You know how sometimes you’ll be talking to a group of people and someone will be like, “Dude, how great was that part in Harry Potter when such and such happens?” and you’re the one person in the world who hasn’t read Harry Potter and you quietly admit this and they’re like, “YOU HAVEN’T READ HARRY POTTER??? What is wrong with you?!?!”
Yeah.*
We all have our “gap” books, those books that everyone in the world has read and talks about all the time and look we are really meaning to read them but we’re all very busy and there are a lot of books to read and no one could possibly be expected to read them all and why do I have to defend myself aha;sldkjf;aj
Anyway, my name is Nathan Bransford. I have not read The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Yes. I know.
What are some of your gap books?
(*For the record I’ve read Harry Potter.)
Too funny. A 'gap' book. Somehow knowing that my 'list of books to read' has a name, and other people have those lists, makes me feel less guilty about my growing list of Gap books.
I love this exercise, but the problem is that you never remember a gap book until that conversation comes up. Ok, let me rack my brain…I've never read Catcher in the Rye. And my more current gap book is The Uglies (which I must read since I write YA). I'll add it to my very long list.
Twilight.
I never finished Joyce's Ulysses, although it's prominently displayed on my living room bookshelf.
I always mean to read more classics, As I Lay Dying, Ulysses, etc… but somehow I always seem to just go back to books I know that I love and reread them. Is this terrible? I have no problem reading Fahrenheit 451, the Hobbit, Ender's Game, and even Jurassic Park multiple times
The Elements of Style. Haha, just kidding.
There are so many! No LOTR, POTTER, The Shack, or The Chronicles of Narnia.
I sarted THe Shack – which everyone has raved about – but I was bored out of my mind.
I also have not read The Lord of the Rings trilogy–but that was because I hated Tolkein's style in THE HOBBIT. I might appreciate the books more now. I know movies and books differ, but I did like the story in the movies. Now that my tastes have matured, maybe I can at least stomach the writing style.
I've also never read THE CATCHER IN THE RYE. I was in the advanced English classes in high school, and we skipped over it because they just assumed we would read it on our own anyway. I'd like to, but I just never have.
Is it fair to say that I don't have a "gap" book?
I'm usually in two scenarios:
1. I read the great books before they hit the bestselling lists/become word-of-mouth topics.
2. I read them once they do because everyone says they are good.
I have read all of the classics. I spent two summers tackling every big one and I got through more than 200.
I could maybe mention some YA books that do well enough (not Harry Potter good), but those aren't really "gap" books in my opinion. HUSH, HUSH would be one example. But I'll read that at some point.
I actually forced myself to read LOTR after the first movie came out because I knew that if I didn't read them before I saw the whole trilogy I never would. They were better than I thought they would be.
As for my gap books, it's embarrassing how few classics I've read, so I'll say Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights and anything by Charles Dickens. I've read the first four Chronicles of Narnia but that's it. I tried to read Lolita but even though I loved the writing it was too disturbing and I had to stop.
If we were talking movies I'd admit that I've never seen a James Bond movie.
My classic gap is "Rabbit, Run" and the rest of the Rabbits. Honestly, I quit halfway through the first one because I knew I couldn't wait four whole books for Updike to kill him.
My popular fiction gap contains Dan Brown and John Grisham. I actually finished The Firm (the resolution, I kid you not, was photocopying), then swore off any others.
Fun topic, Nathan. By the way, LOTR? Mostly about walking. 🙂
I'm also a Brit and have to admit to never even picking up a Jane Austin novel. Have enjoyed all the movies and TV dramas though
My name is Ishta Mercurio, and I have never read the Harry Potter series. The first one is on my shelf, and I'll get to it soon.
Lit fiction: Long out of college, I tend to avoid the Big Boys: Mailer, Roth, much of Updike, Pynchon, etc. Too much testosterone and not enough insight to interest me. In my 40's, I've finally given myself permission to stop trying to find value.
As a wannabe popular fiction writer, I struggle with my aversion to Twilight, as well as anything by Sparks or Crichton and most Stephen King. I know that people love and buy their stuff in huge numbers, so I feel I should understand the market, but my time is limited.
And life is too short for dystopian novels. No matter how well-written by a writer I otherwise love. Yes, I'm talking to you, PD James. I hated Children of Men and so will not read The Road or The Handmaid's tale or Oryx & Crake. Blech.
I'm going to try Rushdie again, though. But not until next month and I've whipped through 3 or 4 romances (Chase, Kinsale, Quinn or Kleypas) to soothe my wounds from taxes.
*Whispers* 1984.
Nathan! LOTR before too much longer. I've re-read it or parts of it nearly every year since I was in High School. YEP, I'M A GEEK! But I'm also a writer! This year, I'm working on Dickens. Finished A Tale of Two Cities, and the longest boring book in the world: David Copperfield. This summer: Oliver Twist!
Oh, and I've tried to read Faulkner a few times, but never managed it. Oh, and A Suitable Boy and also Count of Monte Cristo. OK, I'm an IGNORAMUS. HAPPY NOW, NATHAN?
About half the classics out there.
A CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES
…until I finally stumbled on a copy at my favorite Goodwill Store
My name is Becky and I have never read the Percy Jackson series nor Pride and Prejudice. It took me awhile for Twilight, and Harry Potter, but I was eventually sucked into both.
It's almost easier to list the books that I have read. But Harry Potter and Twilight are the main ones on my list.
