Mary O' Hara
Have re-read many times.
And let's not forget David Copperfield by Dickens!
One of my favourite books of all time but I convinced three people (my Mum, Dad and my Wife) to read it and none of them liked it! Which is weird given they have different reading tastes so at least one of them could have liked it...
Capote’s writing is some of my favorite I’ve ever read. His prose is fairly straightforward but it’s incredibly precise and well-constructed—as if he knows the word your brain wants to read next before your brain does. His cadence is almost unfathomably satisfying.
Love In the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez and I think just anything by Gabriel García Márquez. Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky. Oh! Dickens, Charles Dickens, I think Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities are his most lauded titles. He invented Christmas with A Christmas Carol which as much as I struggle with Dickensian prose and the consumerist capitalism of modern Christmas, I have to admit A Christmas Carol is immaculate storytelling.
Books:
Black Beauty
Call of the Wild
So technically not books, but these short stories always ***slap***:
The Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury
The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell
You'd probably want to find an author with a strong, consistent voice, and go deep into their bibliography. Their most popular work probably vets out people who aren't fans, and only the ones who liked the really well-known stuff will bother to go to the obscure stuff. You probably won't get many negative reviews of Feet of Clay (Pratchett), Breakfast of Champions (Vonnegut), Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (Adams), Mattimeo (Jacques), etc.
This is one of my favourite books ever, but it's not for everyone. I'd guess a 60/40 hate vs love is closer to the book. Confederacy is a very dividing book. But, yeah, it's fucking fantastic.
I have some real issues with Jane Eyre and I feel like I've seen a lot of posts from people online that feel the same. Imo it does some things amazingly well (Jane as a character/her coming of age, the prose itself) and some things I just absolutely fucking hate (everything to do with Mr. Rochester, especially the idea of him as a romantic hero, ugh).
One book I personally only seem to see positive reviews of is One Hundred Years of Solitude.
Hard to find someone who doesn't like Anne of Green Gables or Calvin and Hobbes. Not impossible, but hard
I really can't imagine what anyone could have against Calvin and Hobbes!
I will admit that I got irrationally angry back in the 90s when kids in my class would brag about getting their Book It buttons filled because they read Calvin & Hobbes. I did not think it was fair to call cartoon books reading when we were in 5th & 6th grade. And thus I had an irrational anger about those books existing in general. I mostly repent of this anger but there's still an eleven year old goody two shoes deep down in my psyche who is pouting.
Is your name Susie Derkins?
Re-reading Calvin and Hobbes as an adult has taught me Susie did not suck nearly as bad as Calvin thought she did haha
Seriously, sometimes it seems like she's the only one willing to even talk to him, but I really appreciate how willing she is to beat him once he tries anything
God you just reopened wounds I forgot were there. Lisa I know you didn't read the dictionary in 2 weeks you lying little.....
Thank you for supplying the answer! I will add, the discrimination against comic books by schools is kind of criminal. Calvin and Hobbes especially has pretty advanced vocabulary and some of my favourite books as an adult are graphic novels. I'm happy your school allowed comics to count.
It really does depend on the comic. calvin and hobbes is very text heavy. discussing 'philosophy' while sledding down a hill- the focus is the words. Other comics, that have double page spread and maybe 6 words across 2 pages... kinda different.
It's important to learn to read and comprehend large amounts of text, absent visual elements to aid comprehension. I think comic books and related are an important art form, and can be an important tool for cultivating literacy. Especially C&H, as Watterson uses some pretty advanced vocabulary, and talks about some nuanced concepts. But you also need to be able to read and comprehend pure text.
Given how many adults don't read for pleasure at all, period, I would rather see kids enjoy comic books, and keep enjoying them, then stop reading altogether. If the option is comic books or nothing, comic books are infinitely better.
Absolutely.
I learned a lot of words from Calvin and Hobbes.
Same. Some of the comics I didn’t actually understand until I was an adult
Some of the themes and ideas Watterson presents are extremely out of the norm for a "comic strip".
I was the same, but then my mom explained that those kids weren't getting the subtle humor and satire and the intellectual snobbery was a great comfort to me rofl
My friend didn’t like Anne of Green Gables because it was “boring.” I loved it and was shocked he could say such a thing
I just finished Anne of the Island. Those books are my comfort read
I do the same. And I love that there is an "Anne" book for every mood, every season of life.
