Fiction

Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts) Sat Mar 10, 2012, 07:19 PM Mar 2012

The oddest book you ever read? [View all]

I was thinking about some of the strange books I have read over the years, and wondered if you have ever had a book that you just kept saying WTF through it.

Mine: Ishmael by Daniel Quinn and The Shipping News by Annie Proulx

Both of these books were totally baffling to me. And I felt throughout both that there was so much more being said, but I just wasn't getting it.

So have you ever had the same experience? Would you ever read that book again to see if there was something you missed and can now understand?

52 replies

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The oddest book you ever read? [View all] Curmudgeoness Mar 2012 OP

In Watermelon Sugar by Richard Brautigan...The Ghost in Love by J. Carroll. NRaleighLiberal Mar 2012 #1

I sort of remember In Watermelon Sugar. Curmudgeoness Mar 2012 #2

Hmm! Besides the Bible, which of course is many "confusing" books Starboard Tack Mar 2012 #3

LOL. Was it well worth it. Curmudgeoness Mar 2012 #4

Definitely worth it. Starboard Tack Mar 2012 #5

Oh no, another book on the bookshelf Curmudgeoness Mar 2012 #6

Huxley borrowed the line from Tennyson Starboard Tack Mar 2012 #7

Swooning Beauty, by Joanna Frueh. BlueIris Mar 2012 #8

LOL, Bradbury on meth! Curmudgeoness Mar 2012 #10

I understand your feelings about The Shipping News. Laurian Mar 2012 #9

Your memory is correct. Curmudgeoness Mar 2012 #11

Not one single complete sentence in the whole book. mainer Mar 2012 #43

Iliad YankeyMCC Mar 2012 #12

Oh god! You said a mouthful with one word! Curmudgeoness Mar 2012 #15

LoL YankeyMCC Mar 2012 #21

LOL..... Curmudgeoness Mar 2012 #24

The Odyssey was much better! mainer Mar 2012 #44

The only thing I can think of is BEOWULF MaineDem Mar 2012 #13

I tried that one too. Curmudgeoness Mar 2012 #16

Naked Lunch was pretty weird. nt ZombieHorde Mar 2012 #14

That one is totally new to me. Curmudgeoness Mar 2012 #17

I enjoyed the book when I was in highschool. ZombieHorde Mar 2012 #19

Naked Lunch Moe Shinola Mar 2012 #27

Love that book. Goblinmonger Mar 2012 #22

The Women's Room by Marilyn French Laurian Mar 2012 #18

I know just what you mean....there have been books Curmudgeoness Mar 2012 #20

I remember that book. It was a Doubleday book of the month selection. closeupready Mar 2012 #23

John Connally's The Book of Lost Things japple Mar 2012 #25

It really does matter how we feel about the characters. Curmudgeoness Mar 2012 #26

The Carnivorous Lamb. closeupready Mar 2012 #28

That title is enough to scare me. Curmudgeoness Mar 2012 #29

Well, that I could mention here, perhaps "A Voyage to Arcturus." David Lindsay. dimbear Mar 2012 #30

Improbable books always annoy me. Curmudgeoness Mar 2012 #31

Distributed Proofreaders getting old in mke Mar 2012 #32

Ah, now I get it. I remember looking into it Curmudgeoness Mar 2012 #34

I'd forgotten that one. getting old in mke Mar 2012 #33

The only thing that comes to mind is LWolf Mar 2012 #35

Oh no, give me a break! Curmudgeoness Mar 2012 #36

I had to TEACH that story. LWolf Mar 2012 #37

Flood by Steven Baxter YellowRubberDuckie Mar 2012 #38

Is that a flood as in Noah's Flood? Curmudgeoness Mar 2012 #40

Second. YellowRubberDuckie Mar 2012 #42

He's written a followup book called "Ark"......if you liked Flood you should definitely read Ark.... Rowdyboy Apr 2012 #45

I know. I have just been so wrapped up with some other things... YellowRubberDuckie Apr 2012 #47

I really looking forwrd to them....probably will start this week..... Rowdyboy Apr 2012 #49

Money, by Martin Amis Habibi Mar 2012 #39

I have not heard of that one. Curmudgeoness Mar 2012 #41

Giles Goat Boy or the Revised New Sylabbus by John Barth (1966) Rowdyboy Apr 2012 #46

Ontogeny recapitulates cosmogeny getting old in mke Apr 2012 #50

Its really tough to slog through....I'm glad I finished but to be honest Rowdyboy Apr 2012 #51

Valis, by PK Dick JitterbugPerfume Apr 2012 #48

It is interesting how many oddest book Curmudgeoness Apr 2012 #52