Cider with Rosie

[Aysa]

I agree with you Twink.

[clumsy]

@Graham

Same here. I was forced to read it under pain of death just to pass a course as it was required reading at school. I enjoy reading, when its something I want to read. But this was done under threat and I had to literally strain every ounce of willpower to drag my eyes over it and couldn’t wait to ditch it. It may be some classic of sorts, but it was one of them books which very nearly put me off reading for life.

I love reading, always have, but the mere mention of Cider with Rosie and I’m back with that boring tutor who made us discuss the meaning of every sentence, day after day, week after week, it was even worse than Hemingway and that was bad enough, he too, in my opinion, was a dreadful author, his books are nothing but snobbery.

[shirley]

I have never read the book but knew of it.

I noticed it was back in the book shops again so might get it when I go book hunting again soon. Just to see what the fuss is about.

[Bruce]

@malcolm

There are lots and lots of books that do that Muddy !
TKAM was by no means unique
First and foremost a book has to be well-written and unputdownable…it has to grab your attention and command you to read it, neither of the two I referred to do that !

I agree with you about Hemingway but “To Kill a Mockingbird”? No, I am pretty sure I read it in one day, just could not stop. Still have a copy.

Haven’t read the new one though.

[malcolm]

I am reading the novels of James Lee Burke at present.
An incredibly intelligent author who grabs your attention on the first page and holds it until the last.
A thousand times better than TKAM in every respect.

[Muddy]

[quote=“Nom, post: 961311”]

@malcolm

There are lots and lots of books that do that Muddy !
TKAM was by no means unique
First and foremost a book has to be well-written and unputdownable…it has to grab your attention and command you to read it, neither of the two I referred to do that ![/QUOTE]

For you perhaps malcolm, others will have a different experience to your opinon.

Exactly Nom
We don’t all have the same taste .
When I was at school Joseph Conrads Nostromo ( dire) and Silas Marner were on the reading list .
These are books that have meanings they stretch the intellect make you think!

No use reading Dick Francis or Jeffrey Archer for this purpose

[Graham]

At some point when I was at school, I got into reading. I read all sorts, from horror to science fiction and the like, and really enjoyed it. The side effect of this was I became very good at English, especially composition, to the point I was moved up a group on the strength of my high marks.

That was until I started in my new class and was forced on pain of death to read a set number of listed novels throughout the year. One of them was Cider With Rosie. I had enjoyed reading…up to that point. Having been forced to read this, meant I suddenly didn’t want to do it any more - to the point I had to physically force and drag my eyes across the page in what became absolute physical and mental torture in what I considered a dreary, tedious and utterly boring meaningless drivel. It virtually killed my interest in reading and my marks fell away considerably and by the time the final exams came round, I was being forced into reading and writing Grapes of Wrath, which I found equally torturous.

For me, Cider with Rosie was responsible for me giving up reading and I lost every ounce of interest in literature for a very, very long time. To this day, I had no idea who Rosie was (or cared even less) and wished it was me who had the cider to take away this painful experience. The mere name of it sends shivers down my spine of being forced to read this dreary, dreary book.

[clumsy]

@Graham

At some point when I was at school, I got into reading. I read all sorts, from horror to science fiction and the like, and really enjoyed it. The side effect of this was I became very good at English, especially composition, to the point I was moved up a group on the strength of my high marks.

That was until I started in my new class and was forced on pain of death to read a set number of listed novels throughout the year. One of them was Cider With Rosie. I had enjoyed reading…up to that point. Having been forced to read this, meant I suddenly didn’t want to do it any more - to the point I had to physically force and drag my eyes across the page in what became absolute physical and mental torture in what I considered a dreary, tedious and utterly boring meaningless drivel. It virtually killed my interest in reading and my marks fell away considerably and by the time the final exams came round, I was being forced into reading and writing Grapes of Wrath, which I found equally torturous.

For me, Cider with Rosie was responsible for me giving up reading and I lost every ounce of interest in literature for a very, very long time. To this day, I had no idea who Rosie was (or cared even less) and wished it was me who had the cider to take away this painful experience. The mere name of it sends shivers down my spine of being forced to read this dreary, dreary book.

I know what you mean. Being forced to read Cider with Rosie was torture, it was so boring and tedious, more than enough to put anyone off reading. However I still love reading and very rarely give up on any book, but I count Cider with Rosie as the most boring book I have ever read. The rest of my fellow students felt the same way.