Recommend me some books.

[Rbneader]

Originally Posted by Catlady

It bothers me that the OP's reasonable preference for books that are not anti-religion seems somehow to have been interpreted as evidence of prejudice and narrow-mindedness.

All of us have preferences and dislikes in our reading.

Exactly.

In a recommendation thread, posting an opinion on the OP's taste is, at best, irrelevant and off-topic. I can't see any reason for gwhite's post, except to be judgmental and condescending about the OP's preference.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by Catlady

It bothers me that the OP's reasonable preference for books that are not anti-religion seems somehow to have been interpreted as evidence of prejudice and narrow-mindedness.

All of us have preferences and dislikes in our reading.

I suppose it can go that way, but often it can go the other way as well. I agree everyone has their own tastes just as everyone has their own belief's about just about anything and I have no quarrel with that. But when religious texts come into it often if one person recommends a book on religion x by author y someone else is prone to comment about the belief discussed in book x and it can develop into a heated debate to put it mildly. I was just meaning to urge caution lest that happen in the thread and the mods feel they need to step in to break something up.

[gwhite]

Originally Posted by Rbneader

Exactly.

In a recommendation thread, posting an opinion on the OP's taste is, at best, irrelevant and off-topic. I can't see any reason for gwhite's post, except to be judgmental and condescending about the OP's preference.

It does seem that I stand rebuked.
"Judgemental" is probably accurate but then we are all judgemental, all day and every day so what you seem to be objecting to, is that to be so is somehow out of place in this forum. If this is meant to be a sterile exchanging of opinions of what one likes in terms of books then you may well be right. But then books are subversive and dangerous in that they are about the exchange of ideas, and some may say that ideas may not be restricted by middle-class ideas of "niceness". As hard as I may try, when someone comments that they find P G Wodehouse's writings as "offensive" then "preference" or not, it does seem to warrant a reply.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by gwhite

It does seem that I stand rebuked.
"Judgemental" is probably accurate but then we are all judgemental, all day and every day so what you seem to be objecting to, is that to be so is somehow out of place in this forum. If this is meant to be a sterile exchanging of opinions of what one likes in terms of books then you may well be right. But then books are subversive and dangerous in that they are about the exchange of ideas, and some may say that ideas may not be restricted by middle-class ideas of "niceness".

So being polite, civil, and tolerant of personal tastes are bourgeois notions and evidence of sterility of thought?

As hard as I may try, when someone comments that they find P G Wodehouse's writings as "offensive" then "preference" or not, it does seem to warrant a reply.

I don't think you tried very hard at all. That is not what the OP said about Wodehouse. The OP said:

I like many genres, including detective fiction, speculative fiction, sci-fi, comedy like Wodehouse (though I found some parts offensive), etc.

Since the OP specifically used Wodehouse as an example of something he or she likes, it's rather hard to understand how you interpreted that comment as a wholesale condemnation of Wodehouse as "offensive."

[gwhite]

Originally Posted by Catlady

So being polite, civil, and tolerant of personal tastes are bourgeois notions and evidence of sterility of thought?

Being polite,civil and tolerant are of value I believe, and especially so to one of my generation. But there some things that are of even greater importance than these and I think I've mentioned these in previous posts.
Again I said nothing of "sterility of thought" as you must know. I spoke of a "sterile exchanging of opinions" which is quite a different thing describing an act.

Now...be honest, tell me you aren't enjoying this, anything but sterile exchange of views? Am I right or am I right?

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by gwhite

Being polite,civil and tolerant are of value I believe, and especially so to one of my generation. But there some things that are of even greater importance than these and I think I've mentioned these in previous posts.
Again I said nothing of "sterility of thought" as you must know. I spoke of a "sterile exchanging of opinions" which is quite a different thing describing an act.

Now...be honest, tell me you aren't enjoying this, anything but sterile exchange of views? Am I right or am I right?

Exchanging ideas, politely or otherwise, about important issues and beliefs is not the same as haughtily questioning someone's idiosyncratic and harmless preferences in reading material.

[gwhite]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Exchanging ideas, politely or otherwise, about important issues and beliefs is not the same as haughtily questioning someone's idiosyncratic and harmless preferences in reading material.

I'm now a haughty questioner?

You are tempting providence here. So many posts advocating proper behaviour and replete with righteous indignation and all of them alongside an avatar of a cat wearing a hat. Such a combination may cause some speculation as to the nature of the poster.....and most of it entirely wrong I'm sure.