I am half way through reading Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut. I am not going to read the rest of it. I don’t like the book.

Is it ok to dislike a book that is suppose to be a literary classic?

In our local library there is a Classic section. I like to read something from that section that I have heard of but have never read. Or I would re-read a classic that I read in high school or college but I didn’t appreciate then. Slaughterhouse-Five belongs in the first catagory. I don’t remember having read any work by Vonnegut. Now I know why.

Slaughterhouse-Five contains too many gruesome details about the lasting psychological pain and physical torture in WWII. I know this is what they call black humor. I know it is suppose to be making some kind of moral statement and all that. Even if it is considered a classic, I just don’t like it.

2 Responses to “What is a classic?”

  1. Nat Says:

    It’s perfectly fine to dislike or even hate a book that’s considered a classic!

    I can’t stand “The Catcher in the Rye.” It’s the worst book I’ve ever read, and coincidentally enough, the only book (besides the Bible) Tony thinks is worth reading.

    And maybe you’ll hate me for this, but the whole Narnia series is pretty lamely written, I think. Great concept + poor execution = nope.

  2. Joyful Says:

    Yup, I hate you.
    Did you read the first one, “The Magician’s Nephew”? That explains the whole concept of sin. Ok, some parts were a little trite, but Lewis takes a difficult topic and makes it understandable.