# Bakers Dozen

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173>\
**Category:** Thread Games\
**Created:** [August 4, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173 "2010-08-04T17:56:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 3040

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**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/60787 "2018-08-13T13:29:23Z")

</div>

Nonfiction Books You Recommend

1. The Decline & Fall of Practically Everybody, by Will Cuppy. A snarky look at historical figures as very fallible human beings.
2. Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance. Vance chronicles his upbringing in a poor rustbelt town, time in the Marine Corps, and through Yale Law School, touching on drug abuse, welfare, racism, and politics along the way.
3. Pigboats: United States Submarine Operations in World War II, by Theodore Roscoe
4. We Seven by the Astronauts Themselves. The Mercury astronauts write about their experiences and challenges in the Mercury space program.
5. Devil in the White City, by Erik Larsen. The story of the 1893 World’s Colombian Exposition in Chicago from the side of the designers juxtaposed against the concurrent story of H.H. Holmes, a serial killer operating in its shadow.
6. Good Book - Author David Plotz started a web blog where he read and commented on every chapter of the Old Testament. A publisher approached him and had it turned in a book. It is an excellent read.

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**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/60788 "2018-08-13T14:05:26Z")

</div>

Nonfiction Books You Recommend

1. The Decline & Fall of Practically Everybody, by Will Cuppy. A snarky look at historical figures as very fallible human beings.
2. Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance. Vance chronicles his upbringing in a poor rustbelt town, time in the Marine Corps, and through Yale Law School, touching on drug abuse, welfare, racism, and politics along the way.
3. Pigboats: United States Submarine Operations in World War II, by Theodore Roscoe
4. We Seven by the Astronauts Themselves. The Mercury astronauts write about their experiences and challenges in the Mercury space program.
5. Devil in the White City, by Erik Larsen. The story of the 1893 World’s Colombian Exposition in Chicago from the side of the designers juxtaposed against the concurrent story of H.H. Holmes, a serial killer operating in its shadow.
6. Good Book - Author David Plotz started a web blog where he read and commented on every chapter of the Old Testament. A publisher approached him and had it turned in a book. It is an excellent read.
7. At Home: A Short History of Private Life, by Bill Bryson. Fascinating stuff, the best book I read last year.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/60789 "2018-08-13T14:26:35Z")

</div>

Nonfiction Books You Recommend

1. The Decline & Fall of Practically Everybody, by Will Cuppy. A snarky look at historical figures as very fallible human beings.
2. Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance. Vance chronicles his upbringing in a poor rustbelt town, time in the Marine Corps, and through Yale Law School, touching on drug abuse, welfare, racism, and politics along the way.
3. Pigboats: United States Submarine Operations in World War II, by Theodore Roscoe
4. We Seven by the Astronauts Themselves. The Mercury astronauts write about their experiences and challenges in the Mercury space program.
5. Devil in the White City, by Erik Larsen. The story of the 1893 World’s Colombian Exposition in Chicago from the side of the designers juxtaposed against the concurrent story of H.H. Holmes, a serial killer operating in its shadow.
6. Good Book - Author David Plotz started a web blog where he read and commented on every chapter of the Old Testament. A publisher approached him and had it turned in a book. It is an excellent read.
7. At Home: A Short History of Private Life, by Bill Bryson. Fascinating stuff, the best book I read last year.
8. Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism, by James W. Loewen. Definitely changed the way I see my country, both historically and today.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/60790 "2018-08-13T14:33:46Z")

</div>

Nonfiction Books You Recommend

1. The Decline & Fall of Practically Everybody, by Will Cuppy. A snarky look at historical figures as very fallible human beings.
2. Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance. Vance chronicles his upbringing in a poor rustbelt town, time in the Marine Corps, and through Yale Law School, touching on drug abuse, welfare, racism, and politics along the way.
3. Pigboats: United States Submarine Operations in World War II, by Theodore Roscoe
4. We Seven by the Astronauts Themselves. The Mercury astronauts write about their experiences and challenges in the Mercury space program.
5. Devil in the White City, by Erik Larsen. The story of the 1893 World’s Colombian Exposition in Chicago from the side of the designers juxtaposed against the concurrent story of H.H. Holmes, a serial killer operating in its shadow.
6. Good Book - Author David Plotz started a web blog where he read and commented on every chapter of the Old Testament. A publisher approached him and had it turned in a book. It is an excellent read.
7. At Home: A Short History of Private Life, by Bill Bryson. Fascinating stuff, the best book I read last year.
8. The Animator’s Survival Kit, by Richard Williams - The director of animation for _Who Framed Roger Rabbit_ reveals the principles of animation and provides illustrations and examples. This is the bible for animators.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bayaker/32/3454_2.png) [@Bayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bayaker)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/60791 "2018-08-13T15:10:44Z")

