# Books that \*should\* be out of print **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 26, 2006, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360 "2006-04-26T21:17:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360/21 "2006-04-27T12:14:19Z")
Not to start a flame war or be complete godless, but hasn’t the world reached it saturation point with all the different versions of the Bible as it is? ( I also feel the same way about cars and hair salons.) ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360/22 "2006-04-27T16:55:19Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > All of the “Left Behind” books. > [@eleanorigby](#): > > I’ll join you in the Pit by adding _Little Women_ to the list. I read this aloud to my kids, since I had loved it as a girl. No and no and no. I kept stopping and saying things like, “a woman can do more than have kids and stay home”; “it’s ok to be angry and express yourself appropriately” and stuff like that. It is a horrid book, really. Thank you. I read this when I was a teenager, and wondered what I wasn’t getting- I hated it, and other people thought it was so great. > [@sinjin](#): > > The Bridges of Madison County. I could not convince my neighbor that this tiny piece of dreck was fiction. She insisted it was biographical and it was “the best book I’ve ever read” > [@ouryL](#): > > The entire "Chicken Soup for the - B L E E P ! ! - " series Amen to all of these! In the case of the “Chicken Soup” books, I hate them so much that [it affected my decision on what to feed my cats](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7335969&postcount=48). ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360/23 "2006-04-27T17:28:23Z")
There was a book, I cannot remember the title of it, a few years back (the author was on Oprah, but it wasn’t an Oprah book)–something like the Chicken Soup ones. _Simple Abundance_ --that woman should be taken out and beaten with her book (is that too violent for Cafe Society?). Every platitude, every epitaph, every aphorism, phrase, proverb or bon mot that has been better said–more eloquently, more pithily- by other, more talented writeres was belabored by her for several pages. She could take whole chapters to say, “all work and no play make Jack a sad boy.” Gah. If memory serves, 27 publishers turned her down and then it became a best seller. This proved to me that best seller does NOT indicate quality in the least. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360/24 "2006-04-27T17:28:30Z")
From a film historian’s standpoint, _Hollywood Babylon_ and _Mommie Dearest_ . . . or at least they should be reclassified as fiction. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360/25 "2006-04-27T17:32:15Z")
_The Good Earth_. The only enjoyable thing about that book was it gave me the opportunity to sing “Everybody Wang Lung tonight” for a couple weeks in high school. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360/26 "2006-04-27T18:16:10Z")
_The Truth about Diamonds_, by Nicole Ritchie. I’ve never condoned book-burnings as a rule, but for this one… ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360/27 "2006-04-27T20:59:30Z")
I just happened across the fact that Star Jones has written a book; [Shine](http://www.harpercollins.com/global_scripts/product_catalog/book_xml.asp?isbn=0060824182), which should be used for compost as soon as possible, lest someone actually read it. ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360/28 "2006-04-27T21:19:58Z")
> [@sinjin](#): > > _The Bridges of Madison County._ I could not convince my neighbor that this tiny piece of dreck was fiction. She insisted it was biographical and it was “the best book I’ve ever read” :rolleyes: > > I gave her “_The Ditches of Madison County_” for Christmas. 😛 We are still best friends. I narrowly escaped finding out what my fruit smoothie smells like when expelled through my nasal cavities. 😛 _shakes fist_ ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360/29 "2006-04-28T00:56:48Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > _Simple Abundance_ Amen, sister! The author is Sarah Ban Brethnach (sp?), and she is a repeat offender. For example, the companion journal _Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy_. :rolleyes: I loved The Good Earth, not sure why it would be on this list. Dan Brown, _The DaVinci Code_, I’d settle for having it off the bestseller list at least. Haven’t people heard it’s dreck??? I would add, if it isn’t already, \*Having It All \* by Helen Gurley Brown. It’s sort of a self-help book about how to succeed by being dysfunctional and codependent. She actually calls her approach “how to be a mouseburger.” ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360/30 "2006-04-28T03:34:32Z")
> [@Harriet the Spry](#): > > Dan Brown, _The DaVinci Code_, I’d settle for having it off the bestseller list at least. Haven’t people heard it’s dreck??? Another book by Dan Brown, _Angels and Demons_, has the same plot, but is better. At least to someone who’s more interested in antimatter than in Christianity… 😃 > [@](#): > > She actually calls her approach “how to be a mouseburger.” That sounds like something the Neville kitties would like to eat… ---
