[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Prestidigitweeze

My post consisted of a single sentence: "Then again, Gravity's Rainbow." I was careful not to say more because this is a thread about horror bargains. Was that not evident?

I wasn't exactly part of this conversation, but I enjoy a good diversion from time to time.

I was doing my best not to steer people off-course while quietly suggesting that it is perhaps impractical to expect everyone to avoid writing in present tense. Some books have to be written that way even if readers don't like it. And some authors have to write that way even if nearly everyone doesn't like it.

Writing in present tense, like writing in second person can be fine and even beautiful. I wouldn't be one to say that I won't read a book because of this or that stylistic choice.

it's just that often writing in present tense is done poorly.

This last bit concerns me. I am a member of MobileRead and have been for nearly ten years. Here's what I've never said out of respect for other forum members and their enjoyment of books they love: I despise most genre fiction. It's sentence that I hope never to write here again.

Well, if by 'here' you mean in the thread for horror bargains, sure. Hopefully it is not a sentiment that will be raised again and again.

But if by 'here' you mean MobileRead, why feel constrained? Say what you feel.

I myself enjoy all sorts of books. Don't think my gleeful enjoyment of shlock fiction doesn't mean I don't also enjoy other things.

Are you really saying that I should be silent about the books I read and love while everyone talks about books that, most of the time, I hate? I can't think of another forum about books in general where I would be discouraged from even mentioning Pynchon in a single-sentence post.

The other issue is more concerning:

I worry that you are advocating forum-enforced anti-intellectual snobbery -- not only towards me, but, by default, toward members like Pynch (guess where his name comes from?), whose editions of difficult modernist writers in multiple languages have drawn nothing but praise from MR members..

I can't speak for the good doctor, but I suspect you are reading too much into his comments.