observations in violet

Adventures in Life, Literature, and Whatever Else Comes to Mind

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10 overrated literary classics - The National

irunfrombears:

The National lists their 10 most overrated literary classics. While I don’t agree with most of this list, I do like their suggestions on what to read instead.

OH NO THEY DIDN’T—they did not just diss The Lord of the Rings.  Feel my inner-LOTR-geek rage, National Staff!! FEEL IT!

As for Ulysses, I agree completely.  Freaking James Joyce.  It’s just a parade of allusions mixed into stream of consciousness.  He’s basically got a neon sign over the book saying “I AM SO MUCH MORE AWESOME AND INTELLECTUAL THAN YOU ARE BECAUSE YOU NEED A BOOK OF COMMENTARY LONGER THAN THIS BOOK TO UNDERSTAND ALL MY SUBTLETIES”  Now, I realize that would be an impossibly large message for neon lights, but do you think James Joyce would care?  I don’t think so.  Especially considering the entire last chapter of the book consists of over 24,000 words and only one punctuation mark (a period).

Filed under lit Lord of the Rings Ulysses James Joyce Geek Rage

  1. lievocalfi reblogged this from irunfrombears
  2. bookishness reblogged this from irunfrombears
  3. waterfallsofwords reblogged this from irunfrombears and added:
    Agree completely.
  4. bexesyearofbooks reblogged this from libraryland and added:
    I only disagree with War and Peace and the only suggested reading I agree with is The Brothers Karamazov.
  5. obriscoe reblogged this from irunfrombears
  6. secretforces reblogged this from irunfrombears and added:
    My reactions: A Clockwork Orange instead?? Really? Ugh. Glad I’m not the only one who thinks Pynchon is the worst...
  7. jjarichardson reblogged this from libraryland
  8. somnambulantlife reblogged this from irunfrombears and added:
    profoundly disagree...about four items on...this: ULYSSES...
  9. cactokaur reblogged this from libraryland
  10. passion-inutile reblogged this from libraryland
  11. mordanes reblogged this from libraryland
  12. weensy reblogged this from libraryland and added:
    I disagree with On the Road, Ulysses, and War and Peace (although I recognize it’s a painfully tedious book, but...
  13. booksandghosts reblogged this from irunfrombears
  14. yourperfectverse reblogged this from irunfrombears
  15. whateveryourhandfindstodo reblogged this from pamplemousseonesixseven and added:
    I agreed with all of them except for Moby Dick. That one I liked and every time I read it I see more stuff I missed.
  16. carpe-jvgvlvm reblogged this from irunfrombears and added:
    have my own list...‘overrateds’, but...still understand...
  17. diabetushero reblogged this from libraryland and added:
    So many books that I love are on this list … fuck it, I’m an English major. Enjoying literature is the main reason I...
  18. observations-in-violet reblogged this from irunfrombears and added:
    OH NO THEY DIDN’T—they did not just diss...Lord of the Rings. Feel my inner-LOTR-geek...
  19. chinneths reblogged this from irunfrombears and added:
    NO NO NO NO NO AND FUCK NO…. except for Atlas Shrugged which is fucking terrible. You cannot replace
  20. linda-anne reblogged this from libraryland
  21. whiskeyoverjesus reblogged this from libraryland and added:
    Someone please put Catcher In The Fucking Rye on this list.
  22. regurgitatingheadlines reblogged this from irunfrombears
  23. This was featured in #Lit
  24. fortunaforme reblogged this from pamplemousseonesixseven and added:
    If I were still in high school, I would agree with you. I am finishing up my American Lit requirement this quarter and I...