• Basic Writing questions is not a crit forum. All crits belong in Share Your Work

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Ade Hill

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I would love to know the worst and best books of your life thus far, if you'd care to share. I will read both immediately. That's all
Kindest regards,
Mikey
 

indianroads

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Best and worst are subjective terms. I've read many acclaimed book by famous authors with 5 star reviews up the wazoo on Amazon, and often thought, 'Meh, can't the author come up with something original?' and, 'I guess he was pantsing and couldn't figure out the ending and had to come up with the old, and then a miracle happened, to finish the book.' Obviously others loved those books, but I sure didn't.

I suggest reading a lot across several genres. You'll probably be drawn to some, and repelled by others.

A friend likes to say that we can learn something from anyone, but the most common lesson is patience.
 

Maryn

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Ade Hill, since we take AW's RYFW rule (that's "Respect Your Fellow Author") with utter seriousness, I don't think there will or should be a discussion of worst books that names names.

A best books ever thread should probably be separate from this thread, but the results will prove unwieldy because this whole forum's jammed with people who just adore books and read a lot.

Maryn, who likes books, go figure
 

AW Admin

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I would love to know the worst and best books of your life thus far, if you'd care to share. I will read both immediately. That's all
Kindest regards,
Mikey

You might take a look at the AW Book club subforum. I'm not really enthused about a "worst books"; it's going to be such a matter of individual taste. Why not just concentrate on books people are enthusiastic about? There are so many books available -- highlight the ones people love or find helpful.
 

gothicangel

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Best and worst are subjective terms. I've read many acclaimed book by famous authors with 5 star reviews up the wazoo on Amazon, and often thought, 'Meh, can't the author come up with something original?' and, 'I guess he was pantsing and couldn't figure out the ending and had to come up with the old, and then a miracle happened, to finish the book.' Obviously others loved those books, but I sure didn't.

I suggest reading a lot across several genres. You'll probably be drawn to some, and repelled by others.

A friend likes to say that we can learn something from anyone, but the most common lesson is patience.


This.
Because I am currently writing a crime novel, I read right across the spectrum of the genre. I read the literary ones (which I prefer) to those that are more 'beach reads'. I read thrillers, police procedurals, political, psychological etc. and I pretty much learn from all of them. I've learnt that I hate saintly victims, I don't like multi-POVs that kill tension and suspense, and I don't like gratituous violence and gory deaths designed to titillate.

I won't name the book or author, but I am currently reading a novel which received a 300,000 book deal (a debut) by Random House. I absolutely hate it because it falls into every stereotype of the feckless working classes in Britain. It is a tabloid's wet-dream. I grew up on a council estate and know most of these families are decent, hard-working people and this is pissing me off. Then came in the titillating violence. But I will read the whole book, because I want to know why was the author paid such a huge sum for such a dreadful book?
 
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