Short Stories, Irish literature, Classics, Modern Fiction, Contemporary Literary Fiction, The Japanese Novel, Post Colonial Asian Fiction, The Legacy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and quality Historical Novels are Among my Interests








Thursday, January 20, 2011

Welcome all Literary Book Blog Hoppers-Jan 20 to Jan 23


To me the Literary Book Blog Hop is a great event. I read and post on mostly classics, short stories, Asian Fiction and what I see as literary novels.     

"Greetings to All Hoppers" Charles-coeditor of The Reading Life
I will follow back all who follow me and return all visits.   Please leave a comment if you decide to follow my blog so I can return the follow.-thanks


Let me know how you like my new header collage-how many of the people in the collage can you identify?-Thanks-Charles



 Every week the Literary Book Blog asks that participants answer a question-here is the very interesting  question for this week.

Discuss a work of literary merit that you hated when you were made to read it in school or university.  Why did you dislike it?

This is not an easy question for me to answer. It has been a very long time since I have been in school and when I was in my school years I did not do what I did not want to do.   For better or worse if I hated a book I did not read it.   I recall being bored by Pilgrim's Progress when I first read it but on a  rereading years latter I saw the power of the work, or at least some of it.   


Mel u





19 comments:

Mystica said...

I had to do Death of a Salesman for A level literature and I hated it. Strangely enough even difficult stuff like poetry was good for me at 17! We did Seven Ages of English poetry which looking back was very tough!

Song said...

I actually like Pilgrim's Progress! I think it was one of the first of its kind I studied during my BA and for some reason I took to it. My bane has been the modernist writers...:-/

Mel u said...

Mystica-I read Death of A Salesman for a class many years ago-I still recall it

Risa-I liked Pilgrims Progress the second time I read it-I was very taken by how the style changes from Part One to Part Two

Hannah said...

While reading Risa's answer, I was considering how much our age and experience affects our reading--but I think you've pointed out a completely different issue. I've not read Pilgrim's Progress, but the style is so radically different from the way we talk now. It is fascinating that you liked it on second reading. Maybe age and experience makes us more accepting of the different?

Darlyn (Your Move, Dickens) said...

I think we glossed over Pilgrim's Progress when I was a sophomore, and I can't remember anything about it. At all. :)

Melody said...

I find it interesting that even in school, if you didn't want to read a book you just didn't read it. I was never that brave. :) I did the work and just fumed and complained instead.

JoAnn said...

It's been a long time since I had to read anything for school, too! Never tried Pilgrim's Progress.

*ೃ༄ Jillian said...

Pilgrim's Progress is one I want to read, definitely. Because it was read so often in the 19th century...

Laurie said...

Mel u -
I must say again that I admire the focus for your blog and will continue to follow to see your latest developments...
Greetings to Charles,
L

Teacher/Learner said...

That's funny, I've never read Pilgrim's Progress but I've read books I like that reference it in a negative light. Interesting choice. Here's my Literary Hop post.

Suko said...

Mel, I hopped by to see what this week's question was. Interesting question and answer! I haven't read Pilgrim's Progress--but I probably should because it's considered to be an important work of religious literature. I think the title of the work makes it sound kind of dull, especially to students.

Anonymous said...

I've tried reading Pilgrims Progress many times. I never get past the 2nd page!

mpartyka said...

I have never heard of Pilgrim's Promise! I need to look this book up and see what it's about (assuming pilgrims...).

I'm making my way through the classics and as much literature as I can, I read most of Shakespeare in the 9th grade and fell in love with literature.

Roof Beam Reader said...

I picked up a copy of Pilgrim's Progress a couple of months ago, because a lot of the books I had been reading were referring to it - I haven't yet read it, but skimming through it definitely makes me a bit nervous.

Anonymous said...

I remember it being a difficult read, but I think I liked it in the end.
Em

@parridhlantern said...

Its amazing how something you had trouble with, you can later appreciate, I wonder how big a part patience plays in this, as i've become more patient & so am willing to give things more of a chance.

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

A gifted teacher helps. Especially a gifted teacher who loves what you are being forced to read.

Here's my post: http://readerbuzz.blogspot.com/2011/01/required-reading-dont-get-me-started.html

bibliophiliac said...

Mel, it seems you've always been able to find the good in a book! I do think Pigrim's Progress sounds both grim and preachy.

Elizabeth said...

Header is great...can't identify anyone...bad me.

My read was STONEHENGE DECODED...uggh. Did anyone else have to suffer through it?

Stop by my blog if you like...I also have a giveaway that isn't very literary, but check it out.

http://silversolara.blogspot.com