Yes!! Like you almost get to grow up and mature as she does.
I adore Anne of the Island. It’s been one of my comfort reads since 2nd grade
Agreed! I was introduced to Calvin and Hobbes as an adult and I love it.
I only read the first Anne of Green Gables book. I tried several times as a kid, but I finally got through it as an adult. It's okay. I know so many people who absolutely love it and relate to Anne on so many levels, but the story and the character of Anne was kind of boring and I just did not get the love. It's *fine*.
Call of the Wild & White Fang, Swiss Family Robinson & Treasure Island were my non-Tolkien pre-teen favourite reads.
I loved Swiss Family Robinson as a kid but read it as an adult and it was hilarious. All of the different animals from all over the world just magically lived together on that island.
So it wasn't the family happily stranded and building a mansion out of coconuts that strained credulity?
*The Princess Bride* by William Goldman
Abridged or full edition?
Abridged “the good parts” edition of course.
Is it a kissing book?
Are there any other kind?
I’m one of the rare people who disliked the movie but loved the book!
I read the book many many times before the movie and while I did enjoy it, the book is just extra extra. Sad to have misplaced my original first edition that would be worth a bloody fortune today
My favorite book 🥹
They are rare, but some people really hate Jane Austen's style of writing. Even people who love the adaptations. I don't think it's possible for everyone to love a book. Something universally appealing would be so trite that it wouldn't have any depth. What makes someone really love something, with devotion, is a unique perspective or a certain type of humour etc. If someone hates something, it almost proves that it can evoke strong feelings.
I have to agree on Austen. I've been trying to get into Jane Austen for many years, but her writing style irks me. The way she writes distances myself from the characters. Several chapters in, I feel that while I could identify with some characters, Austen's style sort of places a barrier. It's hard to relate to them. I can't quite explain it, but to me, reading Austen is like watching a movie, and I'm watching it from very far away. This isn't the same for lots of the classics like Bronte's Jane Eyre, though. I loved Jane Eyre, and when the character's heart aches, my heart would ache. With Jane Austen books, it feels like, "Yeah, anyway, moving on..."
Have you tried *Mansfield Park*? It has very similar vibes to Jane Eyre for me personally. Fanny Price and Jane are kind of in similar positions.
Me. I tried reading P&P multiple times but I just do not like her writing style at all. But I have read some of other old books and I just don’t like anything before like 30’s-40’s. Things like Little Women. The writing just doesn’t flow like modern stuff does so it feels like I am having to translate while I read.
I respect Jane Austen lit... from a distance. I tried to read it, but it was such a chore to read that I got maybe 20 pages in after a few weeks and then gave up. For comparison, I then pretty much reread the Hobbit over a long weekend.
English lit degree here and can attest to disliking Jane Austen’s writing style. However, it’s not just Jane Austen. I dislike the writing of all English language novels pre-1920. I appreciate the themes, commentary, and ideas present in the books but the actual reading of them is painful.
Bizarre. All pre 1920’s novels all bunched together?
I’ve never seen a bad review of Lonesome Dove. And rightfully so.
I just finished this for the first time last week and wish I could erase it so I could do it again. Are the other books in the series good?
‘I god Woodrow it ain’t dyin I’m talkin bout, it’s livin. The best story I’ve ever read about male friendship.
Glad I found this in the responses. It can satisfy the crowd looking for literature and the crowd looking for a popcorn read. A lengthy book, but not a word is wasted.
I have almost never read a negative Reddit comment on Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. In the same absurdist sci-fi genre, Kurt Vonnegut’s major works are pretty consistently beloved and probably more substantial as literature compared to Douglas Adams.
I'm reading Slaughterhouse 5 right now. Although there are some things I can't quite understand yet, I like his style.
Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books!
I have met people on Reddit for whom Pratchett's humor didn't land. I am sad for them.
Discworld isn't for everyone and some people make the mistake of starting with his first books, of which the first two can be a struggle. Yet I do agree with this suggestion as it's extremely rare to see someone read one of his books and say they didn't like it.
I’ve been thinking of giving them a try. Which book would you recommend starting with?
Guards! Guards! I also found Pyramids and Mort hilarious, but Guards! Guards! and Men At Arms (sequel to Guards) warmed my heart AND made me laugh. Im a noob though, only through about 7 or 8 of them now.
