10 Super Popular Books I’ve Never Read
I’ve mentioned before that I’m not one of those people dissuaded by popularity. If something is getting a ton of hype, it makes me want to read something more, not less. That said, sometimes you just miss the boat on books that everyone else really loves, whether it’s one you just haven’t gotten around to or doesn’t appeal to you for some reason. These are ten books that I haven’t read for a wide variety of reasons: 
- The Handmaid’s Tale. How have I never read this one? It’s such a staple of modern literature and yet, somehow I’ve never gotten around to it. Hulu is releasing an original series of this story this month, so now is probably the ideal time for me to finally listen to it, especially since Audible just released an exclusive edition narrated by Claire Danes (who will always be Beth from Little Women to me).
- Gone Girl. I actually checked out the CD version of this from my library (back in the dark ages when I used audio CDs) as this started getting more and more popular. I happened to mention it on Twitter and three different librarian friends of mine from grad school responded almost immediately telling me, “I’m pretty sure you won’t like this book.” So I didn’t even bother.
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. I mentioned on my Instagram Stories last week that when I’ve heard tons about a book and been exposed to it so many times, sometimes it’s like my brain almost categorizes it as something I’ve read and from then on, I just pass over it, because it’s lost any sense of novelty for me. This is one of those books. I’m probably just never going to read it.
- Life of Pi. I have to admit that one of my random reading quirks is that most ocean-related or boat-related books do not appeal to me. (Just one more reason I’ve never read Moby Dick). So a book that takes place, as far as I understand, almost entirely on a tiny raft in the middle of the ocean? Pass.
- The Devil in the White City. I really DO intend to read this one (or at least something by Erik Larson). I love a good non-fiction book and everyone raves about this one, but it’s just never quite floated to the top of my to-read list.
- The Poisonwood Bible. I know. How have I never read this one? I know that many people consider this their favorite book and I WOULD like to read it someday, but I have to admit that I was kind of turned off to Barbara Kingsolver after I read The Bean Trees in high school, and so I’ve never picked this one up. Although I DID love her book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle which was one of my most memorable audiobooks during my commute back and forth to my school libraries in Boston.
- The Lovely Bones. This one sounds fascinating, but . . . also creepy and I am a wimp. And that’s all I’ll say about that.
- The Kite Runner. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve checked this out from the library (and in fact, now that I’m writing this, I’m pretty sure my mom gave me her copy and it’s sitting on one of my many bookshelves, so I don’t even have an excuse!) but I’ve never even cracked the cover.
- Ready Player One. This one I actually did listen to the first 30 minutes or so of (on double-speed, so actually an hour worth of material), and it did nothing for me. Since then, I’ve heard so many people rave endlessly about this book, but I just can’t convince myself to pick it back up.
- A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. I don’t have an actual clue what this book is even about. Which may be part of the reason I haven’t read it.
For the ones I do intend to read (ahem, not Life of Pi), audio books are the best way for me to get through them, since I can listen while I’m folding laundry or going for a run. And nobody has a better collection of audio books than Audible. You can sign up for a free 30-day trial and download any one of the titles from their enormous collection and check one book off your to-read list. I’d love to hear what books everyone else loved that you haven’t read (and why!).
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I do really love Poisonwood Bible. I think Animal Dreams is even better, though. They both seem like the kind of thing you’d like, actually.
I just started The Handmaid’s Tale a few days ago after years (since college maybe?) of it sitting unread on my shelf, so you’re not alone in that one! It’s depressing, but I’m into it – and looking forward to the Hulu series, too.
Lucky girl to get through college without Moby Dick being assigned reading! I had to read it twice! (ish) I haven’t read any of the books on your list and have only heard of a few of them! I guess I will have to check out a few of these. Thanks for the “to read” list.
This is such a great post!
A Handmaid’s Tale – I hated this book the first time I read it because I absolutely hated what was happening in the story. I don’t think I could watch the mini-series; it just hits a bit nerve for me. That being said this is a great book for discussion – a perfect book club read.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time – My one recollection of this book is that there was lots of totally unnecessary swearing. Probably not a good one for audio (if you’re like me and swearing affects you more out loud than on the page). I think this book got a lot of buzz originally because it dealt with autism and that was something new, but there are a lot more books now that have autistic characters, so I don’t at all feel like this is a must-read.
