Books That Let You Down as You Get Older.

demonrail666 · 07.24.2007, 10:54 AM

Went through a period recently of re-reading some books that I loved in my teens, and now wish I hadn't bothered. Some things are, it seems, best kept to the enthusiasms of youth.

Camus' The Outsider, Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, Sartre's Nausea. To think that I'll never enjoy them in quite the same way again.

Because of this, I haven't re-read Kafka's The Trial because I'm fearing that the same might happen with that.

Any books where that's happened to you?

Bertrand · 07.24.2007, 11:10 AM

Faulkner's Noise & Fury.

I think it's due to the fact I later read Joyce who seems more subtle.

Sheriff Rhys Chatham · 07.24.2007, 11:11 AM

fiction.
I've lost interest in reading. I used to be a big reader.
And do you mean camus' the stranger?

floatingslowly · 07.24.2007, 11:13 AM

this book was written between A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back. all I can do now is think of all the ways it breaks cannon.

it was so much better when I was 10.

demonrail666 · 07.24.2007, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheriff Rhys Chatham

do you mean camus' the stranger?

Yes, I understand that in the US it goes under the proper French title. Us silly Brits get stuck with The Outsider. It must have something to do with our in-built Francophobia.

Sheriff Rhys Chatham · 07.24.2007, 11:21 AM

oh, yeah.
Forgot about that.

MellySingsDoom · 07.24.2007, 11:36 AM

Agree with the Satre "Nausea" mention - it seems a bit lame next to the barrel-chested misanthropy of Celine. I'd also mention some of the fiction put out by Creation Press in their early days, especially the "De Sade for morons" stylings of 'Raism' by James Havoc.

tesla69 · 07.24.2007, 01:57 PM

Any of the Hardy Boys. They just don't hold up for me.

Pookie · 07.24.2007, 01:59 PM

Bukowski definitely.

Seemed like a revelation as a teenager, a load of old wank as an adult.

Same goes for Henry Miller.

k-krack · 07.24.2007, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by demonrail666

Because of this, I haven't re-read Kafka's The Trial because I'm fearing that the same might happen with that.

I'm reading it right now, first time, and I gotta say... it's good, but it's kind of bland. I love his short-stories, however. Fantastic writer.

atari 2600 · 07.24.2007, 02:09 PM

I enjoyed the posthumous A Happy Death a little more than The Stranger. Camus, although better than many, is still overrated as a novelist and thinker; the same goes for Sartre to a lesser extent.

I've read most of Kafka and he's fairly tedius. The Metamorphosis, of course, is the exception, since it's easily one of the best novellas ever.

Your swipe at Dostoevsky is preposterous...and your loss.

Danny Himself · 07.24.2007, 02:21 PM

atari 2600 · 07.24.2007, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pookie

Bukowski definitely.

Seemed like a revelation as a teenager, a load of old wank as an adult.

Same goes for Henry Miller.

I agree, although I have never really cared (even when I was younger) for either of those authors. Both do write better books than most though, and the grittiness often equals page-turning entertainment, but writers of classics they're not.

Gustave Flaubert (friends with Turgenev, admired by Sartre) and D.H. Lawrence are two writers of classics that deal with many of the same sensual themes and similar satires of society, although each's seminal works are from the point-of-view of female protagonists. Of course, Lawrence also wrote plays; his pale in comparison to masters like Ibsen and Chekhov though.

Pookie · 07.24.2007, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atari 2600

Of course, Lawrence also wrote plays; his pale in comparison to masters like Ibsen and Chekhov though.

I recently saw the most hilarious production of Ghosts at my local theatre.

You have never seen such bad acting, and seeming complete lack of understanding of a play, by both cast and director.

Florya · 07.24.2007, 03:50 PM

The Bible

MellySingsDoom · 07.24.2007, 03:59 PM

Not a book in itself as such, but I was wildly impressed with the "Apolcalypse Culture" anthology when I were 20, but having re-reasd it many years later, felt it to be somewhat mannered and contrived in it's desire to shock/annoy. Still, it's memorable for GG Allin ranting, "I'm not going to die a miserable junky death" (ha, and once again, ha), and for the first airing of the comical-in-retrospect "world's most evil horrible person" persona of Miss Peter Sotos.

MellySingsDoom · 07.24.2007, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Florya

The Bible

Perhaps the Vatican could issue a "Bible out-takes" or "Bible bloopers" volume - fun for all the family, both believers and heathens.

Pookie · 07.24.2007, 04:09 PM

Or a Manga Bible?!