</div>

Nonfiction Books You Recommend

1. The Decline & Fall of Practically Everybody, by Will Cuppy. A snarky look at historical figures as very fallible human beings.
2. Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance. Vance chronicles his upbringing in a poor rustbelt town, time in the Marine Corps, and through Yale Law School, touching on drug abuse, welfare, racism, and politics along the way.
3. Pigboats: United States Submarine Operations in World War II, by Theodore Roscoe
4. We Seven by the Astronauts Themselves. The Mercury astronauts write about their experiences and challenges in the Mercury space program.
5. Devil in the White City, by Erik Larsen. The story of the 1893 World’s Colombian Exposition in Chicago from the side of the designers juxtaposed against the concurrent story of H.H. Holmes, a serial killer operating in its shadow.
6. Good Book - Author David Plotz started a web blog where he read and commented on every chapter of the Old Testament. A publisher approached him and had it turned in a book. It is an excellent read.
7. At Home: A Short History of Private Life, by Bill Bryson. Fascinating stuff, the best book I read last year.
8. The Animator’s Survival Kit, by Richard Williams - The director of animation for Who Framed Roger Rabbit reveals the principles of animation and provides illustrations and examples. This is the bible for animators.
9. A History of the English Speaking Peoples, by Winston Churchill (4vol.) It’s the tour-de-force history for anyone even remotely interested. Churchill’s masterful narrative formed a 2000 year long page-turner.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/60792 "2018-08-13T16:13:44Z")

</div>

Nonfiction Books You Recommend

1. The Decline & Fall of Practically Everybody, by Will Cuppy. A snarky look at historical figures as very fallible human beings.
2. Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance. Vance chronicles his upbringing in a poor rustbelt town, time in the Marine Corps, and through Yale Law School, touching on drug abuse, welfare, racism, and politics along the way.
3. Pigboats: United States Submarine Operations in World War II, by Theodore Roscoe
4. We Seven by the Astronauts Themselves. The Mercury astronauts write about their experiences and challenges in the Mercury space program.
5. Devil in the White City, by Erik Larsen. The story of the 1893 World’s Colombian Exposition in Chicago from the side of the designers juxtaposed against the concurrent story of H.H. Holmes, a serial killer operating in its shadow.
6. Good Book - Author David Plotz started a web blog where he read and commented on every chapter of the Old Testament. A publisher approached him and had it turned in a book. It is an excellent read.
7. At Home: A Short History of Private Life, by Bill Bryson. Fascinating stuff, the best book I read last year.
8. Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism, by James W. Loewen. Definitely changed the way I see my country, both historically and today.
9. The Animator’s Survival Kit, by Richard Williams - The director of animation for Who Framed Roger Rabbit reveals the principles of animation and provides illustrations and examples. This is the bible for animators.
10. A History of the English Speaking Peoples, by Winston Churchill (4vol.) It’s the tour-de-force history for anyone even remotely interested. Churchill’s masterful narrative formed a 2000 year long page-turner.

Housekeeping

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/60793 "2018-08-13T17:45:52Z")

</div>

Nonfiction Books You Recommend

1. The Decline & Fall of Practically Everybody, by Will Cuppy. A snarky look at historical figures as very fallible human beings.
2. Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance. Vance chronicles his upbringing in a poor rustbelt town, time in the Marine Corps, and through Yale Law School, touching on drug abuse, welfare, racism, and politics along the way.
3. Pigboats: United States Submarine Operations in World War II, by Theodore Roscoe
4. We Seven by the Astronauts Themselves. The Mercury astronauts write about their experiences and challenges in the Mercury space program.
5. Devil in the White City, by Erik Larsen. The story of the 1893 World’s Colombian Exposition in Chicago from the side of the designers juxtaposed against the concurrent story of H.H. Holmes, a serial killer operating in its shadow.
6. Good Book - Author David Plotz started a web blog where he read and commented on every chapter of the Old Testament. A publisher approached him and had it turned in a book. It is an excellent read.
7. At Home: A Short History of Private Life, by Bill Bryson. Fascinating stuff, the best book I read last year.
8. Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism, by James W. Loewen. Definitely changed the way I see my country, both historically and today.
9. The Animator’s Survival Kit, by Richard Williams - The director of animation for Who Framed Roger Rabbit reveals the principles of animation and provides illustrations and examples. This is the bible for animators.
10. A History of the English Speaking Peoples, by Winston Churchill (4vol.) It’s the tour-de-force history for anyone even remotely interested. Churchill’s masterful narrative formed a 2000 year long page-turner.
11. _After the Fact: The Art of Historical Detection_ by James West Davidson and Mark H Lytle

I’ve recommended this great book here before.

