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I was wondering because I have to.
If a friend gives me a book and while reading it I realize it is part of a series I have to go out and get the ones before and read them in order?
A few of my friends think I am weird for doing this
So I am coming to the "experts"
They tend to make more sense when you read them in order. I hate it when a reference is made to something that happened in a previous book, and I know nothing about it.
when "the world according to garp" by john irving was first released, it hit like a firestorm. a very popular book. a terrifically thorough detailed book about a dynamic character. loved it - hated the movie which could not begin to do it justice.
curious as to who irving was, i backtracked and read most of what he had previously published, and discovered his process - all the same elements and themes of "garp" could be found in his earlier work and it was fascinating to see how he finally pulled it all together in one thundering novel like "garp."
i didn't much like those earlier books of his, but as a process as to how a writer finally writes the book he was meant to write, it was an interesting exercise.
i didn't much like anything else irving wrote after garp, however.
I prefer to read in order, however, I have read books out of order (not knowingly) and have been able to figure out what's going on...although it's not always easy and again, not really preferable in my opinion.
I prefer to read in order, however, I have read books out of order (not knowingly) and have been able to figure out what's going on...although it's not always easy and again, not really preferable in my opinion.
thats when my wallet takes a hit i have to go out and buy all of the previous ones
libraries are not an option for me
Lola likes to "read" to many of my books
when "the world according to garp" by john irving was first released, it hit like a firestorm. a very popular book. a terrifically thorough detailed book about a dynamic character. loved it - hated the movie which could not begin to do it justice.
curious as to who irving was, i backtracked and read most of what he had previously published, and discovered his process - all the same elements and themes of "garp" could be found in his earlier work and it was fascinating to see how he finally pulled it all together in one thundering novel like "garp."
i didn't much like those earlier books of his, but as a process as to how a writer finally writes the book he was meant to write, it was an interesting exercise.
i didn't much like anything else irving wrote after garp, however.
I went on a John Irving binge some years ago. I found that his stuff got old, for me, anyway. But I'll bet he's a terrific guy. I'd love to meet him.
I read "The Water Method Man." The only thing I recall about it was the main character's thing with the "saga" written in "Old Low Norse." It turns out that the guy, a professor, is the only person in the world who understands it. So, instead of "translating" the saga, he starts to make everything up!
Your post made me laugh. I was given a James Thurber book of short stories by a friend specifically because one of the stories was about a "troublesome" Airedale. My beloved airedale (now gone to his final resting place) shredded that particular story.
I went on a John Irving binge some years ago. I found that his stuff got old, for me, anyway. But I'll bet he's a terrific guy. I'd love to meet him.
I read "The Water Method Man." The only thing I recall about it was the main character's thing with the "saga" written in "Old Low Norse." It turns out that the guy, a professor, is the only person in the world who understands it. So, instead of "translating" the saga, he starts to make everything up!
heh
I remember laughing at The Water Method Man.
I didn't read Irving in order because his books are not a series, though after Garp, I read the old stuff, then things went in order from there.
Cider House Rules is actually one of my favorite books, but the ones since then I did not like as much.
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reading books in order