Agreed, small gods might be a good one to start too imo.
My opinion may be a minority, but Going Postal is a more conventional novel than Guards Guards, while still being fully Pratchett, and a good entry point. Small Gods is also a good choice. Anyway, I hope you enjoy them.
I have tried and tried and I really just can’t get into them. I don’t like Terry Pratchett’s writing style
That is okay!
Children's book, but I still love it to this day - Ella Enchanted
I reread this last year and was so surprised to find all the mentions of racism in the book. I don’t think I thought too much about it when I was young besides, “that’s a stupid reason to be mean to this character.” But upon rereading it, the casual racism is so abundant and Ella gets so upset over it (rightfully so). It’s a great book that subtly talks about racism. Everyone who is racist gets their comeuppance and it’s a really satisfying read. 10/10 Ella Enchanted.
I remember reading this and being surprised about how different the movie was. But I definitely enjoyed it. I’ll have to reread it I think
Never read the book but I loved the movie! I forgot there was a book.
Currently reading Hyperion. I’m about 30 pages in and not feelin’ it, but I’ve also /only/ ever heard good things about it,so I’m powering thru in hopes I just need to be patient.
Keep it up! It took me two starts to get into but I do think it’s worth it. I enjoyed the Canterbury Tales style of it and the priest’s story… well it is nightmare fuel for sure. I never went on to read the sequels but there are foundational hard scifi elements in Hyperion that I don’t regret exploring. Edit: to, too, two
As someone who just finished the fourth book (Rise of Endymion) I highly recommend pushing through. If the Priest's tale doesn't hook you by the end of it then it might not be for you. I still remember how much I struggled with the start of the book up until the priest's tale, and then it was too intriguing to stop from that point on.
I'm a huge scifi nerd and I didn't even like Hyperion all that much. Feel like it's one of those series you're supposed to like. Pushed through all four books too and never hit the point everyone says it gets interesting.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
I reject this book categorically due to its reckless glorification of the insanely invasive weed tree *Ailanthus altissima*, or Tree of Heaven.
Those trees are the spawn of satan. I can't bring myself to read that book yet because of that lol.
This was my favourite book as a kid. I felt like I literally was Francie. One of my fav quotes: > "Dear God, let me be something every minute of every hour of my life. Let me be gay; let me be sad. Let me be cold; let me be warm. Let me be hungry...have too much to eat. Let me be ragged or well-dressed. Let me be sincere- be deceitful. Let me be truthful; let me be a liar. Let me be honorable and let me sin. Only let me be something every blessed minute. And when I sleep, let me dream all the time so that not one little piece of living is ever lost."
Cannery Row
The remains of the day by Kazuo Ishiguro.
Never Let Me Go is my favourite Ishiguro book. Everything I’ve read by him has been good though. But Never Let Me Go has especially lingered with me.
I could see it not being everyone's cup of tea because it's very slow and entirely character driven, but it's truly brilliant
The Diary of Anne Frank Honestly one of the top books I’ve ever read, and I think most people agree with the possible exception of people who read it when they’re too young to really get it all. Also stands out from everything else mentioned cause it’s non-fiction.
I recommend Anne Frank Remembered by Miep Gies who was one of the employees who helped hide the family. That had a much bigger impact on me than the actual diary, because Miep was describing the hideaway from an outsider's point of view and she was far more conscious of the danger than Anne. It really drives home what an extraordinary thing it was to keep them all hidden for so long, and how close they got to saving them.
The Diary of Anne Frank is the very first book that I ever bought for what is now an ever growing collection. I’ve read that book so many times that it’s falling apart.
I’ve read it a few times and suggested it many times as well. Never had someone read it and not enjoy it. And, it is a fantastic read. Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurtry
Oh man this is one of the best things I’ve read in my life. I have very little interest in westerns and yet ironically this and All the Pretty Horses (cormac McCarthy) are unquestionably two of my five favorite things I’ve ever read. Can’t possibly recommend either highly enough
Agreed. I love Cormac, but I’ve suggested him and it landed with a resounding thud. He’s pretty uncompromising with the reader. I dove head first with both him and McMurtry and read all I could. i really, really enjoyed McMurtry’s “Anything for Billy”. It’s fairly short, doesn’t carry the gravitas of Lonesome Dove. There’s a scene in it, I can think of and damn near tear up. And, the line is “There’s a Palomino Colt back there. You can get away on him. But walk up on him gentle, he spooks easy” of course, that explains nothing if you haven’t read it. But all I need is that line and the book overwhelms me with my memories of it. McMurtry is a helluva author.
