The Da Vinci Code.

The Lord of the Rings, of course... (I'm ducking!!!! :-))))))

Da Vinci Code, hands down.

Da Vinci Code

Da Vinci Code, without a doubt. I can't offhand think of a worse book that's been so totally and overwhelmingly typed up as that one.

What martin said!

Da Vinci Code

Yep -- I'm with the group here. The Da Vinci Code is godawful and ridiculously overhyped.

The Secret Life of Bees. Hands down. Awful book.

At least the DaVinci Code got a lot of people to look at their lifelong belief in Christianity and start to ask questions, and maybe even try to learn more about the history of their faith. I liked The DaVinci Code. But if it led to anyone probbing further and wanting to learn more, then I could not categorize it as a bad book no matter how I felt about it personally.

PAM

I am finding myself in agreement with PAM, above. IMO, two really awful fiction books were "The Mermaid's Chair" and "Labyrinth."

Honestly there seem to be more awful fiction published in the last 20 years than not.

I think that a more probing question might be:

What is the BEST FICTION book you have read in the past 10 years and WHY?

We all have such varied tastes in reading but when a really good fiction novel comes along that catches almost everyone's attention that is THE BOOK I'd like to hear about.

>Honestly there seem to be more awful fiction published in the last 20 years than not.

Its always been so. The books we consider 'classics' from the past are the creme de la creme of books published, at least ones with staying power. We don't remember the awful stuff because its not generally read decade after decade. If you look at the best seller lists from past decades, you'll see what I mean.

Like I said in another thread - I can't pick a best book. I usually have 10 best a year, and in ten years thats a lot of books.

However, if you are talking about a book that caught everyone's attention and that seemed to have universal appeal a few for me from the last 10 years:

>Ian McEwan Atonement

>Richard Russo Empire Falls

>Ann Prachett Bel Canto

>Tracy Chevalier Girl with the pearl earring

>Andrea Levy Small Islands

>Irene Nimrovsky Suite Francaise

>Gregory Maguire Wicked

>Carol Sheilds Stone Diaries

>Michael Cunningham The Hours

Re Bee Season - I rather liked it; realize that I am Jewish so understood much of the Kabalah background, that threw some people off. I thought it a good coming of age book, and the scene of Miriams storage locker is one I can still vividly imagine. Hated her Mermaids Chair though, couldn't get much passed page 5.

Er, Cindy, hi. I think you are confusing Myla Goldberg;s "Bee Season" with Sue Monk Kidd's "Secret Life of Bees." The two novels are quite different from each other. ;-) It was Kidd who also wrote "Mermaid's Chair", which I found ridiculous. I liked "Bee Season", OTOH.

So did the other forum choose The DaVinci Code? I couldn't even get through it.

I could never pick a "best". Too many choices.

I have a very special place in my spleen for John Fowles The Magus - misogynist, impotent male's fantasy over-laid with Nazi nasty to give it gravitas and soi disant importance.

Next is a novel written by a virulently non-communist woman with a title from Greek mythology. (Back in the day it drew to this site rabid and tedious fans who had googled it, thus I never speak her name.)

The DaVinci Code is a fun piece of adventure which doesn't purport to be important. Was it over-rated by serious readers?

"Next is a novel written by a virulently non-communist woman with a title from Greek mythology." Chris, do tell....

Seems like the parameters need to be narrowed a bit. The most overrated book ever encompasses way too many books. For instance, I found an online copy of Ann Radcliffe's "Mysteries of Udolpho"--the gothic novel responsible for the misadventures of one of Jane Austen's heroines--and found it one of the most insipid books I'd ever seen, notwithstanding the thrills it seemed to inspire in its own time.

Also, are we talking over-rated or over-hyped? If the latter, Da Vinci Code hands down. If the former, I'm not sure DVC qualifies.

I think Chris is referring to a certain book by someone whose last name is Rand.

Musicmom, that is my thought about DVC, too. Overhyped and a bestseller sensation, but was it ever critically acclaimed?

My vote for overrated are Updike's Rabbit Angstrom novels. I've enjoyed several of Updike's short stories, but I developed a fervent dislike for those Rabbit novels.

Thanks for the clue, Georgia Peach. I was drawing a blank. Had to chuckle tho. That book was rabidly read by myself and all my friends--when we were sophomores in high school, which I guess is appropriate. Tho even I skipped most of the 50+ page-long speech by John ------ near the end.

I did wonder about this. But I thought about it and yes - it's not only that it's over-hyped. It's also that it is actually considered to be an excellent book by many people - they list it as their favourite. I mean, for heaven's sake! If anyone reckons it's the best book they've ever read, it's over-rated even by them. Unless it's the only book they've ever read, perhaps...

Yes, it's a very slick thriller. But it's managed to earn itself an importance out of all proportion to what it actually is.

Never read any Rand.

DaVinci Code was definitely over-hyped, but I have to agree with PAM's assessment of it above -- personally, I enjoyed it, and it led to a TON of further reading.

> think you are confusing Myla Goldberg;s "Bee Season" with Sue Monk Kidd's "Secret Life of Bees."

Oops, thanks for the correction - I've done that before actually - you'd think Id check, but nooooo

If you are referring to Rand - I couldn't get into her works even when they were first popular.

It's been awhile since it has had its heyday, but I would certainly have to add Bridges of Madison County to the list.

Yes, indeed, the other board also picked the DaVinci Code! I almost feel embarassed for him! But not when I think of all the money he made! LOL
And yes, i agree, there's a vast difference between "over-rated" and "over-hyped".

I agree about the Waller books, and would add Nicholas Sparks' works, as well.

and Jody Pichoult

How about "This Much I Know Is True" by Wally Lamb? Nary a redeeming feature, IMO.

I so don't get Piccolt. Same for Phillipa Gregory.

Ulysses is the most overrated book I've tried to read. A few years ago it appeared on some list as the #1 Fiction Book of the 20th Century. Really?! I don't believe so.

I Know This Much Is True -- ooh wee! Thyrkas, I agree with you. She's Come Undone by the same writer is another one that was overrated and overhyped, in my opinion.

I think there is a difference between writers we don't enjoy and a book being over-rated.
I think some of Picoult's work is OK, really didn't like others, but I don't think her over-rated. She has a moderate audience but doesn't sell in the amounts that others do, particularly a lot of the sci-fi authors.
There are many books I haven't liked that others have - The Secret History leaps to mind to mind. I thought it a load of codswallop, but I have yet to find anyone to agree with me *g* However, I wouldn't call it over-rated. JMHO of course.

Memory Keeper's Daugher, by a mile. Then, DaVinci Code.

Astrokath - I am in complete agreement with you re: The Secret History, I had to read it for my book group and I absolutely loathed it. I couldn't stand any of the characters; they gave me the heebie jeebies.

For me it is a toss up of Wicked and The Mists of Avalon.

At least Wicked wasn't as long....

The Davinci code was a fun piece that I enjoyed but wouldn't re-read. Great literature?? No....

I forgot to add:

Well when overrated was stated, I was thinking of word of mouth, what my friends were saying, and what I had been hearing, not necessarily what was on lists and such...

Yes, Jazzie, when I asked the original question I meant the book even non-readers have heard of, its all over the newstands and everyone's reading it on the bus!