The most lied about book.... - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Folwren · 01-29-2007, 02:46 PM

What I would like to know is why anyone would lie about reading any book? Perhaps they do not have enough books that they've actually read to talk about... I have never found it necessary to brag about books I haven't read. My list of books that I have read is long enough without imaginary help.

-- Folwren

Mithalwen · 01-30-2007, 09:19 AM

cf Boro's response

Mithalwen · 05-06-2011, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Folwren

What I would like to know is why anyone would lie about reading any book? Perhap-- Folwren

I must admit I have read English translations of books I was meant to read in the original occasionally - I had to read Germinal which starts with a long and very technichal description of a mine which had me referring to Larousse and Robert every sentence to look up words I had not needed beforeand I was averaging 3 cups of coffee per page. It was either get a head start with a translation or die of caffeine poisoning. The other thing is I may be lying by omission or comission simply because I am getting older and can't necessarily rememeber books I may have read very quickly 15-20 years ago. I was talking to Lalwende about The French Lieutenants Woman and I am sure I have read some John Fowlds back in the day but I am not now sure if I have read it or merely seen the film! Similarly when you get the great book lists I sit there and think "I know I have read something by Marquez but was it 100 years of Solitude or Love in the time of Cholera.. Not bragging, just senile...

PrinceOfTheHalflings · 05-08-2011, 02:48 AM

I think it says more about the immense popularity of "The Lord of the Rings" than anything else.

I notice that one of the other books on the list is "The Da Vinci Code", which is nothing but a page-turning potboiler. Why would anyone lie about having read it, other than because it's a very popular book? Really, popularity is the only thing it's got going for it.

I'd be more tempted to lie and say that I hadn't read The Da Vinci Code! I mean, yes I have read it but it's nothing to brag about...

Mithalwen · 05-08-2011, 04:53 AM

Yes, having occasionally being dumbstruck by benighted souls telling me how good it is, I think I would find it easier to lie than to say I had read it and thought it drivel.

TheGreatElvenWarrior · 05-08-2011, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

I know someone who adores fantasy but has never read any Tolkien whatsoever; I'm the opposite, have read too much Tolkien but generally do not have any particular taste for fantasy. This guy I know loves to wind up Tolkien fans by telling them the films are the only thing worth bothering with. He only does it because it teasesssss....

I am much the same way. I do not read much fantasy as a genre, but do read as much Tolkien as I can get my hands on. Unfortunately, like many of you who have posted above, most of the people I have met and tried to talk about Tolkien to said that they had not read his books. They are proud to not have read any Tolkien, they think that LotR is boring, despite the fact that they have never read the books and maybe saw the films once. As far as anything else Tolkien has written most don't even know it exists. The Sil? "What's that?" HoME? "Huh?" It goes on.

And me, the only time that I've ever. . . expanded the truth, is maybe sometimes exaggerating how many times I've read LotR.

Galadriel55 · 05-08-2011, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGreatElvenWarrior

I am much the same way. I do not read much fantasy as a genre, but do read as much Tolkien as I can get my hands on. Unfortunately, like many of you who have posted above, most of the people I have met and tried to talk about Tolkien to said that they had not read his books. They are proud to not have read any Tolkien, they think that LotR is boring, despite the fact that they have never read the books and maybe saw the films once. As far as anything else Tolkien has written most don't even know it exists. The Sil? "What's that?" HoME? "Huh?" It goes on.

And me, the only time that I've ever. . . expanded the truth, is maybe sometimes exaggerating how many times I've read LotR.

Ditto! (about everything, lol)

I also sometimes "expend the truth" by saying that I know LOTR or The Sil or etc by heart, when I really don't.

alatar · 05-27-2011, 02:25 PM

I can see being mistakenly called out on not reading a book, not because I hadn't read it, but that it wasn't *that* interesting to get logged into the brain. How do you differentiate between a person that is lying and one that is forgetful?

For example, I read "A Brief History of Time," some...ahhh...time ago, yet can't remember if it was about quarks and muons or the work of Briton Hadden and Henry Luce.

01-29-2007, 02:46 PM	#1
Folwren Messenger of Hope Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a tiny, insignificant little town in one of the many States. Posts: 5,076	What I would like to know is why anyone would lie about reading any book? Perhaps they do not have enough books that they've actually read to talk about... I have never found it necessary to brag about books I haven't read. My list of books that I have read is long enough without imaginary help. -- Folwren __________________ A young man who wishes to remain a sound atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. - C.S. Lewis

01-30-2007, 09:19 AM	#2
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,461	cf Boro's response __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

05-08-2011, 04:53 AM	#5
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,461	Yes, having occasionally being dumbstruck by benighted souls telling me how good it is, I think I would find it easier to lie than to say I had read it and thought it drivel. __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace Last edited by Mithalwen; 05-09-2011 at 02:05 PM.

05-27-2011, 02:25 PM	#8
alatar Doubting Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Heaven's basement Posts: 2,466	I can see being mistakenly called out on not reading a book, not because I hadn't read it, but that it wasn't that interesting to get logged into the brain. How do you differentiate between a person that is lying and one that is forgetful? For example, I read "A Brief History of Time," some...ahhh...time ago, yet can't remember if it was about quarks and muons or the work of Briton Hadden and Henry Luce. __________________ There is naught that you can do, other than to resist, with hope or without it.

05-08-2011, 02:48 AM	#4
PrinceOfTheHalflings Wight Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 120	I think it says more about the immense popularity of "The Lord of the Rings" than anything else. I notice that one of the other books on the list is "The Da Vinci Code", which is nothing but a page-turning potboiler. Why would anyone lie about having read it, other than because it's a very popular book? Really, popularity is the only thing it's got going for it. I'd be more tempted to lie and say that I hadn't read The Da Vinci Code! I mean, yes I have read it but it's nothing to brag about...