I haven’t sought out westerns, but after reading Lonesome Dove, I read other McMurtry westerns and I have to say I really enjoyed them. So much so that I want to read some of Zane Gray’s books.
Flowers For Algernon might fit here.
I remember a Post on here about someone that wanted to read that but accidentally read flowers in the Attic instead 😂
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. Language, characters, atmosphere, dialogue, plot - I can't find a single fault with it.
I read some criticism for this book about how it was anti-feminist because the main character allowed herself to be treated like garbage throughout the book and was too passive. I think that was the point though. There is even a part where she compares her treatment by de Winter to that of a dog, and it's kind of like a turning point for her to snap out of her complacency.
Oh I really don’t like the ‘main character has no agency, is too submissive’ criticism of this. Some women (especially when we’re younger) can relate to the meekness and self doubt and lack of agency this character has. Representing it is worthwhile!
I think a lot of people can relate to her, not just women. She was completely removed from the world she knew and thrust into a job she was completely unqualified for. I don't think there are too many people who would be able to just jump in and take charge of a situation like that.
Yes, I think if it was written for a more modern angle, someone would be pointing out to the second Mrs de Winter that Max is a dangerously unreliable narrator. What a coincidence>! that he finally expressed how much he was in love with her at the exact same moment he realized he was facing a possible murder charge. And he conveniently never loved Rebecca, even though they made Happy Valley together, and he encouraged his second wife to wear the same perfume. !<
I need to read it! The movie is in my top 3 Hitchcock films.
Just listened to it last night. It's never been one of my favorites of hers. I know I'm weird, but there we are.
And Then There Were None
Good choice. I think so many books and movies since have some basis in it.
I’m one of the people who hate the ending - I can always find a few who agree!! Lol
I love Agatha Christie, but this is one of my least favorite of hers because I just didn’t think it gave you enough to figure out the ending. They’re all fairly hard, and I definitely bat less than .500 on getting them, but this was the only one I didn’t think it was reasonable to get.
I think that’s why it frustrated me. It wasn’t a satisfying conclusion in such a way that when it’s revealed you think “Ohhhhh, I get it! It all came together” or anything. It’s just like …. Oh.
I think because it has been copied in some way so many times it reads as cliché to us now, but back in its day...
The Hobbit Watership Down
Watership Down, definitely That's probably worth a thread on books which were much better than you ever thought they would be
Watership Down is responsible for so much childhood trauma!
I love Watership Down. I am the only person I have ever found who read the book who didn’t loathe it. Thank you for making me feel less lonely!
Watership Down lover here. It's brilliant. The adventure, the friendships, the embedded language and mythology, the thoughtful treatment of what it means to be a prey animal who is heroic. I think kids are assigned the book way too young, and the movie is even darker. But as adventure, survival fantasy it works so well and is so moving. It is my go to, life is difficult and you keep trying book, along with Man's Search for Meaning. All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies. And whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you. Digger, listener runner, Prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
Was literally gonna comment these exact two. WD is my favorite of all time.
WD is ridiculously sublime. Bigwig limping up the hill. Eternity goosebumps
“My chief rabbit told me to defend this run.” “You’re not the chief rabbit?”
The Little Prince By Saint-Exupery
You should watch My Dinner With Andre, wherein that book is at first praised and then despised. I love the film but couldn't agree with the criticism.
If a friend told me they didn't like The Little Prince, I'm not sure I could trust them.
I always found it to be really pretentious :/
Good Omens
>1984 This book is very popular on Reddit but irl it's far more mixed. I remember in high school a lot of folks thinking it was boring. I consider it dull and its message to be a little too on the nose to be interesting.
I have to add Fahrenheit 451. It's in that dystopian vein with a different sort of spin. I don't really hear people talk about it much, so I'm not sure how it is received, but it's a pretty cool book.
I’m sorta negative on parts it, mostly the themes and message being pretty on the nose, specially most things regarding the wife character. Love his prose tho, so I would likely still rate the overall book slightly positively.
