DON'T Read Recommendations

[WillAdams]

Mike Resnick's _The Branch_ which for some reason was recently reprinted.

[Dngrsone]

I've only read the Avalon books, but she is definately off my to-read list now.

Thanks for the info, pdurrant.

[mgbino]

Originally Posted by WillAdams

Mike Resnick's _The Branch_ which for some reason was recently reprinted.

What's wrong with The Branch? I haven't read it, but Mike Resnick is usually pretty solid, if unspectacular.

[Xanthe]

I've never read her, but she wouldn't be the first amoral author out there.

I've found it's better not to know much about an author's personal life and philosophies, and just take their works at face value. If you enjoy the story, then read it; if not, don't.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by mgbino

What's wrong with The Branch? I haven't read it, but Mike Resnick is usually pretty solid, if unspectacular.

Maybe nothing is wrong with the book, by Mike Resnick is an ass.

http://katsudon.net/?p=1845

[Dngrsone]

Wow.

I actually took the ten or fifteen minutes to read deeper into the controversy, and I must wonder if there's some kind of checklist these people use...

[mgbino]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Maybe nothing is wrong with the book, by Mike Resnick is an ass.

http://katsudon.net/?p=1845

Ah, gotcha. Usually an author's personality doesn't impact my views on their books unless it's something horrific (like Marion Zimmer Bradley).

[AlexBell]

This is an interesting thread, and has made me wonder.

I wonder: should I stop listening to Wagner's or Gesualdo's music? Are there any artists whose paintings I should no longer look at or architects whose buildings I should not enter because of their actions or beliefs?

Or does the principle apply only to writers? And if so, why?

[Dngrsone]

Originally Posted by AlexBell

This is an interesting thread, and has made me wonder.

I wonder: should I stop listening to Wagner's or Gesualdo's music? Are there any artists whose paintings I should no longer look at or architects whose buildings I should not enter because of their actions or beliefs?

Or does the principle apply only to writers? And if so, why?

I think the intent in the case of this thread is to not support the artists in question by not buying (reading) their works.

I the case of Wagner and Gesualdo, both artists are long dead, and they do not benefit from sales of their respective pieces.

As for Zimmer-Bradley, while she is dead, the proceeds go not to her children (vicitms of abuse), but to her Secretary/Partner who may not aided but certainly seems to have abetted.

[mgbino]

Originally Posted by Dngrsone

I think the intent in the case of this thread is to not support the artists in question by not buying (reading) their works.

I the case of Wagner and Gesualdo, both artists are long dead, and they do not benefit from sales of their respective pieces.

As for Zimmer-Bradley, while she is dead, the proceeds go not to her children (vicitms of abuse), but to her Secretary/Partner who may not aided but certainly seems to have abetted.

Her deposition makes it quite clear that she was fully aware of what was going on.

In general I agree with you. I have a problem with buying something that financially supports a person that actively ignored a woman raping her own child.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by AlexBell

This is an interesting thread, and has made me wonder.

I wonder: should I stop listening to Wagner's or Gesualdo's music? Are there any artists whose paintings I should no longer look at or architects whose buildings I should not enter because of their actions or beliefs?

Or does the principle apply only to writers? And if so, why?

Feel free to do whatever you wish. Personally I can no longer stomach the idea of any of my discretionary spending money going to Elizabeth Waters.

[Kasper Hviid]

Originally Posted by AlexBell

Or does the principle apply only to writers? And if so, why?

I use Dropbox, a company who added torture promoter Condoleezza Rice to their board of directors.

I use tech by IBM, even though that same company played a major role in the Holocaust.

I use a bank that punishes poor customers by requirering them to pay a special you-are-poor fee.

I use Wikipedia, even if it tries to hide other 9/11 conspiracy theories than the official one, and also buries IBM's role in the Holocaust in a sub-article.

I use Google, even if I hate survelliance.

There's plenty of things that I feel I should stay away from, but which I don't. Not reading certain books is one of the easier choices, so of course I drop Marion Zimmer Bradley, even though I have fond memories of The Color of Space from my youth.

It is harder with books that you already own. You don't want them, and in some way you don't want anyone else to read them, either.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by AlexBell

This is an interesting thread, and has made me wonder.

I wonder: should I stop listening to Wagner's or Gesualdo's music? Are there any artists whose paintings I should no longer look at or architects whose buildings I should not enter because of their actions or beliefs?

Or does the principle apply only to writers? And if so, why?

I am feeling a certain ambivalence. I have only ever read Mists of Avalon by MZB, and that a very long time ago, so I don't have any opinion of her work. But I've been thinking of Anne Perry; I learned of the murder she committed before I ever read any of her books and for some time I avoided them because of it, but now she's become one of my favorite authors.

One heinous act seems forgivable, whereas a pattern of depravity or amorality does not.

[DiapDealer]

This is always a very personal topic. Everyone is 100% correct to listen to their own conscience/advice in this matter. If you can separate the art from the artist; fine. If you can't/won't; that's fine, too. There need be no consensus.

Originally Posted by Kasper Hviid

It is harder with books that you already own. You don't want them, and in some way you don't want anyone else to read them, either.

Can't say I've ever spent much time wanting others to not read/like works by authors I don't want to read myself.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Can't say I've ever spent much time wanting others to not read/like works by authors I don't want to read myself.

I agree with that in general, but in the specific instance where it is a book that you have a moral problem with, it hardly seems right to pass it along to another person. On the other hand, maybe that is the best way to read some of these books - used. Encourage people who want to read them to get them used so as not to support the author that you find detestable. While someone may have an objectionable past (or present), they can still put out interesting tales and buying used and encouraging that might satisfy your own principles.