Do you love a good read? Stats say we can only call ourselves seasoned readers when we’ve read the classics and broadened our horizons. Some books have aged well- and are classics for a reason- while others are unintelligible at best. If you are looking into classics, you might want to keep these off of your list.
1. The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger (1951)
Some readers are rubbed the wrong way by main character Holden in The Catcher In The Rye. Holden is known to be lazy, and through the course of the book, threw away a free education. He’s a major distraction from the otherwise solid themes of hypocrisy, alienation, and appearances.
2. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)
If The Great Gatsby is on your reading wishlist, skip it. It doesn’t offer anything much more than a privileged white man with money discovering the party scene and having fun with girls.
3. The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow (1953)
If you’re a Charles Dickens lover, you’ll find that Bellow implores everything about Dickens writing in this book, which ultimately begs the question of authenticity. Identifying Augie as a character is challenging, as he’s barely in the book. Even the characters you care for will only appear for a page or two. In its entirety, the story will leave you wanting for more.
4. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne (2008)
I’ve read many books, but this one forever haunts me. It required much more than I was willing to give emotionally. The protagonist endured too much for his age, and though this is an important book, it’s one you may now want to read more than once.
5. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (1953)
The story of how Fahrenheit 451 came to be is more interesting than the book itself. When the author came across a library that would let him use its typewriter for ten cents an hour, he got to work and wrote the book for nine bucks. Even affordable library sessions couldn’t create a masterpiece out of this one.
6. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1850)
I’ve read The Scarlet Letter a couple of times, and I’ve been underwhelmed each time. I wished for more female empowerment than anything else, and I was sorely disappointed by the plot. In the beginning chapters, I agreed with Hawthorne’s point that the Puritans weren’t great, but it became unbearable when he made this point over and over again. You’ll have to pay close attention to get anything from the book.
7. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (1926)
It’s sad to see one of my favorite authors make this list. But it needs to make more sense to attempt a significant North American story but set your scene in Europe. Other than this, the book is about drunk blokes and a token woman.
8. The Golden Bowl by Henry James (1904)
The Golden Bowl is an impenetrable classic. Save yourself the agony and read chapter summaries online if you need the gist of it. The writing is so wanting; sadly, it will discourage you from reading other Henry James books.
9. Blithedale Romance by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1852)
Although the story tells of a strong and independent woman, it ends in a dramatic loss of life, which leaves you deflated about everything else. Classics aren’t known for being overtly happy in tone, but this is a straight downer.
10. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (1939)
The book has an unusual structure as the author struggles to set the scene. The chapters switch from one to another, spontaneously breaking the flow of the story we want to follow. It’s a heavy book for the younger generation as they won’t relate to the concepts, but it is equally a struggle to read for seasoned readers.
11. Goodbye To All That by Robert Graves (1929)
There’s never been a more befitting title for a book. That is precisely what I would say of Robert Graves’ autobiographical account. While it is slightly entertaining, the biases in the book overcome the humor. The essays are unintelligible, and the narratives are silly.
12. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (1988)
The Alchemist is 208 pages too long! When a man wanders the desert, he uncovers his personal Legend. He ultimately meets people who speak in throw pillows, attempting to instill knowledge. Phrases like, “Whatever your heart is, you’ll find your treasure,” don’t do much justice, Coelho! If you’re looking for great existential meandering, you’re better off picking up Clarice Lispector’s Near To The Wild.
13. John Adams by David McCullough (2001)
David Adam’s books are known for utmost care and attention to detail. However, John Adams could have been more exciting. The story comes off as insignificant, mainly because it doesn’t give us a lot to work with. The fact that the narrative trades on hated politics makes us walk on eggshells.
14. The Lord Of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (1954)
Although the author took an incredible amount of time showcasing the world he built, he could have put as much more effort into the story in general. The Lord Of The Rings novels are a fantastic lesson in world-building exercises, but are otherwis lackluster.
Louisa Eunice is an experienced journalist and copywriter with over 7 years of experience, currently part of the Wealth Of Geeks writing team. Holding a degree in Journalism and Media, she focuses on crafting digital content with a keen focus on technology and lifestyle topics.