Exactly. 2001 is science fiction. Star Wars is space opera. Nothing more, nothing less.

It's difficult to view these films with any kind of objectivity, at least for me. I've used the narrative for everything from critiques on authoritarianism to examinations of the failure of society to a strategy manual for military games. Maybe this is what it's like to be a devotee of classical literature…

That's what I did with Paradise Lost.

Hemingway is like that for me, I don't know, I just can't do it.

Three times certainly is not the charm because my copy is back on the shelf for the last 2 years. Better luck to you, if you're masochistic enough to go for it.

Huge Joyce fan here and while I respect Ulysses and Finnegan's Wake as masterpieces of writing craft (the same was as one might look at Moby Dick) I find Dubliners to be a much more enjoyable read. Great storytellers seem to shine when they can do short stories instead of trying to slow walk you through a plot.

As much as I enjoy James Joyce the man, I've never understood the allure of his writing. I consider myself a pretty intelligent and well-read guy, but I wanted to punt a baby after just a few pages.

Don't even get me started on Finnegan's Wake. I'm convinced he was on the Hunter S. Thompson cocktail of drugs and…

In grade 9, my English teacher happened to mention Ulysses was his favourite book. He even had a copy on his desk, so old and used that all the pages were completely separated.

Au contraire, my friend. I've picked it up, read the first 30 or so pages and then given up on it on at least three occasions.

Not at all. The book is famous for a reason. In fact for many good reasons. Perhaps you might want to try an audiobook version to get into the swing and cadence of the language.

Yep, your logic holds up. I made it about a third of the way through. The book now haunts me from time to time from the bookshelf, but I honestly believe I could open the book thirty pages from the end, finish it, and not even realize I missed anything.

I feel the same way about Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.

I'm actually curious to know if there are any books people read so much that they tend to skip certain scenes or chapters because they've long ago decided they were either boring or not central to the plot.

I saw the pic and was ready to call you a liar, but your explanation holds up.

Wear, ware?

This is obvious to anyone who grew up in England with any sense of class btw ;)

R.I.P. One of my all time faves...except when the Avengers went to Canada (WTF?!).

BEHOLD

Wouldn't be the first time an "American" car got made in Britain