I really liked that book too Siobhan. One book I really didn't want to start but am so glad I did was Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. As it happened,it turned out to be one of the best books I have ever read.

I had this experience with Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes. Several friends and acquaintances had told me how horrible the book was, i.e. the abject poverty, the poor babies dying one after another, youngsters begging and eating trash, etc. These are harsh realities that I would rather not visit if I don't have to. But my book club decided to read it, and so I swallowed hard and buckled down to it. I loved it! Yes, the life they suffered was wretched, but I found a lot to celebrate, as well. And I laughed out loud at some of the episodes. I am so glad I read it.

I don't know if this will qualify but I used to have quite a prejudice against fantasy books. Not having read them when I was growing up, I didn't really know what they were about and I just had a knee-jerk reaction that they were "for kids" and that I wouldn't like them.

Well, to cut a long story short, at a garage sale, I picked up an anthology of short stories from the Thieves' World series. I figured that, for ten cents (ok, it may have been a quarter!), I could gamble on the book. I have since picked up most of the series and have devoured them. And yes, they were quite enjoyable reads.

I was worried that I wouldn't like Cloud Atlas, but I absolutely loved it. I would never have picked it up if it hadn't been discussed here. I also started Elizabeth Buchan's Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman expecting super-light chick-lit, and instead found a solid story that I enjoyed.

Dynomutt, what a blast from the past! Thieves' World was one of my favorite fantasy series. I only recently parted with my set (vintage 1980s), since I'm no longer much of a fantasy reader. I remember being quite taken with Shadowspawn, and I still remember how cool I thought Lythande's secret was. The first few books were better than the rest, as I recall.

Siobhan, I also loved Fried Green Tomatoes .... I have Daisy Faye and the Miracle Man in my TBR pile, and am looking forward it.

this thing happened to me with Harry Potter Books, I heard a lot about them but the thought to read them didn't attract me. When I begun to study English I was advised to read them , especially the first one, because I was told it was written in a very basic English, since it was supposed to be witten for early teen-age. So I did and the story appealed me so much , that I read all the five books in a row.
(now I bought the sixth one but I haven't read it, yet)

grelobe

as usual any correcion of my English will be welcomed

Hmmm.... Forgot to negative the monthly selection from my book club one year and got lumbered with The Far Pavillions by M.M. Kaye. Threw it down in disgust. Picked it up for a snigger a few hours later and didn't put it down for a couple of days. Chick Lit for sure but loved it.
Maybe I'm due for hormone replacement therapy. Larry

Sheriz6 --

Yes, the first few books in the Thieves World series were great! The later ones weren't very good and so I lost interest again. ;-)

Grelobe --

I know the feeling about the Harry Potter series. For quite a while, I was resisting reading ANY of the books. Then, one weekend, I had the opportunity to buy all of the books in the series (up to that time) for a good price. I took a gamble and haven't looked back since!

Really didn't fancy Memoirs of a Geisha. But my wife was reading it, and I picked it up and read a few pages - and then again - and then I found that I was waiting impatiently for her to finish it, so that I could read it properly...

Really enjoyed it. Now for the film! (Which I also didn't fancy....)

I recall being forced to read Dickens' "Tale of Two Cities" in high school. I'd never liked anything of Dickens and dreaded it, but ended up being completely moved by the story, in the end. Later, as an adult, I re-visited "A Christmas Carol" and found it worth my while.

The Lord of the Rings. I never had any interest in reading it but bought the book when they were so prominently displayed before the first movie and started reading it after 9/11 when I couldn't get interested in anything else. The rest is history -- I LOVED it.

I resisted reading Harry Potter for a long time, having read a small excerpt in some other publication and thinking Ho Hum, yet another fantasy book, but I had to read the first book in the series with a student I was tutoring and Rowling's imagination and humor really impressed me. Since then, I have read each book as it came out.
There was also one book I normally would not have read because it was written entirely in the present tense--a little trick that I detest, but somehow the first couple of pages got me so hooked that I forgot about the tenses and enjoyed it. I guess my subconscious wanted revenge anyway, though, because for the life of me I can't recall what book it was!

Lord of the Rings. I avoided it, knew nothing about it, but mixed it up with Lord of the Flies (of which I also knew nothing about). I thought it was a story about giant bugs behaving like humans. When FOTR was about to be released, my husband assured me it was not a Planet of the Apes type movie and I read all three tomes before going to watch it.