---

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**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/60794 "2018-08-13T18:39:24Z")

</div>

Nonfiction Books You Recommend

1. The Decline & Fall of Practically Everybody, by Will Cuppy. A snarky look at historical figures as very fallible human beings.
2. Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance. Vance chronicles his upbringing in a poor rustbelt town, time in the Marine Corps, and through Yale Law School, touching on drug abuse, welfare, racism, and politics along the way.
3. Pigboats: United States Submarine Operations in World War II, by Theodore Roscoe
4. We Seven by the Astronauts Themselves. The Mercury astronauts write about their experiences and challenges in the Mercury space program.
5. Devil in the White City, by Erik Larsen. The story of the 1893 World’s Colombian Exposition in Chicago from the side of the designers juxtaposed against the concurrent story of H.H. Holmes, a serial killer operating in its shadow.
6. Good Book - Author David Plotz started a web blog where he read and commented on every chapter of the Old Testament. A publisher approached him and had it turned in a book. It is an excellent read.
7. At Home: A Short History of Private Life, by Bill Bryson. Fascinating stuff, the best book I read last year.
8. Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism, by James W. Loewen. Definitely changed the way I see my country, both historically and today.
9. The Animator’s Survival Kit, by Richard Williams - The director of animation for Who Framed Roger Rabbit reveals the principles of animation and provides illustrations and examples. This is the bible for animators.
10. A History of the English Speaking Peoples, by Winston Churchill (4vol.) It’s the tour-de-force history for anyone even remotely interested. Churchill’s masterful narrative formed a 2000 year long page-turner.
11. After the Fact: The Art of Historical Detection by James West Davidson and Mark H Lytle
12. _On Writing_, by Stephen King - Even if you aren’t a King fan, it’s an excellent primer on writing fiction.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/60795 "2018-08-13T21:17:19Z")

</div>

Nonfiction Books You Recommend

1. The Decline & Fall of Practically Everybody, by Will Cuppy. A snarky look at historical figures as very fallible human beings.
2. Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance. Vance chronicles his upbringing in a poor rustbelt town, time in the Marine Corps, and through Yale Law School, touching on drug abuse, welfare, racism, and politics along the way.
3. Pigboats: United States Submarine Operations in World War II, by Theodore Roscoe
4. We Seven by the Astronauts Themselves. The Mercury astronauts write about their experiences and challenges in the Mercury space program.
5. Devil in the White City, by Erik Larsen. The story of the 1893 World’s Colombian Exposition in Chicago from the side of the designers juxtaposed against the concurrent story of H.H. Holmes, a serial killer operating in its shadow.
6. Good Book - Author David Plotz started a web blog where he read and commented on every chapter of the Old Testament. A publisher approached him and had it turned in a book. It is an excellent read.
7. At Home: A Short History of Private Life, by Bill Bryson. Fascinating stuff, the best book I read last year.
8. Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism, by James W. Loewen. Definitely changed the way I see my country, both historically and today.
9. The Animator’s Survival Kit, by Richard Williams - The director of animation for Who Framed Roger Rabbit reveals the principles of animation and provides illustrations and examples. This is the bible for animators.
10. A History of the English Speaking Peoples, by Winston Churchill (4vol.) It’s the tour-de-force history for anyone even remotely interested. Churchill’s masterful narrative formed a 2000 year long page-turner.
11. After the Fact: The Art of Historical Detection by James West Davidson and Mark H Lytle
12. On Writing, by Stephen King - Even if you aren’t a King fan, it’s an excellent primer on writing fiction.
13. Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis - A Pulitzer winner, about the Framers in their relationships with each other as friends, allies, frenemies and outright foes. Good stuff.

