Charlie Stross rounds up the best of the worst of Amazon reviews — readers decrying Marquez for his lack of understanding of supply-side economics, Romeo and Juliet for being "soooo cliched," Robinson Crusoe as being derivative and hackneyed, and The Grapes of Wrath for having too much profanity. I can tell that Charlie just finished a novel — this is great palette-cleansing activity between deadlines.
1984 by George Orwell:
Caitlyn from Atlanta, GA, wrote: "1984 is the worst book I have ever read. I would advise anyone who is thinking about reading this book to reconcider! George Orwell is not a bad writer, however, this book he does not do evry well on, as some of his others. Prehaps he was getting old and lost his touch. Animal Farm was okay, but 1984 was horrible. It took him forever, it seemed like, to get into the accual book. If someone were to take out all of the useless part of 1984, it would be half as long. Why would he wirte so much about nothing? I havent ever meet someone who could wirte such a boring book about the goverment. I have meet many people who have loved this book, but i dispised it. I am not at all intrested in the goverment. This may be part of the reason that I didnt like it. I would advise you not to read this book."
Update: Aaron sends in an earlier cut at this from Defective Yeti.
Update 2: Cody sez, "There's also the hilarious Amazon World blog, which sadly stopped updating in June of 2004."