MellySingsDoom · 07.24.2007, 04:12 PM

^^^That's more like it - see Christ roundhouse kick Pontius Pilate's head off his shoulders.

gmku · 07.24.2007, 04:19 PM

On the Road seemed phenomenal when I was 20. I can barely get through one paragraph of it now without wanting to throw the book across the room.

07.24.2007, 10:54 AM	#1
demonrail666 invito al cielo Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 18,510	Went through a period recently of re-reading some books that I loved in my teens, and now wish I hadn't bothered. Some things are, it seems, best kept to the enthusiasms of youth. Camus' The Outsider, Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, Sartre's Nausea. To think that I'll never enjoy them in quite the same way again. Because of this, I haven't re-read Kafka's The Trial because I'm fearing that the same might happen with that. Any books where that's happened to you?
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07.24.2007, 11:10 AM	#2
Bertrand expwy. to yr skull Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Rennes, France Posts: 1,268	Faulkner's Noise & Fury. I think it's due to the fact I later read Joyce who seems more subtle.
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07.24.2007, 11:11 AM	#3
Sheriff Rhys Chatham invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New England. Posts: 4,027	fiction. I've lost interest in reading. I used to be a big reader. And do you mean camus' the stranger? __________________ My Music(grunge rock) A part of this blue shit since June 24th, 2004
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07.24.2007, 11:13 AM	#4
floatingslowly invito al cielo Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 21,165	this book was written between A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back. all I can do now is think of all the ways it breaks cannon. it was so much better when I was 10.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.24.2007, 11:21 AM	#6
Sheriff Rhys Chatham invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New England. Posts: 4,027	oh, yeah. Forgot about that. __________________ My Music(grunge rock) A part of this blue shit since June 24th, 2004
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07.24.2007, 11:36 AM	#7
MellySingsDoom invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 8,662	Agree with the Satre "Nausea" mention - it seems a bit lame next to the barrel-chested misanthropy of Celine. I'd also mention some of the fiction put out by Creation Press in their early days, especially the "De Sade for morons" stylings of 'Raism' by James Havoc. __________________ Snow on Easter Sunday - Jesus Christ in reverse.
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07.24.2007, 01:57 PM	#8
tesla69 Banned Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NYC Posts: 4,055	Any of the Hardy Boys. They just don't hold up for me.
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07.24.2007, 01:59 PM	#9
Pookie invito al cielo Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 9,877	Bukowski definitely. Seemed like a revelation as a teenager, a load of old wank as an adult. Same goes for Henry Miller.
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07.24.2007, 02:09 PM	#11
atari 2600 invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 8,213	I enjoyed the posthumous A Happy Death a little more than The Stranger. Camus, although better than many, is still overrated as a novelist and thinker; the same goes for Sartre to a lesser extent. I've read most of Kafka and he's fairly tedius. The Metamorphosis, of course, is the exception, since it's easily one of the best novellas ever. Your swipe at Dostoevsky is preposterous...and your loss. __________________ Robert Rauschenberg, Canyon, 1959. Combine on canvas 81 3/4 x 70 x 24 inches.
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07.24.2007, 02:21 PM	#12
Danny Himself invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 9,623
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07.24.2007, 03:50 PM	#15
Florya expwy. to yr skull Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: a little world, all of my own. Posts: 1,668	The Bible __________________ it takes an old guy like bloodbeach'85 to get anything right - atari 2600 listening mirror @ Soundcloud http://soundcloud.com/listening-mirror
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07.24.2007, 03:59 PM	#16
MellySingsDoom invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 8,662	Not a book in itself as such, but I was wildly impressed with the "Apolcalypse Culture" anthology when I were 20, but having re-reasd it many years later, felt it to be somewhat mannered and contrived in it's desire to shock/annoy. Still, it's memorable for GG Allin ranting, "I'm not going to die a miserable junky death" (ha, and once again, ha), and for the first airing of the comical-in-retrospect "world's most evil horrible person" persona of Miss Peter Sotos. __________________ Snow on Easter Sunday - Jesus Christ in reverse.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.24.2007, 04:09 PM	#18
Pookie invito al cielo Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 9,877	Or a Manga Bible?!
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.24.2007, 04:12 PM	#19
MellySingsDoom invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 8,662	^^^That's more like it - see Christ roundhouse kick Pontius Pilate's head off his shoulders. __________________ Snow on Easter Sunday - Jesus Christ in reverse.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.24.2007, 04:19 PM	#20
gmku invito al cielo Join Date: May 2006 Location: Oxford, England Posts: 15,225	On the Road seemed phenomenal when I was 20. I can barely get through one paragraph of it now without wanting to throw the book across the room. __________________ Ever notice how this place just basically, well, sucks.
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