Comments on: Top 10 put-downable books http://bigblogofcheese.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/top-10-put-downable-books/ and a wheat thin the size of lake tahoe Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:33:04 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Martin http://bigblogofcheese.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/top-10-put-downable-books/#comment-2191 Martin Wed, 14 Mar 2007 11:58:31 +0000 http://bigblogofcheese.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/top-10-put-downable-books/#comment-2191 <i>I find it hard to believe anyone bought the book without knowing what the structure is.</i> I don't. It is a Big Name Book that suddenly lots of people were reading all at once and as such is the sort of book people who don't buy books buy. This also explains the appearance of <i>Vernon God Little</i> and <i>Captain Corelli</i> on the list. I find it hard to believe anyone bought the book without knowing what the structure is.

I don’t. It is a Big Name Book that suddenly lots of people were reading all at once and as such is the sort of book people who don’t buy books buy. This also explains the appearance of Vernon God Little and Captain Corelli on the list.

]]> By: Abigail http://bigblogofcheese.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/top-10-put-downable-books/#comment-2189 Abigail Mon, 12 Mar 2007 21:03:53 +0000 http://bigblogofcheese.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/top-10-put-downable-books/#comment-2189 You need a preview option here. There should be a 'raises hand' in carets before the sentence that begins with 'Mind you.' You need a preview option here. There should be a ‘raises hand’ in carets before the sentence that begins with ‘Mind you.’

]]> By: Abigail http://bigblogofcheese.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/top-10-put-downable-books/#comment-2188 Abigail Mon, 12 Mar 2007 21:02:39 +0000 http://bigblogofcheese.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/top-10-put-downable-books/#comment-2188 <i>I find it hard to believe anyone bought the book without knowing what the structure is</i> Mind you, this was in early 2004. I picked it up on a lark because of a good review I'd read somewhere, which later turned out to be for the other <i>Cloud Atlas</i> published that year. Once the first chapter cut off, though, I flipped ahead and saw what was coming. I find it hard to believe anyone bought the book without knowing what the structure is

Mind you, this was in early 2004. I picked it up on a lark because of a good review I’d read somewhere, which later turned out to be for the other Cloud Atlas published that year.

Once the first chapter cut off, though, I flipped ahead and saw what was coming.

]]> By: Iain Clark http://bigblogofcheese.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/top-10-put-downable-books/#comment-2187 Iain Clark Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:45:17 +0000 http://bigblogofcheese.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/top-10-put-downable-books/#comment-2187 Well, I knew it was composed of story fragments in different voices which would add up to a connected whole in some sense, but I didn't know the structure would mirror around the centre point. I was pleasantly surprised when I realised I might actually find out how the stories ended! This may have something to do with my spoiler-aversion. I tend not to read blurbs once I've dedided to read the book. Well, I knew it was composed of story fragments in different voices which would add up to a connected whole in some sense, but I didn’t know the structure would mirror around the centre point. I was pleasantly surprised when I realised I might actually find out how the stories ended!

This may have something to do with my spoiler-aversion. I tend not to read blurbs once I’ve dedided to read the book.

]]> By: Niall http://bigblogofcheese.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/top-10-put-downable-books/#comment-2186 Niall Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:06:56 +0000 http://bigblogofcheese.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/top-10-put-downable-books/#comment-2186 I find it hard to believe anyone bought the book without knowing what the structure is. In fact, surely there must be a blurb describing the structure on the book somewhere? I find it hard to believe anyone bought the book without knowing what the structure is. In fact, surely there must be a blurb describing the structure on the book somewhere?

]]> By: Iain Clark http://bigblogofcheese.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/top-10-put-downable-books/#comment-2185 Iain Clark Mon, 12 Mar 2007 18:24:20 +0000 http://bigblogofcheese.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/top-10-put-downable-books/#comment-2185 I suspect that it's not so much the SF as the 'bittiness'. You're halfway through before the structure of the book becomes apparent, assuming you make it that far. Prior to that it's a bit like starting several (practically unrelated) novels and never reading to the end. Worse, you start each novel a few chapters in. That's not exactly page-turning material. If genre is a factor it could simply be that each of the book's threads occupies an entirely different category, but I suppose it's possible that the SF was the final straw for some Richard & Judy viewers. ;-) I suspect that it’s not so much the SF as the ‘bittiness’. You’re halfway through before the structure of the book becomes apparent, assuming you make it that far. Prior to that it’s a bit like starting several (practically unrelated) novels and never reading to the end. Worse, you start each novel a few chapters in. That’s not exactly page-turning material.

If genre is a factor it could simply be that each of the book’s threads occupies an entirely different category, but I suppose it’s possible that the SF was the final straw for some Richard & Judy viewers. ;-)

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