No, just... no. I'm the first to admit that "classic" prose... let's tactfully say, "disagrees" with me. There are few books written before the turn of the 20th century that I can read more than once, I can't stand the writing style, I usually find the characters alienating because of the way they behave, and the language just plain bugs me.
But Pride & Prejudice? Man that book did nothing but frustrate me. Again, I'm the first to admit, I don't think English lessons should EVER dissect a book in the way or to the degree we are forced to, much less "classic" tales that society wishes to remember, they make me hate them, P&P and to Kill a Mockingbird are the entire thesis of my reasoning. Reading them and dissecting them in class made me hate them, and it will do nothing but sulley my memories of them.
So, my favorite book? Harder than my favorite movie or show, possibly the hardest thing for me to choose an all time favorite. Do I go with the ones that make me laugh the most? Cry the most? The ones that left me thinking about them the most? The one that I want to live the most? Answers to all of those are easy (I think!) But the one that I like the most? Agh!
Why am I only allowed one!? This is actually hurting my brain! Every time I start to rationalise one, another pops into my head and tells me in what way it is superior to another.
Marley & Me. It has to be. If there is only one book I'm ever allowed to read again, it's that one. It has everything, it made me laugh, it made me smile, it made me PINE for my own dog, and most of all, it made me cry. I've read it twice, and both times it got me. I wasn't stupid, I knew what was going to happen from the beginning of the first read-through, but the end isn't important (for once in a book) it's the amazing journey you spend getting there. Also, it's one of the few books where everything that happened could happen to me. And I like that. It's down to earth, real and incredible.
I didn't want to do this, but honorable mentions HAVE to be given for the book category:
The Hitchiker's Guide - Got me into SciFi and is probably the book I've read the most times. Halo: The fall of Reach - The best expanded universe book of anything I've ever read. Flowers for Algernon - Made me so happy and yet so sad. One for the money - Beginning of one of my favorite series, and possibly the book character I would like to meet the most - Stephanie Plum Best of Spider-man vol 1 - The literally the best comic book collection I've read. Mouse Guard: Fall 1152- My favorite stand alone GN, forget Watchmen, V for Vendetta and all the pretentious crap, give me this anyday.
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Date: 2010-01-05 08:38 pm (UTC)But Pride & Prejudice? Man that book did nothing but frustrate me. Again, I'm the first to admit, I don't think English lessons should EVER dissect a book in the way or to the degree we are forced to, much less "classic" tales that society wishes to remember, they make me hate them, P&P and to Kill a Mockingbird are the entire thesis of my reasoning. Reading them and dissecting them in class made me hate them, and it will do nothing but sulley my memories of them.
So, my favorite book? Harder than my favorite movie or show, possibly the hardest thing for me to choose an all time favorite. Do I go with the ones that make me laugh the most? Cry the most? The ones that left me thinking about them the most? The one that I want to live the most? Answers to all of those are easy (I think!) But the one that I like the most? Agh!
Why am I only allowed one!? This is actually hurting my brain! Every time I start to rationalise one, another pops into my head and tells me in what way it is superior to another.
Marley & Me. It has to be. If there is only one book I'm ever allowed to read again, it's that one. It has everything, it made me laugh, it made me smile, it made me PINE for my own dog, and most of all, it made me cry. I've read it twice, and both times it got me. I wasn't stupid, I knew what was going to happen from the beginning of the first read-through, but the end isn't important (for once in a book) it's the amazing journey you spend getting there. Also, it's one of the few books where everything that happened could happen to me. And I like that. It's down to earth, real and incredible.
I didn't want to do this, but honorable mentions HAVE to be given for the book category:
The Hitchiker's Guide - Got me into SciFi and is probably the book I've read the most times.
Halo: The fall of Reach - The best expanded universe book of anything I've ever read.
Flowers for Algernon - Made me so happy and yet so sad.
One for the money - Beginning of one of my favorite series, and possibly the book character I would like to meet the most - Stephanie Plum
Best of Spider-man vol 1 - The literally the best comic book collection I've read.
Mouse Guard: Fall 1152- My favorite stand alone GN, forget Watchmen, V for Vendetta and all the pretentious crap, give me this anyday.