**Author:** ![Gr8Kat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gr8kat/32/18668_2.png) [@Gr8Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gr8Kat)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360/31 "2006-04-28T03:52:08Z")
> [@Kythereia](#): > > _The Truth about Diamonds_, by Nicole Ritchie. > > I’ve never condoned book-burnings as a rule, but for this one… Blech! You can read an excerpt [here](http://www.harpercollins.com/global_scripts/product_catalog/book_xml.asp?isbn=0060820489&tc=cx). I read a whole 4 paragraphs before I had to stop. And they’re tiny paragraphs! What on earth made her think she could write? And why would anyone actually publish it?? ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360/32 "2006-04-28T04:25:39Z")
Pamela Anderson has written two books [JimmyKimmel]“Now you’ve written more books than you’ve read”[/JimmyKimmel] that should follow the “Left Behind”, Nicole Ritchie, Star Jones, Chicken Soup, etc. . .to the fire ASAP. The only redeeming facet of the books is hearing Bea Arthur read a sex scene from them – holy Mo, that was some kind of funny. ---
**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360/33 "2006-04-28T04:29:12Z")
Every book in Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. While I might have sympathy with anyone who doesn’t hate the first few books, it’s still best to discontinue them before they lead anyone into trying to read the remainder of the series. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360/34 "2006-04-28T04:49:56Z")
I don’t think any book should be out of print, as it puts me in the mind of ideas being expunged from consciousness. Having said that, I’m surprised that no one here has yet mentioned The Celestine Prophecies. ---
**Author:** ![ivaeporet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d9b06d/32.png) [@ivaeporet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivaeporet)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360/35 "2006-04-28T18:50:25Z")
The Da Vinci Code was my first thought. My second thought was the Bible. Odds are anyone who would want to read either of the above already has a copy of it/them. Plus, I really like the idea of shoddy editions of the Bible being sold on the black market… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360/36 "2006-04-28T19:01:39Z")
> [@Purd Werfect](#): > > I don’t think any book should be out of print, as it puts me in the mind of ideas being expunged from consciousness. But wouldn’t it be great if no one published those books any more, because not enough people wanted to read them to make publishing them profitable? ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360/37 "2006-04-28T19:35:56Z")
> [@Harriet the Spry](#): > > Amen, sister! The author is Sarah Ban Brethnach (sp?) Close – it’s Ban Breathnach. And if you’ll be in Atlanta next Wednesday, [she’d love to meet you.](http://www.simpleabundance.com/index2.html) [Here’s a book](http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ISBN=0446694304) I’d add to this list, along with most of the tomes in the **People who bought this book also bought** section. That last one actually looks like it might be worth a glance, but its presence among the recommendations seems strangely appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![unwashed\_brain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@unwashed\_brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unwashed_brain)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360/38 "2006-04-28T19:44:12Z")
> [@Belrix](#): > > Every time I see it, I think, “Die, awful book! Die!” > > This book, of course, is “Battlefield Earth” by ol’ L. Ron himself. > > Awful book - Hugo would’ve loved it - straight-up space opera in the “and then another thing happened” vein. > > I’ve always wondered if the reason that it was still on shelves is the the Scientologists are buying the books to keep the churn rate up as a sort-of gateway into dianetics. I first read that book in my early teens and again in my early twenties. I remember enjoying it both times. I think it gets a bad rap because the movie based on it sucked so hard. There are much worse books out there, such as Terry Goodkind’s “ **Wizard’s First Rule** ,” and the last 7 or so books in Hubbard’s “ **Mission Earth** ” series. “ **Dianetics** ” always appeared in the SF book club brochures I used to get as a kid and I was always a little tempted. I’ll probably read it one day just for kicks. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360/39 "2006-04-28T19:48:07Z")
\*\*120 Days of Sodom \*\* by Sade really is terrible. It compares unfavorably to letters to Penthouse. It really is like a bunch of one-handed notbook entires. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360/40 "2006-04-28T20:26:22Z")
What about the James Frey book **Million Little Pieces**? Astonishingly, it actually sold _more_ copies as soon as it was unmasked as a fraud! All copies of that book ought to be thrown into a giant bonfire that was ignited using kerosene-soaked copies of **Go Ask Alice** as its’ kindling. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-be-out-of-print/354360.md?page=3)