More Conversation about Reading Challenging Books . . .

We began this conversation on September 12th… 

And, I’m quite happy because it takes at least one comment to continue a discussion and we have four :-)

I feel the best approach today is to share the comments all in a row, then I’ll attempt a bit of commentary…

From Julie:

“I find books where I don’t like the main character challenging and books with loads of blood and gore; but, the most impossible books were by Proust. Good job I didn’t study literature at University. His were bound to be set books! I did read a translation of some works by Dostoevsky a long time ago. I think my tastes have changed. I can’t cope with fantasy books any longer, although I used to enjoy Science Fiction. I can still admire sophisticated language but hate a lot of swearing. When I read a book I want to become involved. Is that too much to ask?

“PS I certainly couldn’t read anything in another language!”

From CarolinaC:

“There are definitely some types of content that I find to be too much of a challenge – too much violence, strong language, or explicit sexuality, for instance.

“I’ve also tried reading Cherryh and never gotten very far, alas.

“Maybe I’m just not destined to read challenging writing?”

From Martina:

“Challenging topics for me are violence and explicit sexuality when I don’t see what the author wants to achieve with them. When I read “The Woman in White” for the first time, I simply couldn’t understand why the protagonist kept up his love for the – in my eyes – wrong woman.

“And, I made at least two attempts to read a book by the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu. I found the German translation so French that I simply couldn’t understand anything.”

From Jessica:

“I find works that play too strongly to cliches and tropes challenging to read. I think a lot of people gobble them up, but if I’ve seen it done before and the writer isn’t bringing something new to the table, I’m left staring at their work wondering why I’m bothering.

“I read “Cards of Chaos” by A. D. Jansen recently and it was a challenging read because the prose was very tight and technical, it covered a lot of philosophy; and, because it descended into a stream of consciousness narrative for a bit. I loved the book and the very things that make it challenging are some of it’s best features.

“It’s interesting to me that challenges can be both good and bad for readers. Sometimes it drives us forward and other times it has us walking away in disgust.”

As far as Julie not liking Proust, the link I gave to his name takes you to an article, by Germaine Greer, in The Guardian entitled, Why do people gush over Proust? I’d rather visit a demented relative.

I barely know anything about Greer and I’ve never read Proust; but, I also didn’t study literature at University—I hated school; but, have read a huge amount of books; but then, I am an old guy…

I’ve read and re-read a few books by Dostoevsky—he was a bit of a challenge though it may have been the particular translations…

I wholeheartedly agree with Julie on this: “When I read a book I want to become involved. Is that too much to ask?”

And, even though CarolinaC had difficulty with my favorite author, Cherryh, and went on to say,”Maybe I’m just not destined to read challenging writing?“, I told her:

Or, you haven’t found *Your* proper Challenge :-)

Martina‘s comment sent me on a merry search spree—found out they made a serialized TV show about The Woman in White—pondered on folks’ love of the “sensationalist” nature of the book—never read it but, after all the searching to find something decent to link to about it, I don’t think I’ll be facing its particular challenges…

And, coincident with Jessica, books that are mostly cliches and tropes give me indigestion… Plus, she summed up why my favorite fiction writer, C. J. Cherryh—a definite Challenge—is my Fav, with this, “…the very things that make it challenging are some of it’s best features”…

So…

It may be fitting to repeat the questions from the first post, as, hopefully, a stimulus to further conversation :-)

What are some of Your reading challenges…?

What are some challenges you enjoy dealing with…?

What are some challenges that drive you crazy…?

How about reading challenges your friends or acquaintances reveal…?

Perhaps you’ll share challenges you used to have but have overcome…?

Reminder: it only takes one comment to keep this discussion going………
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