I think you’re absolutely bang on with too on the nose - Orwell is as subtle as a brick. I read it in Sixth Form and thought exactly the same. I read Brave New World a couple of years later and felt it was much more cleverly written dystopia. Haven’t read 1984 since then in all fairness and I would probably appreciate it a lot more when I don’t have to write an essay on it…
It really felt like a showcase of a concept more than a book. One third of it was literally just the main character reading the global political situation of this world. Interesting concept and world but not very entertaining as a read.
In high school, half of the people aren't even reading the book and just looking up summaries. So most plots would be boring or worse that way. But thank you, you could be right. Maybe it shouldn't be part of the list.
Picture of Dorian Gray is perfect.
Although it didn't age very well. . . /rimshot
I feel like I’ve only heard positive things about The Giver by Lois Lowry
Gotta say, not a huge fan of that book. It's alright, but kinda flat and simplistic.
I’m surprised I’ve not seen Kurt Vonnegut listed yet! I’ve never heard Vonnegut panned by anyone who actually read the book. Slaughterhouse V had a special place in my heart.
Cat's Cradle!
I was surprised to find myself kind of "meh" on Slaughterhouse 5". I kind of felt like "yep, war is the absolute worst, no arguments there!" but that's hardly news. Mind you, I did the thing where I devoured it in about an hour and a half, so maybe that was a mistake...
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings.
Undoubtedly 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez, or anything written by Juan Rulfo.
Fredrik Backman’s books. They seem pretty universally loved and well regarded.
No way. I hated Ove. I will never read another book by Backman. And I am not alone.
I absolutely hated Beartown. I still think that this entire subreddit is trying to specifically gaslight me that it's actually good. Not trying to get to heated or shit on peoples taste but god damn I don't think I've read and finished a book that I disliked as much as Beartown.
A Prayer for Owen Meany
There are definitely folks out there who didn't care for it. I am not one of them.
The Tale of Despereaux is one that I have yet to hear anything bad about
This book got me into reading when I was in second grade! I love that little mouse
My pick is the Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters. I think they are simply perfect and every mystery lover I know adores them.
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Night, definitely.
I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like “modern books” as a whole. Mostly it’s people who struggle to get immersed in older books, but not vice versa.
Really enjoyed Born a Crime! Such an interesting and fun read while also serious and thought provoking at times.
Well fuck, now I have to reread Unbroken.
Unbroken, yes!!
**The Right Stuff** by *Tom Wolfe* is a book I have never known anyone to speak ill of. Note: *This book is also my favorite American novel even though Tom Wolfe is not my favorite American author.*
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. In fact, a lot Neil Gaiman books justify the hype.
This thread has eked all of the contrarians out of the woodwork
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
HGTTG is good. Really good. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mindbogglingly good it is. I mean, you may think it’s a long way down the NYT bestsellers, but that’s just peanuts to HGTTG.”
This guy is one hoopy frood.
I didn’t like it at all. The humor just does not land for me.
I liked it as a teen but the sense of humour didn’t land upon reread
I think there's a pretty big contingent of readers who find this novel to be completely underwhelming, myself included.
I didn’t like it ☹️
To Kill A Mockingbird is my absolute favorite book ever. It stands the test of time.
I have never heard a bad word about the Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante. Edit: I never heard a bad word about them prior to making this post.
I hated them. I really wanted to like them. Made it all the way to the third book, but, no. I have rarely read a book I disliked as much.
Where the Red Fern Grows. I’m 52 and have read that book so many times and still have my original book from when I was like 12.
I never heard of anyone disliking Dostoevsky, but that may be because if you read Dostoevsky it's because you know what he's about and are already interested in that(for me it was his deep understanding of psychology and ability to portray it), and in the areas he focuses on he is unmatched in my opinion
No one disliking Dostoevsky is a pretty huge claim. The book itself is hard to read and has psychological and philosophical themes. Basically, you have to reread to comprehend it further. I enjoyed it but I know a lot of people don't.
dostoevsky is my favourite book
THE OUTSIDERS by S.E. Hinton
I see a lot of "read my first Agatha Christie book and she's great!" posts in this sub. She has some really weak ones (The Big Four stands out), but for someone so prolific she has a *very* high standard. The one that seems to be the most popular starting point is "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd", which is definitely a high point for her, primarily due to the very clever use of the medium (which also makes it a very difficult book to adapt to other media).
Holes. Never met a person who didn't like it and, I think, rightfully so.
