The Ugly Truth - Reading Snobs

[Harmon]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Have you ever been the subject of reading snobbery simply because you like to read about zombies trailing intestinal debris behind them?

I am 6'4". 250 lbs. I do not have the problem of which you speak.

I am also lying...

[Fat Abe]

One benefit of ereaders is being able to hide the book you're reading. I no longer have to feel ashamed reading a Dan Brown novel.

Yet reading a book with a slick cover can be a sly way to attract the interest of a tall dark stranger, or femme fatale. On a train from New England to NY, I was holding a copy of Jack London's Assassination Bureau, Ltd. A good looking mysterious blonde was staring at me throughout the trip. Was she looking to hire a hit man, or did I have catsup on my face? I have always wondered what would have happened if we had conversed that day ...

[cromag]

I got my start with reading on my own in the early 60s. Back then I read almost entirely science fiction, and the covers of mass market science fiction paperbacks were pretty lurid. Sometimes I could get away with carrying the book so only the back showed -- but that didn't work with Ace doubles! And, if anything, their covers (both of them!) were the most lurid!

[Fat Abe]

Originally Posted by cromag

Sometimes I could get away with carrying the book so only the back showed -- but that didn't work with Ace doubles! And, if anything, their covers (both of them!) were the most lurid!

Nothing wrong with that. The Hard Case Crime series has revitalized the lurid front cover. Just what you need when you're looking to pick up a tramp in a bar. The language is pretty saucy on the back cover. You can use the words as a come on. C'mon, let's go up to my room.

[crich70]

I figure a person has the right to read what ever genre they want. I like the classics and have a good sized fanfiction collection (Harry Potter) and I have heard the claim that 'reading that much isn't healthy' in the past as well. When I went off to college I took a small collection of classic books along in a foot locker and the mother of the house of some friends I stayed with for a while used that one on me. I didn't buy it though. Books have been good friends to me for most of my life so far.

[dkperez]

Huh, I never knew this even happened. I'm 61 and I've been reading as long as I can remember. People have always asked me what I"m reading and I tell them. But, I may be so oblivious I just don't KNOW I'm being snobbed...

But, like Harmon, I'm 6'4" and in the 250 range, so I probably just ain't paying much attention... These days I do all my reading on a tablet, so if anyone wants to know what I'm reading they've gotta ask.

I DO get the occasional funny look when I pull out the tablet and start reading during some boring part of a meeting. But, then again, I'm old and I just don't care. Life's too short to sit through boring junk so I just lean back and dive into my latest mystery or whatever...

[BeccaPrice]

My step-mother-in-law said, when she first met me, that if I didn't read so much (and wore makeup, and dressed differently, and....) I'd be a perfectly delightful person.

As you can tell, we were not close.

[ucfgrad93]

Originally Posted by xg4bx

Considering that any folks who would poopoo my reading of pulp SF probably trip over themselves to get home to watch America Idol, I really don't think too many people come from some entertainment moral high ground where they're fit to judge what anyone enjoys.

My wife and I have embraced our nerd-dom and surround ourselves with likeminded people.

Agreed. People have different tastes and what some like others don't. I don't criticize other people's choices for entertainment and ignore that attempt to criticize mine.

[jhempel24]

I recently branched out to read NightWhere by John Everson. It's an erotic horror novel, and stuff regarding BDSM and stuff is just not my thing. And it's one of those things where I almost feel I should hide that I read it.

But actually I found I enjoyed the book. I'm not one of those guys that go, oh my, I'm so turned on by it! But I did like how he wrote the book and kept the suspense going and the horror. It wasn't so over the top with the sex that it was uncomfortable enough to stop reading for me.

[david_e]

I always used books (+ headphones) to avoid interaction with people in public, especially strangers. If they had an opinion of what I was reading they were denied the opportunity to share it.

As the center of my own universe, I really don't care what others are reading.

[Freeshadow]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

My step-mother-in-law said, when she first met me, that if I didn't read so much (and wore makeup, and dressed differently, and....) I'd be a perfectly delightful person.

As you can tell, we were not close.

She sounds like somebody I'd avoid like the pest.

Originally Posted by david_e

I always used books (+ headphones) to avoid interaction with people in public, especially strangers. If they had an opinion of what I was reading they were denied the opportunity to share it.

As the center of my own universe, I really don't care what others are reading.

