Great Books

Great Books
To read or not to read?....that is a silly question!
Showing posts with label awful. Show all posts
Showing posts with label awful. Show all posts

Monday, November 9, 2015

I can't believe this is a book by Roald Dahl

Even though I am a big fan of Roald Dahl's, I have to say, DO NOT READ My Uncle Oswald. Just don't. Seriously. The ONLY redeeming quality of this book is this quote: “I began to realize how important it was to be an enthusiast in life. He taught me that if you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go at it at full speed ahead. Embrace it with both arms, hug it, love it and above all become passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good. Hot is no good either. White hot and passionate is the only thing to be.”  ― Roald Dahl, My Uncle Oswald

That's what drew me to the story in the first place. But other than this one quote in the whole book, it is complete and utter trash. All the other reviewers who said don't read it are dead on.

Sorry, Dahl. It's just too risque.

Sunday, June 22, 2014

The Terrible-Awful-Wonderful Book

Nicholas Sparks, I have a love/hate relationship with your books.  I hate so much the body-shaking, soul-deep, heart-wrenching sobs that wrack my body when I read your books.  I hate crying like that.  A few tears trickling down my cheek is one thing, but to SOB like that....man, there are only so many tissues in this world to hold not only my tears, but my snot.  UGH!

Yet, your stories are sweet, gentle, loving and remind me that even when things are at their worst, LOVE is still important in our every day lives.  We all want (dream of having or hope to have one day) the kind of love that you write about in your books, and THE CHOICE is no different.

I love the story of Travis and Gabby.  I see how it parallels the love story in THE NOTEBOOK, but yet it is still completely its own beautiful, wonderful, terrible, awful love story.  I also see a little bit of Gayle Forman's IF I STAY; ok, a lot of it.  Of course, THE CHOICE is told through the point of view of the male while IF I STAY is told through the point of view of the female who is actually in the coma, the fact remains that both stories deal with the power of love in the midst of horrific tragedies that result in the females being in a coma.

Beautiful.  Wonderful.  Terrible.  Awful.  Horrible.  Powerful.  Worth reading.  And, yes, I read the whole thing in one day, of course.  Thanks, Victoria Fullbright, for recommending this terrible-awful-wonderful book!!!!