• Sir_Osis_of_Liver@kbin.social
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    2 years ago

    Back when I was in junior high in the early 1980s, I found a copy of Atlas Shrugged on my father’s bookshelf, and started reading it. I can’t remember how far I got into it, but I do remember thinking it was just awful in just about every way: story, writing, pacing, everything.

    I asked Dad about it, “Oh, that. It’s terrible, isn’t it?” A friend had given it to him. Neither one of us finished reading it and after that it ended up at a book reseller.
    On the plus side, he’d gone through his books and gave me James Clavell’s Shogun to read, which was an awesome novel.

    • JustAThought@lemm.ee
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      2 years ago

      Shogun is a good one. My favourite book for a long time, and it currently sits on my bedside table for a second read. I’m just amazed that you mentioned it.

      • Sir_Osis_of_Liver@kbin.social
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        2 years ago

        I remember not picking up another book for some time after finishing Shogun. I wanted to hang onto it as long as I could. It’s epic.

      • microphone900@lemmy.ml
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        2 years ago

        That’s how I ingested it. I did it on work related cross country drives at 1.3x speed. It was… underwhelming and made me ask “What the hell is this?” and “She can’t seriously see the world like this, right?” many, many times.

      • poppy@lemm.ee
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        2 years ago

        I like to fall asleep listening to audiobooks, except they have to be kinda dull otherwise I get actually invested. You may have just picked my next one!

          • KevonLooney@lemm.ee
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            2 years ago

            the characters are well-written imho.

            I hate to break it to you, but the characters in Atlas Shrugged are famously one-dimensional. They’re terrible caricatures who are 100% good or bad. They never develop or learn anything new about themselves.

            It’s obvious who’s good and bad from page 1, which makes the massive length even more ridiculous. It could have been a pamphlet that said “money good, helping people bad”.

            The best possible book review is just a recycled quote from Billy Madison:

            “what you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.”