The Ugly Truth - Reading Snobs

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Too bad Smith didn't tweak the rest of the Skylark series.

Oh I don't know...Skylark 3 is my favorite of the series. I guess that makes me abNormalin....

My Smith wishes would have been the last Lensman book (never written) instead of Skylark DuQuense.. Or completing the Lord Tedric book himself.

Tonight is Jack Vance's Rumfuddle...(Splatterlight Press e-book)

[Xanthe]

I decided a long time ago that I wasn't going to give a rat's ass regarding what anyone else thought about my reading tastes. I read for escapism and enjoyment, not to better understand the human condition. I worked in a job where I heard all the details about people's private lives; reading about the same thing in my free time has never held much allure for me, unless it is in some historical context.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Besides, it we don't stand up for our rights to have categories that are not garbage then we'll be stuck with new adult forever more. No thanks.

Oh, dude. Don't like it? Don't buy it. It's not like New Adult books are at risk of flooding the market to the exclusion of everything else.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

My grandmother always wanted her grandkids to read. My sister and I read a lot, even as children, but not the books she thought were "quality children's literature" (e.g. Thea Beckman) but we both preferred mysteries and scary stories (Griezelbus!).

Thea Beckman is the writer who got my interested in historical fiction... Two of my favourite writers at that age were she and Evert Hartman....

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

My grandfather, on the other hand, didn't care what I was reading as long as I was enjoying myself. He always made sure my sister and I got book gift card for our birthday and Christmas instead of books picked by my grandmother which we wouldn't read.

That's the right mindset. I don't care what you read, as long as you read...

I remember at high school, we had to read all those literature books for Dutch class. I hated it while I love reading. In English class we also had to read 10 books (if I remember correctly...). But the only catch there was that they needed to be of a certain length (not too short). I read, amongst others, Shogun by James Clavell, Clan of the Cavebear by Jean M. Auel, but also 1984 and Animal Farm. Not because I had to, but because I wanted to.

I've not read many Dutch books since, while I devour English books (exceptions are the books by Thea Beckman and Evert Hartman, who I still read even though those are "juvenile" fiction...)

[Fluribus]

I've never gotten any flack for my reading habits. Of course, not too many people make it past the rabid ninja alligators.

I have always read whatever I wanted and always will. (Unless I develop an insane desire to read romance. I would beat that desire out of me.)

[Freeshadow]

Originally Posted by Fluribus

I have always read whatever I wanted and always will. (Unless I develop an insane desire to read romance. I would beat that desire out of me.)

Be careful with that. You might end up with a romantic desire for being beaten up.

[Apache]

Originally Posted by Fluribus

I've never gotten any flack for my reading habits. Of course, not too many people make it past the rabid ninja alligators.

I have always read whatever I wanted and always will. (Unless I develop an insane desire to read romance. I would beat that desire out of me.)

Apache

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by John Erwin

I just finished reading a classic SF title from 1959 that I had somehow never heard of before. I highly recommend A Canticle for Leibowitz, whether you read the physical book or hide behind your e-reader!

We can now admit you into the 'Elite and Educated Reading Club,' reserved for only a few hundred thousands souls.

That 'novel,' by the way, won the 1961 Hugo award for Best Science Fiction Novel.



Don

[Rumpelteazer]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Thea Beckman is the writer who got my interested in historical fiction... Two of my favourite writers at that age were she and Evert Hartman....

I also enjoy historical fiction. I suspect I didn't like those books because they were pushed by not only my grandmother but also my school.

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I remember at high school, we had to read all those literature books for Dutch class. I hated it while I love reading. In English class we also had to read 10 books (if I remember correctly...). But the only catch there was that they needed to be of a certain length (not too short). I read, amongst others, Shogun by James Clavell, Clan of the Cavebear by Jean M. Auel, but also 1984 and Animal Farm. Not because I had to, but because I wanted to.

I've not read many Dutch books since, while I devour English books (exceptions are the books by Thea Beckman and Evert Hartman, who I still read even though those are "juvenile" fiction...)

