Overrated Books

[Peder]

Everyone is entitled to both have and express their opinion, if they did not then places like this forum and others would not exist. So please express your opinion. Have an opinion. Stick to it, change it, but whatever you do express it, forcefully when you are passionate, mildly when you are not. Be a person of opinions. Please! Because to not have opinions, or to be so neutral as to be accepting of everything is to be nothing, open to being led by any passing opinion. Take a stand, and stand for something, because standing for nothing is terrible.

And just exactly what kind of opinion are you looking for? I thought I had expressed myself pretty clearly.

Are you looking for fighting words? I decline.

 

[Meadow337]

May I remind you that you were advocating that people do NOT express their opinion:

Finally, if for any reason one wishes to not read the book, then just skip it. There are many other books that we don't read either, without getting vociferous about them.

And instead of taking personal issue with the fact that you felt free to express your opinion, while denying others the right to do so, I expressed my opinion on expressing opinions.

If you want to make something personal of that, I can't stop you, but don't expect me to get to personal in return.

 

[SFG75]

As usual, post #76 is magnificent Peder. The Edith Wharton mentioning reminds me of a story that I read about her numerous times. I believe it concerned Willa Cather winning a prize for One of Ours. Supposedly, Wharton wrote a congratulatory letter and the contents of it were truly complimentary and selfless. I could be wrong as to who it was sent to, but I believe it was Cather. Memory isn't getting better with age I'm afraid. I have to say that I haven't read anything by Wharton. You have just given me a new reason to make three clicks on my kindle and buy a new book. Kindle purchases do better for my marriage, as it leads to less clutter in an already swamped home of books.

Your comments on writing style are also dead on. People have hang ups with Cormac McCarthy's sudden ignoring of direct quotes in The Road. I'm not sure what the writing deficient of 50 shades would be, I'll have to go that route and find out myself as soon as the book can stay in the library for longer than 15 minutes.

 

[SFG75]

May I remind you that you were advocating that people do NOT express their opinion:



And instead of taking personal issue with the fact that you felt free to express your opinion, while denying others the right to do so, I expressed my opinion on expressing opinions.

If you want to make something personal of that, I can't stop you, but don't expect me to get to personal in return.

Wow......just wow.

The guy made a general statement and now you're taking off on him. There is nothing "personal" in his post. You moderators seriously need to consider how you come across to members and consider that brow-beating people isn't good for the health of this place. You guys are referees, though I would argue, hardly impartial ones. Seriously, get off of his case for once.

 

[Meadow337]

Wow......just wow.

The guy made a general statement and now you're taking off on him. There is nothing "personal" in his post. You moderators seriously need to consider how you come across to members and consider that brow-beating people isn't good for the health of this place. You guys are referees, though I would argue, hardly impartial ones. Seriously, get off of his case for once.

Umm seeing as I was the recipient of his not so general come back to my general statement about his general statement I think I'm entitled to respond. Being a moderator does not mean you stop being a person.

And I stand by what I said, both as a moderator and as a person. People are free to express their opinions, Peder included. He just needs to recognise the fact that others have opinions too. If there was no discussion of 'opinions' of a book, both for and against, then we might as well all pack up and go home because there would be no forum. It exists as a place expressly for people to express their opinions. And I, for one, encourage people to do so.

 

[Peder]

May I remind you that you were advocating that people do NOT express their opinion:

"Finally, if for any reason one wishes to not read the book, then just skip it. There are many other books that we don't read either, without getting vociferous about them."
​

And instead of taking personal issue with the fact that you felt free to express your opinion, while denying others the right to do so, I expressed my opinion on expressing opinions.

If you want to make something personal of that, I can't stop you, but don't expect me to get to personal in return.

My, that's a feisty interpretation of my remark! I think you are just itching for a fight. Good, then I regard your request for my opinion as no longer of interest, and we are done.

 

[Peder]

Thanks SFG for both posts, I thought for a moment that I was losing my marbles.

 

[Peder]

I do find it very amusing how many different types of people have read this book.. . .
I don't go around recommending or bashing the book but I am glad I read it because the curiosity was killing me.

Hi Ronny,
Yes, the book has certainly prompted interest from many unexpected quarters.

I'm reminded of a comment by my grandmother, since departed, long ago when she was in her ninety's. Commenting on aging, she said that, of course, she could see that she was older when she looked in the mirror, and she was not so spry anymore. But, she went on to say, when she looked out at the world through her eyes she still saw it as if she were looking through her young eyes, that her view and her thoughts were still as if no time had passed.

Re your final remark, I too finally gave into curiosity but, different from you, I enjoyed it. Go figger.
Thanks for posting
Peder

 

[Ronny]

Re your final remark, I too finally gave into curiosity but, different from you, I enjoyed it. Go figger.
Thanks for posting
Peder

Peder, I think I would of enjoyed a chat with your grandma, thanks for sharing

I must of liked the books a bit because I went on to read all 3. They were a bit like potatochips, good in their own way but not so much for every meal

 

[Peder]

Peder, I think I would of enjoyed a chat with your grandma, thanks for sharing

Thanks for your kind comment. I'm sure she would have enjoyed your company too.

Re potato chips, some have implied that they have more substance than the book.

 

[sparkchaser]

Thank you for your response. As usual we differ.
I have said what I have to say. I still take exception to the vehemence with which the book has been received. And I think my last sentence still covers it.

What did you think of it? I didn't find it particularly arousing or titillating. nor did it awaken any previously unspoken/unfulfilled bedroom desires.

 

[Polly Parrot]

Hot damn. One of those rare moments of heated discussion on the forum and I missed it. Couldn't you guys have waited until after I got out of the cinema?

Moddy hat on: do be nice to each other, and consider that even moderators, though we may seem part of the website's "furniture" (ie. software, etc), we do have opinions and express them. No fun just policing the place and keeping quiet.

 

[Peder]

Sparky, Meadow, Ronny, Polly, others who are curious about my opinion, or indeed many other members' opinions as well, should be able to glean them all from the other very lengthy original discussion of the book itself elsewhere here on BAR . There is no need to rehash all that here.

http://www.bookandreader.com/threads/e-l-james-fifty-shades-of-grey.23602/

If one really insists on the short-short easily understandable form: I enjoyed it.

 

[sparkchaser]

I read that thread but it doesn't answer my question.

 

[sparkchaser]

If one really insists on the short-short easily understandable form: I enjoyed it.

Easily understandable is much preferred to lengthy and vague.

 

[Peder]

I. C.

 

[sparkchaser]

I. C.

Short and vague. Smartass

 

[Peder]

Sorry, Sparky. I thought short and clear. Seriously.

 

[SFG75]

Sorry, Sparky. I thought short and clear. Seriously.

Given that you don't have to read books here, I'm amazed you are taken to task for not having written a dissertation. Will wonders never cease?

 

[sparkchaser]

Hey now, listening to books on tape and watching movies based on a book are perfectly acceptable.