Pass.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/60796 "2018-08-13T22:29:05Z")

</div>

The Worst Book You Still Managed to Finish Reading

1. The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt

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**Author:** ![Blue\_Blistering\_Barnacle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_blistering_barnacle/32/3386_2.png) [@Blue\_Blistering\_Barnacle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blue_Blistering_Barnacle)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/60797 "2018-08-14T00:46:52Z")

</div>

The Worst Book You Still Managed to Finish Reading

1. The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt
2. Battlefield Earth, L. Ron Hubbard

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/60798 "2018-08-14T02:04:58Z")

</div>

The Worst Book You Still Managed to Finish Reading

1. The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt
2. Battlefield Earth, L. Ron Hubbard
3. Mission Earth, L. Ron Hubbard  
It was actually a 10 book series and it was bad and yet I slogged through it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/60799 "2018-08-14T02:41:51Z")

</div>

The Worst Book You Still Managed to Finish Reading

1. The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt
2. Battlefield Earth, L. Ron Hubbard
3. Mission Earth, L. Ron Hubbard
4. Dr. Zhivago, Boris Pasternak

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bayaker/32/3454_2.png) [@Bayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bayaker)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/60800 "2018-08-14T11:18:04Z")

</div>

The Worst Book You Still Managed to Finish Reading

1. The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt
2. Battlefield Earth, L. Ron Hubbard
3. Mission Earth, L. Ron Hubbard
4. Dr. Zhivago, Boris Pasternak
5. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy

If peace means pointless romantic crap, then I’ll take war any day.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/60801 "2018-08-14T12:38:40Z")

</div>

The Worst Book You Still Managed to Finish Reading

1. The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt
2. Battlefield Earth, L. Ron Hubbard
3. Mission Earth, L. Ron Hubbard
4. Dr. Zhivago, Boris Pasternak
5. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
6. The Silmarillion, J.R.R.Tolkien

yeah, this book really needed a few more names of people and places to keep track of to round it out.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/60802 "2018-08-14T13:10:28Z")

</div>

The Worst Book You Still Managed to Finish Reading

1. The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt
2. Battlefield Earth, L. Ron Hubbard
3. Mission Earth, L. Ron Hubbard
4. Dr. Zhivago, Boris Pasternak
5. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
6. The Silmarillion, J.R.R.Tolkien

1. Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper—Case Closed , Patricia Cornwell

Eliminate all the speculation and “what if’s” in this piece of unreadable trash and keep just the facts and it would be a seven page pamphlet.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/60803 "2018-08-14T13:37:23Z")

</div>

The Worst Book You Still Managed to Finish Reading

1. The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt
2. Battlefield Earth, L. Ron Hubbard
3. Mission Earth, L. Ron Hubbard
4. Dr. Zhivago, Boris Pasternak
5. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
6. The Silmarillion, J.R.R.Tolkien

1. Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper—Case Closed , Patricia Cornwell

1. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court

Twain abandons satire and adopts ‘insipid rambling screed’ as a format

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/60804 "2018-08-14T13:39:25Z")

</div>

The Worst Book You Still Managed to Finish Reading

1. The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt
2. Battlefield Earth, L. Ron Hubbard
3. Mission Earth, L. Ron Hubbard
4. Dr. Zhivago, Boris Pasternak
5. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
6. The Silmarillion, J.R.R.Tolkien
7. Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper—Case Closed , Patricia Cornwell
8. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court
9. The first book of the _Sword of Truth_ series by Terry Goodkind

It seemed like a decent read to start, but by the time I finished, I realized the characters were wooden fantasy cliches, and the villain was a dominatrix for basement dwelling readers to masturbate over.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/60805 "2018-08-14T13:41:56Z")

</div>

The Worst Book You Still Managed to Finish Reading

1. The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt
2. Battlefield Earth, L. Ron Hubbard
3. Mission Earth, L. Ron Hubbard
4. Dr. Zhivago, Boris Pasternak
5. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
6. The Silmarillion, J.R.R.Tolkien
7. Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper—Case Closed , Patricia Cornwell
8. The first book of the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind
9. Flesh, Philip Jose Farmer

I enjoyed the World of Tiers series, and Riverworld, but this was obviously just written for the paycheck.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/60806 "2018-08-14T17:35:27Z")

</div>

The Worst Book You Still Managed to Finish Reading

1. The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt
2. Battlefield Earth, L. Ron Hubbard
3. Mission Earth, L. Ron Hubbard
4. Dr. Zhivago, Boris Pasternak
5. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
6. The Silmarillion, J.R.R.Tolkien
7. Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper—Case Closed , Patricia Cornwell
8. The first book of the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind
9. Flesh, Philip Jose Farmer
10. Vector Prime, by RA Salvatore  
They dropped a moon on Chewbacca for crying out loud.

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