Chicagoist: Everything Is Overhyped

guest

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 09:35:32 -0600

Time Traveler's Wife ... I thought I'd hate it, but decided it was brilliant.

Jake M

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 21:23:54 -0600

I am going to disagree with Julia about The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. Nick Hornby tears the book apart pretty well. Hornby's son was born autistic and was pretty pissed off at Curious Incident's whole "if you put your mind to it you can overcome anything" attitude when, in fact, as sad as it sounds, that is not always true. I just thought that it was boring.

Jess D'Amico

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 16:30:55 -0600

#17 guest, yeah I'd also put off Illuminated because I heard Foer was a big douche and that he's really pretentious and condescending to other writers, but then again, I guess the writing stands on its own. Also, Oprah might just be the anti-christ, but you do have to hand it to her that's she's trying to get America to read.

guest

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 16:13:49 -0600

i second the corrections. i, too, am a literary snob ("canon only"), but at the time of the oprah hiccup, i though franzen was a complete tool. i mean, the woman is promoting literacy to the otherwise pap-eating, soap-watching public. it's a miracle, really...a beautiful miracle. i couldn't stomach his feigned academic disdain for the little sticker he had to endure on his book jacket. *gasp*! then i read "the corrections," and was like: "fuck, this dood is a tool and a great writer." aren't they all though? i liked how to be alone too. i only felt better after i read the 27th city, which is shit on a stick.

guest

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 15:51:21 -0600

devil in the white city is lame. i read it regardless of the hype and had. to. force. myself. to finish. it. the things i do for this city..... PS i feel exactly the same way about harry potter. those who are resisting it are only doing it at their own detriment!

Jess D'Amico

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 15:49:30 -0600

All agreed about Harry Potter, although I wasn't thrilled with the last book, but the other six, ::love::

LWGillan

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 15:46:01 -0600

Kurt Vonnegut in general. Boy am I glad I didn't wait any longer than I did.

Tankboy

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 14:36:04 -0600

Guest #4, I think you meant your comment for the post above this one ...

JuliaPorter

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 13:33:36 -0600

I'm another former Harry Potter avoider. I thought the hype was stupid, until I read, like, two pages. Now I'm a total geek. I also put off The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, because it totally felt like the "cool, intelligent hipster" book for awhile, but I really liked it. I still can't bring myself to read the Life of Pi, due to the combination of the hype and what sounds like an impenetrably dull plot.

jay

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 12:45:56 -0600

I resisted Dave Eggers for a while, but recently read and liked Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. Funnier than I expected.

Jake M

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 12:15:42 -0600

I'm going to agree with the Harry Potter suggestion. My sister spent half of her life waiting for the series to end. After the last one came out, I read them all in a week. That's over 4000 pages of wizardly goodness. I dreamt about wizards and wand battles for a month. And, surprisingly, they all kicked ass (some, of course, moreso than others). And, I mean this with all the sincerity I can muster, one of the chapters in the final book is quite possibly the best chapter of any book I've ever read. Fuck. I'm a nerd.

petermavrik

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 12:11:36 -0600

I soaked up Devil in the White City during a long plane ride and loved it.

guest

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 11:59:41 -0600

Agreed on Devil in the White City. I can't wait for the over-hyped movie.

Bud Selig

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 11:54:54 -0600

This is easy -- Harry Potter. I was able to fend off those books for years until the 6th book came out. I read all of them over one summer and the entire series far surpassed my expectations. I respect the people who have read one or two of the books and didn't like them, but I'm annoyed at those who haven't read a word and completely dismiss the entire series. Don't knock it until you've tried it.

guest

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 11:37:22 -0600

I was worried about The Corrections at first, but I really loved that book once I read it. I've tried to start Devil in the White City three times. It's kinda interesting... but every time i've taken a break I've lost all my momentum.

guest

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 11:30:20 -0600

If people would ever stop hyping Devil in the White City, I might be able to bring myself to read it. I mean, I've been given two copies of it already, and fully expect to get another this Christmas.

guest

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 11:18:19 -0600

Omg! I object to the fireworks at Navy Pier. The loud bangs make me think I'm living in the ghetto. oh noes!!!! STFU boaters. go boat on the fox river and quit yer yapping.

guest

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 11:11:45 -0600

I second Perks of Being a Wallflower....!!!! Such bullshit

guest

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 11:06:09 -0600

The Perks of being a Wallflower.

pantagrapher

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 10:28:15 -0600

Lolita