>and wasn't too thrilled to find that it was a 'southern' novel full of weird characters with cutesy names

Hee, it was this description that made me pick it up in the first place! Not only loved it, but it started me on a love affair of other Southern writers such as Welty, Pearsons, and DuFresne

However - When Possession came out over a decade ago, the synopsis sounded right up my alley. I think I might have made it to page 20. Then a few years ago some friends were reading it and oh my. Turned into one of the best books I'd ever read (it did help that they told me to skip the poetry and get the meat of the story. I did, it worked, and I went back to read the poetry to see what I missed)

>Chick Lit for sure but loved it.

Glad you ended up reading it, but what makes you think it was chick lit (what ever that means, hate that term)? Yes, it has romance, it also has history and a wonderful story to boot, with characters that I still think about today. I'd call it just darn good literature, myself.

However, while Far Pavillions has been a life time fav of mine - read it first in college about the same time I read Kim, and have since reread them. - for the life of me, I cannot read another of Kaye's or Kipling's books. Go figure.

For me, it was Moby Dick. I read it in high school and hated it. Years later as I was studying for my comprehensive exams, I had to re-read it. I was immediately taken with it and have been a tremendous fan ever since.

Russ

Way back in seventh grade-The Hobbit. At the time I wondered who would want to read a book about little guys with hairy feet? I ended up enjoying and moving on to LOTR and much other fantasy.

A piece of me must still be a rebellious child, since often I feel myself wanting to refuse to read what my retired English teacher father recommends. "Lonesome Dove" and "Cold Mountain" were both given to me from him after his repeated suggestions that I read them were ignored. Since I am compelled to read anything printed, I did read them and absolutely loved both of them and consider them two of my (admittedly many) favorites. Ditto for "The Grapes of Wrath."

My sister kept telling me to read Mauve Binchy's books but I thought she was too fluffy and looked down my nose at her for a looong time. Then, I read "Tara Road" and found out that while the books may be fluffy, Mauve Binchy is a good storyteller and I've since enjoyed many of her books and the way she ties her characters together at the end of a story.

Couldn't think of any till I read Larry's post - I also forgot to cancel a book club 'editor's choice' once, and got Peter Ackroyd's 'The House of Doctor Dee'. I hadn't heard of Ackroyd, the blurb sounded dull, and the cover looked boring. After letting the book mature for a couple of years on the TBR shelf, I loved it and have since read several more Ackroyds.

I don't like mythology much and I sure don't like postmodernism, but I got sucked into John Barth's retelling of three classical myths in postmodern mode in Chimera. Did I really understand them? Nope. Why did I like the book then? It struck me as absurdly funny, not holding the myths sacred as so many humorless mythologists do.

I resisted the Nevada Barr books for a while, but have now read everything she has written, I think.

I've read several books I didn't think I would like recommended here on RP. The biggest surprise was how very much I enjoyed Lonesome Dove. In high school it was Tess of the D'urbevilles by Hardy and in college Ethan Frome which has remained a favorite.

Larry,

I have to agree with you about The Far Pavillions. My sister in law kept telling me how wonderful it was and how much I would like it. I'd take it out of the library, look at it and end up taking it back, unread, a few weeks later. She even gave me a paperback copy for my birthday (she was persistant) that sat on my bookshelf for months. Finally, one day I picked it up and started reading it. I couldn't put it down. I read all but the last 3 or 4 chapters in one sitting. I'd have finished it that night except I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer.

When I first saw House on Mango Street, I thought there wouldn't be much to it. It was thin with extremely short chapters. But the author packed a lot into a few pages. It was much more than at first meets the eye.

Roun, I found a wonderful book as a companion to Pavillions - the Far Pavillion Picture Book. MM Kaye takes period photos and drawings to help describe certain places that she writes about in her book. Some were drawn by her mother during their time in India. See if you can track it down, well worth it.

I bought mine for a few bucks at a book fair, and found that it was a signed copy. I don't normally care, but since thats one of my fav books, I was thrilled!

cindydavid4,

I could have sworn that my sister in law gave me that one too, but upon looking on my bookshelves, I can't find it. Maybe I dreamed it!

Margaret Atwood's Robber Bride I read only as Hobson's Choice - it was the only audiobook at the library suitable for a twenty hour road trip (round trip). I had not been able to get beyond the first few pages of her Handmaid's Tale and only grabbed this our of desperation. I loved it and have gone on to read most of her other work.

Thanks to you all - I ordered The Far Pavilions from the library system and despite being crazily busy with work and school, I am more than halfway through it. What a great story - I can see why it would appeal to both men and women, although it is quite romantic. I searched the used booksellers and have purchased a copy along with the picture book for $12! This one is a keeper for sure. I can't wait to check out the Thieves World. That sounds right up my alley; I can't believe I haven't heard of it before.

Theives World is fun. I was turned on to it by some fellow D&D gamers, and we all ended up using some of the characters and situations in our adventures.