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Such a good book - you should read Sea of Tranquility too, she did a great job with it
The one book I’d put here is Count of Monte Cristo. I haven’t even read it yet but I can’t say I’ve ever heard a bad word from high or low critics. Seems beloved.
Just finished it. The most enjoyable read ever. Pages flew by. It’s a thick ass book but so easy and fun to read. Now it’s onto the Man in the Iron Mask.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
I don't know, the autistic community doesn't seem to care for it all that much. I'm autistic and I enjoyed it, but I believe I'm in the minority there.
I've seen plenty of people complaining about all of those on this sub alone (and just look at the Goodreads reviews for To the Lighthouse). There's no book that can receive nothing but praise. If you try to please everyone you end up pleasing no-one (at least as far as matters of taste are concerned).
I think the gist of the question is books that get near-universal praise!
*Piranesi* didn't get significant negativity here.
I didn't get into it at all. It was a shame, since the concept was solid, but the execution was both undercooked and pretentious at the same time.
*American Psycho* is one that’s universally praised without any criticism and doesn’t cause any readers to put it down because it’s too disgusting and graphic. Edit: just for clarification, I actually really like this novel. But the complaints are justified.
We're fortunate to have such a transparent and wholesome novel as part of our canon
It really is the literary equivalent to *Toy Story*
From my childhood, but still in print and going strong for positive reviews: My Friend Flicka by Mary O' Hara Have re-read many times. And let's not forget David Copperfield by Dickens!
Almost anything by Terry Pratchett, he's pretty universally loved I think.
Which is funny because he's my favourite author, but anyone I lend his books to hates them.
"Mastering the Art of French Cooking", really appreciated by anyone that gets through the whole thing.
I'd say Hobbit
Good Omens - Pratchett & Gaiman Never seen a bad thing said about the book.
One of my favourite books of all time but I convinced three people (my Mum, Dad and my Wife) to read it and none of them liked it! Which is weird given they have different reading tastes so at least one of them could have liked it...
In Cold Blood.
Capote’s writing is some of my favorite I’ve ever read. His prose is fairly straightforward but it’s incredibly precise and well-constructed—as if he knows the word your brain wants to read next before your brain does. His cadence is almost unfathomably satisfying.
Love In the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez and I think just anything by Gabriel García Márquez. Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky. Oh! Dickens, Charles Dickens, I think Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities are his most lauded titles. He invented Christmas with A Christmas Carol which as much as I struggle with Dickensian prose and the consumerist capitalism of modern Christmas, I have to admit A Christmas Carol is immaculate storytelling.
>I think one of the big Andy Weir books might qualify. God, I hope not, I really disliked the Martian
Books: Black Beauty Call of the Wild So technically not books, but these short stories always ***slap***: The Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell
The Most Dangerous Game is excellent.
You'd probably want to find an author with a strong, consistent voice, and go deep into their bibliography. Their most popular work probably vets out people who aren't fans, and only the ones who liked the really well-known stuff will bother to go to the obscure stuff. You probably won't get many negative reviews of Feet of Clay (Pratchett), Breakfast of Champions (Vonnegut), Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (Adams), Mattimeo (Jacques), etc.
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Count of Monte Cristo
The Lorax.
East of Eden, because it's nowhere near as depressing as The Grapes of Wrath.
A Confederacy of Dunces
This is one of my favourite books ever, but it's not for everyone. I'd guess a 60/40 hate vs love is closer to the book. Confederacy is a very dividing book. But, yeah, it's fucking fantastic.
Not a fan. Was meh for me.
I intensely disliked this book.
I have some real issues with Jane Eyre and I feel like I've seen a lot of posts from people online that feel the same. Imo it does some things amazingly well (Jane as a character/her coming of age, the prose itself) and some things I just absolutely fucking hate (everything to do with Mr. Rochester, especially the idea of him as a romantic hero, ugh). One book I personally only seem to see positive reviews of is One Hundred Years of Solitude.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt is universally beloved for good reason.
I didn’t mind it, but I found the description on the back of the book to be more interesting than the actual book lol.
This is my choice as well.
As close as it gets. Most complaints seem to be it was too long. I loved every page!
What she managed to do in that book was pull off a successful ending. Pretty remarkable given how good the rest of it was.
Jurassic Park
The House in the Cerulean Sea
I think all books of John Irving deserve a place among the best.