For those of you who haven't read LOTR, I have a suggestion.
Find a child you can read to every night and read it aloud to them. It takes about a month and is a peak experience.
If it's a little girl, break it gently to her that "Merry" is not spelled "Mary". Otherwise, she'll be disappointed about a third of the way through.
Which is a shame.
Gatsby. And virtually every book in my Victorian Novel class in college since I met a really, really cute girl who took really good notes and was more than happy to let me, um, "borrow them" frequently. Besides, I took the class pass/fail. And, ironically, I ended up with a better grade on the final exam than that girl got. (This July we will be celebrating 20 years married. Yes, to each other.)
Most contemporary "literary fiction." Nowadays those books tend to dovetail stylistically too closely to commercial fiction for my liking. It took me several years but I finally gave in to the hype and read THE KITERUNNER. (It is generally categorized as lit fiction…?) Yes, a touching and powerful premise. But no, didn't read too well for me. I dunno, I guess it's a matter of personal taste.
I'm no Tolstoy and it's probably because I've never read any.
Lord of the Rings. I've only seen parts of the movies. It's on my long list of things to do.
Lord of the Ring and I can't watch the movies until I read the books or my credibility with the kids will be shot! Just doesn't interest me..I've read the first three Harry Potter but really not all that caught up in it.
Romance. I definitely need to read more romance. As a guy, I feel funky going into the romance section.
Haven't read Harry Potter series, nor Twilight, nor Lord of the Rings trilogy. Still trying to get through James Joyce's books without one eye in a Brittanica!!
I haven't read Lord of the Rings, The DaVinci Code or Twilight. I prefer to find my own things to read, rather than be told I *have* to read a particular book.
Harry Potter. Have always been meaning to read the series, but always seem to get distracted by something else.
For me it's William Faulkner and James Joyce, and I am bombarded with references to their work. I read the first chapter to the Twilight books, and never got any farther.
Adrianne, the LOTR fan
I never read Pride and Prejudice or Jane Eyre. Somehow they slipped under the radar of my high school's reading list. I tried to pick up PP on my own later, but I just couldn't get into it.
I recently spent time working on my Gap list which used to include Bleak House and To Kill a Mockingbird. I have avoided most of Nicholas Sparks so far. My big Gap confession would have to be most of Shakespeare.
I think I'm the only woman on the planet who hasn't (and doesn't want to) read EAT, PRAY, LOVE.
i work in a bookstore – so it seems like every day someone comes up to me and thinks I am seriously lacking because I haven't read his/her favorite author
I haven't read Lord of the Rings either! I honestly have no interest in reading them. The one time I've glanced through the first book, I about fell asleep… and not because I have narcolepsy!
Most of the classics: War and Peace, Catch 22, Tale of Two Cites… YOu name it, I haven't read it.
And I only read To Kill a Mockingbird and Catcher in the Rye last year. I'm currently trying with Anna Karenina, but it's painful.
I didn't read the Lord of the Rings Trilogy either. I read the Hobbit but stopped there.
I didn't read a single Harry Potter book.
I only read the first three Twilight books and each one got more lame than the last, so I stopped.
I also did not read the Chronicles Of Narnia.
There are plenty of others, that even through taking extensive courses on both British Lit. and American Lit. I didn't read.
Vonnegut. All of it.
Twilight. 😉
1st. The Robert Ebert article made me smile, right on target.
2nd. If someone can explain "LOST" to me, that would be awesome, because I'm lost.
And, to the topic:
Okay, I apparently had some very brutal teachers in middle/high school because I'm pretty sure I've read all the classics and my eight grade teacher was a major fantasy fan, so Lewis, Tolkien &c. were mandatory reads, amongst many others. As far as modern? Haven't even picked up a Harry Potter, have seen one of the movies (don't remember which one) Guilty of reading about sparkling vampires, but it just pissed me off. Haven't read Percy Jackson and tried to read the divinci code but apparently I'm too stupid because I could not get my mind wrapped around those first twenty chapters spread out over those first five pages. WTH???
The Fountainhead, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Crime and Punishment
I have so many gap books I can't list them all here.
I hope one day to get to them, but I'm a writer so I have to make time to write and improve.
Lots of fantasy I'd love to read: Mercedes Lackey Valdemar series, Heinlein, ALL of Jim Butcher's books (still trying to get all of my Dresden Files.)
As soon as school is out I have a YA paranormal to edit and a children's book to finish. Catching up the books I bought recently will be my reward to meeting those goals.
Hugs,
Tambra
Harry Potter. I only picked it up about six months ago, bought every book in the series and am on book three–but like you said their are so many books and I just keep putting it down to read something else. Not because I'm bored with the story, it's actually jsut as good as everyone says! Its just, there are so many books, I need to read as much s possible in the short time that I have.
Having at least three books on the go at once is normal to me.
So there. I said it. Now stop asking me what I thought of Harry Potter!
Glynn's having read LOTR three times makes up for you and me, Nathan.
I've never read anything by Stephen King. I love Tolkien though.
I haven't read The Lord of the Rings either. I also haven't read Harry Potter or The Da Vinci Code. I tried to read the Da Vinci Code, but I didn't like it and I rarely read anything I don't like unless I have to.
I read a few mg and ya books per week, but have not picked up Twilight.
Also, I once picked up the first Harry Potter, didn't like it and didn't finish it. The world moved on without me. I'm not going to apologize.
…I'm Elliot, and I've never read anything by Sparks…ever.