I came across this idea on the BookTube channel, My Name is Marines. There, she talks about the books with the fewest Goodreads ratings that she’s ever read. Given my sometimes quirky reading choices, I decided I would take a look at the least popular books I’ve read.

So from highest to lowest, here are the books I’ve read with the fewest ratings on Goodreads:

Galen Rowell’s Sierra Nevada
by Galen A. Rowell
13 ratings, 4.15 average
Summary: The twentieth century’s most celebrated adventure photographer, Galen Rowell, spent much of his life roaming the world with his camera, chronicling exotic locales on all seven continents. Yet he always returned to the land where he started out, both as an adventurer and a photographer: California’s Sierra Nevada. Indeed, in the two years before his death in a 2002 plane crash, Rowell became increasingly focused on photographing the “Range of Light,” producing some of the strongest images of his career.

Now the best of his lifetime’s work in his “favorite place on earth” is gathered in this magnificent book, reproduced to the highest standards from digital masters of his 35mm frames. From the lofty cliffs and lush alpine meadows of Yosemite to the stark high desert of the Owens Valley, from the jagged High Sierra crest to the soft contours of the Eastside’s Buttermilk Hills, Rowell captured the Sierra Nevada in his signature “dynamic landscapes,” which combined an artist’s vision, an adventurer’s total access, and a peerless knowledge of optical phenomena in high and wild places. An introduction by Robert Roper traces Rowell’s deep roots in the Sierra—a mountain realm he saw in ways no one else has, before or since.

Galen Rowell is one of my favorite nature photographers, so of course I’ve bought copies of most of his books. Sierra Nevada showcases the amazing landscapes that were essentially in his own backyard. I gave it four stars.

A Collection of Uzbek Short Stories
edited and translated by Mahmuda Saydumarova
12 ratings, 3.67 average
Summary: This book contains ten Uzbek short stories which have been translated into English. Each story is unique in its own way in that it portrays the cultural life of the Uzbek nation as well as the social and political events of Uzbekistan. These stories are translated to provide the English reader with information about Uzbekistan and its society. Some of the included stories were written by such famous writers as Abdulla Qahhar, Ghafur Ghulom, Sayed Ahmad, and Khayriddin Sultonov.

I ordered a copy of this book as part of my Read the World challenge. It was printed especially for me, so it took a little longer to arrive and was one of the first books I read in 2018. It gave me a look at a country that’s rarely mentioned in my day to day existence, but it is hindered by somewhat clunky writing. This is due to the book being a graduate school project in translation, so I can forgive Saydumarova’s early efforts. I hope she keeps working on her translation skills and makes more Uzbek literature available to the rest of the world. I gave this one three stars.

The Pickpocket and the Saint
by Sheldon B. Kopp
9 ratings, 4.22 average

I read this book when I was in high school. From what I remember, it is about Kopp’s journey through life as a Buddhist convert, how it affects his family and his relationships with the rest of the world, and how people can apply Buddhist teachings to their own lives. I think that’s what it’s about, anyway. It has been a while since I read it. I’ve looked for it so I can read it again, but I’ve never been able to find it. There was no cover art or summary available on Goodreads. I gave it three stars.

Works of Thomas Wyatt
by Thomas Wyatt
5 ratings, 3.4 average
Summary: 24 works of Thomas Wyatt
English ambassador and lyrical poet (1503-1542)

This ebook presents a collection of 24 works of Thomas Wyatt. A dynamic table of contents allows you to jump directly to the work selected.

I think I was rewatching The Tudors when I bought this book. It was about a dollar. It’s a quick read, since most of the poems are fairly short. Though Tudor-era poetry isn’t generally my favorite, I mostly enjoy these. I still prefer Shakespeare’s sonnets. I gave this one three stars.

Grits
by Eboni
1 rating. 3.00 average
Summary: Poetry. African American Studies. “GRITS uses bold imagery and precise narratives to highlight overlooked moments in daily life: a sobbing passenger on an airplane, two women celebrating Valentine’s Day dressed in black, and relates those small moments to the themes of love, madness and the nebulous emotional space that exists between the two. Eboni’s first book takes reader to places ranging from Nigeria to the West Village. These poems reflect the work of a woman who has lived many lives in many different places and isn’t afraid to indict and challenge the status quo. Eboni demonstrates comfort in her own voice and strong command over persona. Poems in voices of Cicily Tyson, Mary Woodson, Eunice Waymon accentuate the musical quality of the language throughout the book. In particular, these women all are connected to music and violence by their own hands or others. The poems in this book truly reflect the title; they are small grains that contribute to a very fulfilling and satisfying read”–Ekoko Omadeke.

This was a chapbook I bought from the writer when she stopped here on her performance tour. I know I liked most of the poems, but they didn’t make much of an impact because I barely remember what happened in any of them. I don’t have the book anymore, either.

I am the only one in the entirety of Goodreads who has rated this book. How did that happen?