Hey - this is something that I’d chat about while sitting in the chair….
What are some of the authors or books that you thought would be awesome but left you meh and conversely - what are the books or authors that really shocked you on how good they were but weren’t expecting it?
Meh side - Books / Authors that were just not your style
Book: The Princess Bride
I’m definitely a read before you watch the movie kind of guy and almost always prefer the books, but there are two instances where this was definitely not the case.
The Princess Bride - one of my all time favorite movies (which I hadn‘t realized that it was based on a book - if it was in the credits - I never paid attention)……but somehow a movie which I think is one of the best ever in the history of Hollywood - the book was one of the worst that I have actually read. I don’t know if it was that I went into it with such high expectations - but it was truly a let down. The ironic part is that the author of the book was on the writing team for the movie script.
Book: The Man in the High Castle.
The Amazon series captivating me - and though it takes a good deal of creative license when compared to the book - the characters are mainly the same. But wow, the book was not up to snuff as compared to the series - I was ready to turn myself in to either the Germans or Japanese mid way through the book just to end it.
Author: David Sedaris
I like to think of myself as well read and if not find funny, at least appreciate (or understand) high brow humor. I had dated an “Uptown Girl” of patrician upbringing (or as much as you can from being from Virginia - you know the type - someone (like me) that chooses NPR over Howard or Top 40). She swore by David Sedalis - couldn’t get enough of his books. Read and reread them. So I took out a few from my local library….and all I can say is…..I don’t get it. I tried, I mean I really tried. At least the covers and the titles were funny.
The Bright Side - Surprisingly Good Books/Authors
Author: John Elder Robinson
When my son was first diagnosed to be on the Autism Spectrum - I read every book out there on the subject. I particularly wanted to read books from people on the spectrum to try to grasp what life was like from that perspective. Obviously Temple Grandin was on that list - but I truly wanted to read from the perspective of someone that wasn’t a savant (or at least obviously one)…..I stumbled across John Elder Robinson‘s autobiography - just a fantastic memoir - funny, heartbreaking, everything that I wasn’t expecting. To find out he was Augusten Borrough’s brother and that Running With Scissors was their actual life - I am just shocked at how well both brothers turned out. John is every bit of a talented storyteller as his brother.
Author: Eric Van Lustbader
My guilty pleasure for TV is Archer and my guilty pleasure for reading is Spy Novels - especially Jason Bourne. When Robert Ludlum’s Opus (at least IMO) was turned over to Eric Van Lustbader, I had serious doubts -but he found a way to write his prose that I could have sworn it was Robert not him writing it. I then grabbed a bunch of novels that were not Bourne related - and now he’s one of my favorite authors.
Book: Water for Elephants
Ok, when it comes to books - I‘m a bit of a snob (or at least was). No way I was going to read a book that was on Oprah’s or Reese Witherspoon’s book club - or any book club for that matter (except for curated lists from Good Reads - that was my exception)……but this book just wowed me - I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting.
Book: All the Light We Cannot See
I love reading history and I love historical fiction -but especially from 1920s - 1950’s. This book nailed that - but to be honest - I don’t even know about it until it came on my daily email from Amazon - Kindle books dirt cheap (at least that is what I call it). Great storyline - about a blind French girl whose life is intertwined with a German boy who ends up in the German Army. Another one I couldn’t put down - sleep be damned.
Author: Amor Towles
Again in the genre of historical fiction - I especially liked his book A Gentleman in Moscow. This one was a recommendation from one of my Good Reads recommendations. It‘s as if Dostoevsky and F.Scott Fitzgerald did a collaboration. I am looking forward to reading the next one I’ve purchased from him Rules of Civility.
What are some of the authors or books that you thought would be awesome but left you meh and conversely - what are the books or authors that really shocked you on how good they were but weren’t expecting it?
Meh side - Books / Authors that were just not your style
Book: The Princess Bride
I’m definitely a read before you watch the movie kind of guy and almost always prefer the books, but there are two instances where this was definitely not the case.
The Princess Bride - one of my all time favorite movies (which I hadn‘t realized that it was based on a book - if it was in the credits - I never paid attention)……but somehow a movie which I think is one of the best ever in the history of Hollywood - the book was one of the worst that I have actually read. I don’t know if it was that I went into it with such high expectations - but it was truly a let down. The ironic part is that the author of the book was on the writing team for the movie script.
Book: The Man in the High Castle.
The Amazon series captivating me - and though it takes a good deal of creative license when compared to the book - the characters are mainly the same. But wow, the book was not up to snuff as compared to the series - I was ready to turn myself in to either the Germans or Japanese mid way through the book just to end it.
Author: David Sedaris
I like to think of myself as well read and if not find funny, at least appreciate (or understand) high brow humor. I had dated an “Uptown Girl” of patrician upbringing (or as much as you can from being from Virginia - you know the type - someone (like me) that chooses NPR over Howard or Top 40). She swore by David Sedalis - couldn’t get enough of his books. Read and reread them. So I took out a few from my local library….and all I can say is…..I don’t get it. I tried, I mean I really tried. At least the covers and the titles were funny.
The Bright Side - Surprisingly Good Books/Authors
Author: John Elder Robinson
When my son was first diagnosed to be on the Autism Spectrum - I read every book out there on the subject. I particularly wanted to read books from people on the spectrum to try to grasp what life was like from that perspective. Obviously Temple Grandin was on that list - but I truly wanted to read from the perspective of someone that wasn’t a savant (or at least obviously one)…..I stumbled across John Elder Robinson‘s autobiography - just a fantastic memoir - funny, heartbreaking, everything that I wasn’t expecting. To find out he was Augusten Borrough’s brother and that Running With Scissors was their actual life - I am just shocked at how well both brothers turned out. John is every bit of a talented storyteller as his brother.
Author: Eric Van Lustbader
My guilty pleasure for TV is Archer and my guilty pleasure for reading is Spy Novels - especially Jason Bourne. When Robert Ludlum’s Opus (at least IMO) was turned over to Eric Van Lustbader, I had serious doubts -but he found a way to write his prose that I could have sworn it was Robert not him writing it. I then grabbed a bunch of novels that were not Bourne related - and now he’s one of my favorite authors.
Book: Water for Elephants
Ok, when it comes to books - I‘m a bit of a snob (or at least was). No way I was going to read a book that was on Oprah’s or Reese Witherspoon’s book club - or any book club for that matter (except for curated lists from Good Reads - that was my exception)……but this book just wowed me - I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting.
Book: All the Light We Cannot See
I love reading history and I love historical fiction -but especially from 1920s - 1950’s. This book nailed that - but to be honest - I don’t even know about it until it came on my daily email from Amazon - Kindle books dirt cheap (at least that is what I call it). Great storyline - about a blind French girl whose life is intertwined with a German boy who ends up in the German Army. Another one I couldn’t put down - sleep be damned.
Author: Amor Towles
Again in the genre of historical fiction - I especially liked his book A Gentleman in Moscow. This one was a recommendation from one of my Good Reads recommendations. It‘s as if Dostoevsky and F.Scott Fitzgerald did a collaboration. I am looking forward to reading the next one I’ve purchased from him Rules of Civility.