Let me quote myself from another post on that:

Originally Posted by me

I have an audio based anti-disturbance comfortation-layer emitter prepared. (they are sold as mp3 players)

On topic: I see nothing wrong in judging somebody by the reading material. I do so and expect! other people to return me that favour.

My reading habits reflect my fields of interest. This makes a judgement of my person based on it work as an attractor/repellent test.

Or - to put it more bluntly - it saves me from searching yet another polite way to tell some co-humans to f* off. They figure it out by themselves.

[Apache]

Originally Posted by dkperez

Huh, I never knew this even happened. I'm 61 and I've been reading as long as I can remember. People have always asked me what I"m reading and I tell them. But, I may be so oblivious I just don't KNOW I'm being snobbed...

But, like Harmon, I'm 6'4" and in the 250 range, so I probably just ain't paying much attention... These days I do all my reading on a tablet, so if anyone wants to know what I'm reading they've gotta ask.

I DO get the occasional funny look when I pull out the tablet and start reading during some boring part of a meeting. But, then again, I'm old and I just don't care. Life's too short to sit through boring junk so I just lean back and dive into my latest mystery or whatever...

I resemble this...........................less the 6"4" and 250 lbs.
Apache

[Geralt]

Originally Posted by auntykatkat

I think you are wrong. And there are a few fantasy romances that would surprise you. It is that attitude that helps the snobs. I get it not just for my romances but for my fantasy stuff too. Examples:

1) the Pern series: Dragons eat people not be friends with them. (Kind of like what others were saying about vamps)
2) Stasheff's Wizard series: How is an explorer suddenly a wizard? Magic?? Please, that is against God.
3) Tanya Huff's Quarters Series: LBGT issues

I picked the examples I had to fight over since I was still in school for the first 2.

And the judgment began
How am I wrong? Is it because I accept that I can't relate to all the people on reading level? I think that's only realistic. Do you think I can discuss about Foucault (I'm currently reading Society Must Be Defended and I love Foucault hihi) with somebody who mostly reads tripe like Harlequin romance?

I just said I cant relate to them on that level, I never said I think I'm better person because of it. There are more levels to humans and this thing called empathy that if you practice it can make you appreciate other people's views. But I don't have the sensibility to read romance or erotica. It doesn't challenge or inspire me in any way. I don't find it enjoyable. Its not for me and what's wrong with that? I would guess that being more selective about your books is usually a good thing.

"It's that attitude that helps snobs."
What? Is there some snob conspiracy that I don't know about? I want credit if I'm helping

And speaking of fantasy, I have no problem with fantasy with romantic elements. I simply don't care for romance with fantasy elements.

[travger]

I was (un)lucky when growing up. There was not much translated SF available (my preferred genre), less than 200 books altogether. Books were cheap, everybody could afford them - but not everybody could get them. Good ones were always sold out (and even the library had waiting list).
While I wouldn't have been caught dead with "Kapital", I had no problems with reading some bestseller in public. I don't think 'book snobism' even entered my mind, if anything, then 'envy' ("You want it, but I was lucky to get it.")

When I could understand english paperbacks, I chose to interpret the looks I got in the bus as 'Wow, english!' (if I noticed them at all.) Some people at work used to ask: "Do you understand what you're reading?", happened so often that I developed a standard answer: "No, I look at the pictures."
Plus, english paperbacks are nice size to carry around.

If it's a choice between enjoying myself and running the risk someone's disapproval, I always choose me. Life is too short.

I love Bujold. When I finished Shards of Honor I thought that it was the best romance I'd read for some time.
Nowadays I read everything: biography, romance, thriller, SF & F ... mostly SF & F. And I really hate how marketing tries to make the covers 'respectable'. Who wants black cover with some interweaved rings on the fantasy book!?

[Geralt]

Originally Posted by travger

When I could understand english paperbacks, I chose to interpret the looks I got in the bus as 'Wow, english!' (if I noticed them at all.) Some people at work used to ask: "Do you understand what you're reading?", happened so often that I developed a standard answer: "No, I look at the pictures."
Plus, english paperbacks are nice size to carry around.

This happened to me so much as well!!
I used to waste 3 hours in public transportation every day getting to and off from work for 3 years.
So I would read in trams and buses. And I would make elderly people especially bewildered, because they cant read English and they get so curious so they lean in trying to read and give me funny looks.
In my country nobody reads in public transportation. Only exception is newspapers