I also hated the Dutch reading list. For English we also had a required reading list (which, 15 years later is still the same!) but we had a nice teacher and if you wanted to read something else you could ask. He was also always telling us about the book he'd read in his spare time.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

My Smith wishes would have been the last Lensman book (never written) instead of Skylark DuQuense.. Or completing the Lord Tedric book himself.

I dunno, my preferred alternate universe Doc Smith wouldn't have bothered with Vortex Blaster or any more Lensmen; prequel, sequel or side-quel.

I *would*have liked to see what he intended for Tedric and the d'Alemberts (although Goldin did a fine job) and I really would have liked to see him dig deeper into Blackie DuQuesne. Easily his best character in the Skylark mythos. Lots of fun for his money-grubbing and self-delusion. In a universe without Seaton *he* would've been top dog, the anti-hero savior. No way could Smith have even tried it in the 30's but later in life...
So no, let's not retcon Skylark DuQuesne away.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by Turtle91

And what the heck do you people have against sparkly vampire romances!!!!

The sparkle. Glitter is such a pain, you know?

Seriously, I love vampire fiction but I just couldn't get into Twilight. I actually tried reading it before the hype started but I just couldn't get into it. I'd always fall asleep or get distracted. Nothing against Twilight readers (unless you happen to be the screaming fangirl who blasted my eardrums).

[jersysman]

I am sure that somewhere along the line I received snobbish comments about the books that I read. I read anything from non-fiction historical books to Romantic. If someone has an attitude about what I have read or am reading, I would never know. Because I do not spend time worrying about what others think of me. Maybe that's why I am still alone at this stage in my life. I just do not want to waste my time conforming into something or someone others believe I should be. I am stubborn in that way. So, let me go back to reading my non-fiction books about the Civil War and then enjoy a juicy romance novel later.

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

I dunno, my preferred alternate universe Doc Smith wouldn't have bothered with Vortex Blaster or any more Lensmen; prequel, sequel or side-quel.

I *would*have liked to see what he intended for Tedric and the d'Alemberts (although Goldin did a fine job) and I really would have liked to see him dig deeper into Blackie DuQuesne. Easily his best character in the Skylark mythos. Lots of fun for his money-grubbing and self-delusion. In a universe without Seaton *he* would've been top dog, the anti-hero savior. No way could Smith have even tried it in the 30's but later in life...
So no, let's not retcon Skylark DuQuesne away.

Blackie!!! My Hero! Always out-numbered and out-resourced, but nearly winning every time. He even grew up at the end of Skylark DuQuense... and won!!! But Skylark Duquense just wasn't as good a read as the first three Skylarks...

But I really, really, wanted to read the true final ending of the Lensman saga...Children of The Lens was no more the final ending that any of the earlier books of the main quadrilogy...

(By the bye, I have a copy of the E.E. Smith Concordance....I'm that into the early pulp S/F)

[Fat Abe]

In defense of snobbery, there is a reason for distinguishing between superlative literature and the ordinary kind. It's not just that the Nobel committee needs to be careful in its selection process. They can only give one hundred prizes per century. Beyond that, it is human nature to compare the writing skills of authors. Perhaps Stephen King will admit that J.M. Coetzee is a better writer, in a pure sense. Perhaps not. If the earth were about to be hit by an asteroid, and all of mankind's achievements were to be wiped out, whose books would you send into the galaxy, Poe's or King's? Both men have wild imaginations, but Poe is a genius and King a hack. While Noire (a sexploitationist writer) has had more orgasms in real life or in her books than Jane Austen, who will history remember? Before we proudly trumpet our anti-snobbery, let us not forget that there are very good reasons for writing standards. Otherwise a monkey with a typewriter would be the norm.

[DiapDealer]

Nobody's suggesting there aren't writers out there who are "better" than other writers. Of course there are. The question is whether or not Reader A has a pot to piss in when looking down their nose at what Reader B likes to read. Great writing doesn't always make great reading. And there's just no pressing need for readers the world over to all point at the exact same books/authors and say; "that's great stuff right there." There's plenty of room for those looking for enlightenment through the written word and those just looking to be told a ripping good yarn. In all our anti-anti-snobbery, let's not lose sight of the fact that not all readers are even slightly concerned about what's being left behind for posterity (at least not with every single book they choose to read).