The Worst Bestselling Books

[Richard Sutton]

In OKC??? No kidding? I woulda figured they 'd burnt it at the stake if they discovered one lurking...

 

[Quillwitch]

Ayn Rand was apparently the 'poster-girl' for the Seattle computer geek generation (which must say something in itself She hypocritically preached 'free-love', destroying other people's relationships in the process, yet squealed like a stuck pig when cheated on, herself... Geez!

H!! I didn´t know that! Take that Ayn Rand!

 

[Chase Gamwell]

In OKC??? No kidding? I woulda figured they 'd burnt it at the stake if they discovered one lurking...

Yep! Worked and everything! A buddy I was with even got a fortune from it.

 

[Bluma Bezbroda]

On my voyages through the internet I couldn't help noticing that the most devoted fans of Ayn Rand's works are white supremacists. As that is not exactly my crowd I do not feel compelled to read any of her books. Also, Tobias Wolff sort of shredded Rand to pieces in one of his books, and I think very highly of that author

In the same subject, I just finished reading the "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" trilogy. While I liked the story and execution, there is one thing in these books that makes me think I would rather not let my children read them (the thing is clearly targeted at teenagers). They are fucking sectarian. I honestly had to check if Ransom Riggs is not a scientologist. In his story, psychiatrists are your out-right enemies, that want to hunt you down, pump you with drugs and lock you up in a cell (or just kill you). I find that very shocking, especially since the levels of depression/depression connected conditions among young Westerners is very alarming. Many tragedies could be avoided, if people would go to specialists and receive treatment. And then you get these kind of "flowers" in popular fiction...

 

[Richard Sutton]

Sometimes, when the author is unable to keep his disguise on for long, or the muttered preaching gets too loud for my taste, I abandon a read. If there is a dull axe that needs sharpening, I never like to have it thrust into my hands for the heavy work, y'know? If a read is going to be a ideological workout, I prefer the book cover to carry a warning label. Infrequently, some well-wrought pontificating makes for an enjoyable read, or a nice learning session. Otherwise? Nope.

 

[Patricia D]

My wife read all three Shades books. Complaining the whole way through. Hated the writing but thought the story was interesting... Hmmm... I've had a serious issue with anything Patricia Cornwall writes. Can't read it at all. Ditto for Patterson. Ditto for Franzen. I mean, life's too short, isn't it>?

This is for you http://time.com/3030375/dave-barry-50-shades-of-grey/

 

[Madeleine Conway]

I did not like Da Vinci Code, I did not like it a la mode, I did not like it when it snowed, I really thought the whole book blowed, I do not like Da Vinci Code.

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Clever, but I liked it. I also used the Rosslyn Chapel, be it briefly, in one of my novels

 

[KG Christopher]

It's a total rip off of The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail...thats the main reason I dont like it.

 

[Richard Sutton]

I liked it, too, Alastair. It was a lot of fun. I didn't expect anything too earth-shattering from it, but the Rosslyn references were kinda cool and even Donovan Leitch got to take a Poke at th' Pope. Although I wonder now if the eventual hiding place set up for the Magdalene was the Roslyn here on Long Island? I remember really liking one of his earlier books about a guy getting tossed out of a helicopter in the arctic... wait... it'll come to me...

 

[Richard Sutton]

This is for you http://time.com/3030375/dave-barry-50-shades-of-grey/

To that, my ever literary wife adds, that Anastasia describes her OWN hair as ..."cascading over my pert breasts." I suppose I should thank you for that... or maybe not...

 

[Carol Rose]

To that, my ever literary wife adds, that Anastasia describes her OWN hair as ..."cascading over my pert breasts." I suppose I should thank you for that... or maybe not...

I can't STAND it when authors write that way, in first or third person. When they have their characters describe their own looks during internal dialogue. It's so bizarre. Who walks into a room and thinks "My long blonde hair is falling across my shoulders in a seductive way," or something equally inane???

 

[Alistair Roberts]

I'd love to, but alas my hair is neither long nor blonde. Although it was blonde up until age four....
As for writing, yes that would be weird.

 

[Jason Byrne]

I can't STAND it when authors write that way, in first or third person. When they have their characters describe their own looks during internal dialogue. It's so bizarre. Who walks into a room and thinks "My long blonde hair is falling across my shoulders in a seductive way," or something equally inane???

See, now I have to actually say something like this, but simply because it will be delightfully droll.