Top Ten Books That Were Hard For Me to Read

This is a Weekly meme hosted by the ladies over at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week: Books That Were Hard for Me to Read

1) Moby Dick by Herman Melville
Why: Have you tried to read that behemoth? Honestly, it wasn't even really that it was long. I don't even think the writing is all that difficult, nor is the book even that hard to understand (whale is a metaphor is a pretty easy thing to understand. Melville does kind of hit you over the head with it). It's just one that requires a lot of patience. Like TONS of patience. If you managed to get through this one and ENJOY getting through this one, then I salute you.

2) The Lord of the Rings series by J. R. R. Tolkien (or really anything Tolkien)
Why: Well for starters, I was handed The Hobbit in Middle School of all places. Because for some reason my Middle-school teacher totally thought that was a book that twelve year olds would totally get into. Spoiler: we didn't. Because as wonderful as this series is, it's more appropriate for older high school age. As a result, I thought this series was difficult and put off reading the trilogy until I was in college when the Jackson movies started up and reread The Hobbit and wound up falling in love. But even as I got into it, this is one that requires a lot patience because sometimes Tolkien wanders in his plots and you want him to just get the hell on with it.

3) The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Why: one word: cannibalism. I find it endlessly amusing that this is given to middle-schoolers and yet True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is the one parents get up in arms about. Not that they don't protest this one. They do. It's on the banned book list. But not quite to the extent that Part-Time Indian is nowadays. ;side-eyes parents and their priorities like whoa; And no, I'm not saying this one should be banned in place of that. No banning should happen ever. How about instead, you just don't read the book?

4) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Why: This was my first adult classic, read on my own, without teacher help (no, none of my teachers assigned Austin. Or any women writers really. sigh). Mostly it was just the period language that kept side-tracking me. I've reread it as an adult and have had a easier time. So it was probably because I tried it out in middle-school. Sometimes there are just books you need to wait to read until you're in high school.

5) Shakespeare
Why: Anyone who's read Shakespeare knows why.

6) Poems by Walt Whitman
Why: Given by my Grandmother who taught poetry/English in high school. I'll be honest: I just don't get poetry. I've tried. I really have. But poetry/verse writing is just not my thing.

7) The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemmingway
Why: Just couldn't get into it. Or any Hemmingway really. I get it. I get what Hemmingway is doing. I agree he writes beautifully. I just can't get into him.