The most lied about book....

[Mithalwen]

I saw a reference to this research a few days ago in the paper and so have found an online link since I thought it was of interest.

It does seem an odd thing to lie about since there are so many who have read it that you would soon rumble an imposter ..we KNOW if you have only seen the film

Sorry if this should be in N&N.... btw

[Lalaith]

Hmm...most people I know in RL are proud NOT to have been able to read LotR. (yes, yes, I know...) But I think pretending to have read the book is probably quite common among younger people, who grew up associating Tolkien with cool movies rather than the somewhat geeky image he had as an author when I was young.
Two books I would have thought would have been on that list, though, are Ulysses and Tristram Shandy. (I got to about chapter 4 in the latter...it's still in my bedside bookshelf ) And John Gray at number 5....why, in the name of heaven, would anyone pretend to have read that?

[Boromir88]

Well it does make sense. Just look at my sig, and put that with the article you provided. I mean if you want to impress somebody telling them you have read the 'greatest fantasy epic in British history' (according to Tom Essex) is definitely going to leave an impression.

Enjoyable article to read, and as a side note I am amongst the 1/10 that have lied about reading a book to get on a lady's good side. (I haven't lied about reading LOTR however - or any of those on that Top 10 list ). It serves as a good conversation starter, or a way to get an excuse to talk to a person of the opposite sex. Than you quickly cover your tracks by changing the topic or metioning other books that you actually have read. Oh I've done that with movies too.

[davem]

Hmm...Well, I've read no's 1 (about 15 times), 2 (twice), 3 (once), & 6 (once). Don't think I'd lie about having read any of the others. Have to agree with Lalaith, though, about John Gray (& Dan Brown).

[Aiwendil]

Interesting. I've read numbers 1, 6, 8, and 10 (honestly!). I would have thought that if people were going to lie about reading John Gray or Dan Brown, they would be people pretending not to have read them.

I am very surprised, though, about LotR topping the list. Though the critical bias against it has been easing a bit lately, it's still certainly not the sort of 'high brow' book that 'cultured' people are expected to have read.

[Lhunardawen]

Originally Posted by Lalaith

But I think pretending to have read the book is probably quite common among younger people, who grew up associating Tolkien with cool movies rather than the somewhat geeky image he had as an author when I was young.

Hmm.

I had wondered about this for a time. Whenever I chanced upon my real-life friends' profiles, most of them write LotR as one of their favourite books, and normally the first in the list. The same goes for favourite films - after all, who wouldn't have heard of nor watched them? However, when I make an allusion to the books, or ask them about it...how come they don't recognise it, nor seem to know how to talk to me?

A weird theory I had was that they felt rather ashamed calling a film their favourite, and not the book upon which it was based. Because I would probably be, in that position.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

I would have thought that if people were going to lie about reading John Gray or Dan Brown, they would be people pretending not to have read them.
.

Indeed!

I'm not surprised by this though as there are the films so unless people get into a conversation with a big fan they can often bluff their way around it - they soon get 'found out' otherwise.

Makes me think of an English teacher I once worked with. I asked her what she thought of the Booker Prize shortlist and she looked at me oddly "What's the Booker Prize?" she said. And after I told her she must have seen there was no way of bluffing so she got huffy and said "I've not got time to waste reading books! I hate reading!".

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

Makes me think of an English teacher I once worked with. I asked her what she thought of the Booker Prize shortlist and she looked at me oddly "What's the Booker Prize?" she said. And after I told her she must have seen there was no way of bluffing so she got huffy and said "I've not got time to waste reading books! I hate reading!".

And such people exist???

Myself, I proudly declare that I never lied to anyone about not reading LotR (why deny my very personality!) or about reading it (there wasn't much time in my life before I read it, I couldn't almost speak before). I actually do not remember if I ever pretended reading something - but with seeing movies, yes, quite often. But I think my case is a little bit specific: I do not want to pretend it, but most cases one of my friends comes to me and starts talking with me about the movie, presuming that I have seen it. I didn't, but instead of correcting him, I just nod and pretend that I know what he's talking about.
Now on second thought, there is actually one exception in which some people think that I have read something I actually didn't. One of my friends reads all these paperback fantasy books from Conan to D&D-inspired books and for some unexplicable reason, he thinks I have read them all as well. Funnily enough, he never read Tolkien. Me and other my friends who have read Tolkien, call him "a braque-fantasy reader".

To the top place of LotR in this "pretending contest", I think it's funny, and also interesting that Tolkien has earned such a high place. But I don't think it is a reason for celebration: the fact that people want to seem that they have read it does not, in my opinion, come from the fact that Tolkien would be taken as "high literature", but merely from the fact that there were the movies and many people would presume that when you saw it, you'd also read it. I think it is actually more sad than a reason for celebration.

[Galadriel]

Originally Posted by Lalaith

Hmm...most people I know in RL are proud NOT to have been able to read LotR. (yes, yes, I know...) But I think pretending to have read the book is probably quite common among younger people, who grew up associating Tolkien with cool movies rather than the somewhat geeky image he had as an author when I was young.

I second that. People I know are rather proud that they have not read it.

I see nothing geeky about LotR

[Knight of Gondor]

That is pathetic that people lie about having read the books. I'll admit, I had a little trouble getting through Fellowship at first (especially The Council of Elrond, given that it contained so much history), but it became smooth sailing from then on, and I've reread the whole series several times since then, as well as the histories and so forth. (It has become fun to read the Council chapter now, because it ties all of the histories in to that moment in time!)

Mark Twain reportedly said "A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read." Apparently this is true.

Well, now I'm reading Victor Hugo's Les Miserables, and if you thought Lord of the Rings was hard...!!

[Galadriel55]

Personally, I've never lied about reading Tokien... well, not true. There were some times when my mother asked me if I have been rereading LOTR for the uteenth time, and I said "no" when I really have been... But that doesn't count, since I was not trying to gain popularity or appear smarter...

A lot of people I know lie about reading it. An example of a conversation:

Person: Why are you reading LOTR?
Me: Because I like it.
P: Why? There's nothing good about it.
Me: You say that with such assersion. Have you read it?
P: Ummm...No... why would I?
Me: Then how can you tell?

!! They always want to seem like they know what they're tlking about! Haaahaa!

Originally Posted by Folwren

What I would like to know is why anyone would lie about reading any book?

Because they want to appear smart, or, as you said, they haven't read a decent book all their lives. Saying "I've read the ABCs when I was four" won't impress anyone.

[Galadriel]

Originally Posted by Knight of Gondor

Well, now I'm reading Victor Hugo's Les Miserables, and if you thought Lord of the Rings was hard...!!

*LE GASP!* I've read it! I love that book! Er, well, aside from the fact that Hugo takes 60 pages to explain the drainage system... Well, it's really tough, but it's also really rewarding! I can tell you my entire outlook on life changed after reading that book. Well, 'entire' is an exaggeration, but it DID influence my thinking.