I loved Devil in the White City. Some people might say all of the details about architecture and constructing the buildings for the World’s Fair were slow, but I ate up every word.
The Poisonwood Bible – This was my first Kingsolver, and I think I might not have liked it as much had I already read some of the Kingsolver’s other works. She’s just a tad too crunchy, earth-mother for me…but I don’t think The Poisonwood Bible has that sense of crunchiness that some of her other books have. The first half of the book is amazing, the second half kind of drags, but that being said, I think you should read it. It’s not one of my absolute favorites because of that slow second half, but it’s the book that inspired the idea for my Master’s thesis, so it’s a favorite for me for that reason.
Ready Player One – I was not impressed by this book. I read it, but my life would have been perfectly fine had I spent my time on something else.
Curious Incident of the adopt in the Night- meh. It was okay.
But seriously, Life of Pi is amazing. If there is any way you can be dissuaded. I first listened to it and I know how you feel about audiobooks. The narration is done in an Indian accent and is hilarious. It’s also totally clean. I k ow everyone will tell you how good it is, just adding my voice in there.
Poison wood Bible and The Kite Runner are also very very good. A little more adult, but so so good. Barbara Kingsolver is like a word magician. Also listened to The Kite Runner.
I will also never read Lovely Bones o Gone Girl. I read the premise of Lovely Bones and was freaked out for like two weeks and will probably be framed out for another two since it’s resurfaced in my memory.
Life of Pi, meh. I know everyone loves it, but it just didn’t do it for me. Maybe I shouldn’t be reading books about people stuck on boats either 🙂 And Gone Girl? Not impressed, I thought it was overly vulgar/crude/abusive and just not my thing. I want to read “A Man Called Ove.”
Heads up: Ready Player One has one sexual chapter that I skip every time I read it- the kind of scene where you think, “Why in the world did the author even include this trash, in an otherwise great book??!”
That being said, I love the book and have read it three times now. It will be more enjoyable to you if you played old video games growing up, but still an enjoyable sci-fi treasure hunt.
I have all but three of those listed! But I am opposite to you — if a book is getting a ton of hype, I feel suspicious of it. Maybe not of the book, but of the expectation that the hype sets. Like, there’s no way this book is going to live up to what everyone is saying.
I haven’t read The Book Thief, which I feel like everyone was talking about a few years back. And nothing by John Green. I don’t know why. And I never read the Twilight books, because the angsty teen vampire stuff didn’t appeal.
Handmaid’s Tale is the kind of book that you’ll either love or hate, depending on how you feel about unresolved endings. I personally found it fascinating, but my husband hated it!
I’ve never read The Da Vinci Code, Where the Red Fern Grows, or Wild, and of the three, I only really intend to pick up Red Fern for now unless convinced otherwise…
After seeing the previews of The Handmaid’s Tale, I don’t think I could ever read it. I like books that stir up emotion and make you think, but I think that one would be too much for me.
I totally get that sometimes you look back at the books you have read and ask yourself how you have never experienced some that seem like total cultural essentials.
I personally haven’t read Gone Girl or The Lovely Bones. If you want to experience the story, but worried about being creeped out, just get the movie. Your time investment is shorter and you can still read the book if you really dig it. I saw the movie of Gone Girl and it was both fantastic and disturbing. I don’t know if I could invest myself in the book to get the most enjoyment out of it.
If you are a wimp, full disclosure, The Handmaids Tale is also pretty disturbing. I read it in high school and while I don’t remember loving it, something about it had stuck with me. Like good BBQ in your gut or something.
Life of Pi was an amazing read. Yes, there is lots of time at sea. But it was heartbreaking and beautiful and at times funny. So good, I can’t bring myself to watch the movie because I am afraid it will ruin my love of the book. Please give it a chance.
I liked The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime, but I generally like Mark Haddon. I remember reading it and really enjoying it. I enjoyed it enough that I saw the stage play version on a theatre broadcast from National Theatre Live (if you have never done this, totally check it out. When else can you see very famous and talented actors do theatre anywhere that isn’t London or New York, and for the cost of a movie ticket???). I still liked it as the stage play and it was definitely staged rather unconventionally. From an audiobook perspective, I think that Mark Haddon’s A Spot of Bother might be more entertaining and better suited to the audio version.
I need the time to read Ready Player One – my geek girl bones are looking forward to it. I may just buy it so I don’t have to rush through the library version.
The rest I have no real burning desire to read.
Although on this topic, have you read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon. It is an older choice, but I feel like this book needs more hype. It completely rocked me the first time I read it and launched a small obsession with Michael Chabon’s essays (I like his other novels too, but I find the closest I get to my initial connection with this first novel have been with his essays).
I did not really love The Handmaid’s tale, but I read it for a university course and it did make for very powerful discussion. I think you will really enjoy the Kite Runner if you get to it sometime!! He is an amazing author.
I loved Life of Pi and The Kite Runner (although I think I’ve liked the other two books I read by him more). Devil in the White City is amazing and I haven’t liked any of his books as much as that one. I thought the Lovely Bones was . . . Kind of icky. And Ready Player One was good, but very niche. It often felt like an excuse for the author to just list all of the movies and video games he liked, without actual bearing on the plot, so I can see that not appealing to you. I also haven’t been able to get into Gone Girl though – read half a chapter and set it aside.
I am not a fan of wasteland wandering in books, so you would think that Life of Pi would be a disaster for me, but I really enjoyed it. How did you feel about the ocean portions in Unbreakable? Combine that with Zoo Story and that’s where Life of Pi is headed.
I haven’t read anything by Sarah Dessen. Nothing. Not one book. Can we still be friends?
You’re not alone… I’ve got a huge list of books I haven’t gotten too!
The Handmaid’s Tale. – loved it, must read!
Gone Girl – hated it, must avoid!
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time – enjoyed it, not earth shattering.
Life of Pi – liked it a lot, worth the read. Not much boat related stuff, great twist at the end.
The Devil in the White City – haven’t read it.
The Poisonwood Bible – haven’t read this either, just seems so…long.
The Lovely Bones – like it, was a good read. Was great until the paranormal stuff, which seemed silly not scary at all. Worth reading.
The Kite Runner – also haven’t gotten to it despite owning it.
Ready Player One – ditto, not yet.
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius – was also good, about brothers. Worth the read.
I love the Lovely Bones and the Kite Runner but Thousand Splendid Suns is even better. I hated Life of Pi and couldn’t get into it. If you haven’t read Gone with the Wind, I highly recommend. I also really really love the book Love in the Time of Cholera but it’s a love or hate book too. And I can’t get into the Poisonwood Bible either but may try again. My book club is currently reading American Gods and it’s so strange and I don’t know if I will be able to finish it. Quite an odd book to me. I’m really excited to read the Hillbilly Elegy next!
Breanna,
I tried American Gods and gave up because it was so weird. Should I give it another try?
I would advise against listening to Life of Pi. It was torture. I feel like it’s 12+ hours of my life that I’ll never get back!
The Kite Runner was incredible. It took me years to finally get around to reading it, but since then, I often find myself googling ‘books similar to The Kite Runner’. I also really enjoyed The Life of Pi, but I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Oh and Gone Girl has been sitting on my shelf for years. Years. I don’t think I’m ever going to read it.
Coincidentally I just read both the Handmaid’s Tale and Gone Girl in the past few weeks! Funny. Handmaid’s Tale… oh boy. How to even describe? It was an interesting general premise but the details are just so… wrong. I didn’t enjoy it. But I could certainly spend some time discussing it.
Gone Girl I was expecting to hate because so many people felt that way. But I admit that I was completely sucked in, and I can give the author a genuine round of applause for some of the twists (I feel like I’ve read so many books that start out the same way and they are so predictable! Not this one!). That said, it’s disturbing on so many levels. Particularly the language, for me. Probably also because I listened to it on Audible and Kirby Heybourne is the narrator and I just couldn’t get past it. Ha!!
Listen to the audiobook of Devil in the White City! I found it a really difficult book to read. There are some​ very very interesting facts but I didn’t enjoy just sitting there and reading it. I only was able to finish it after downloading the audio!