Fifty Shades of Grey tops NYT Bestsellers - mainly from ebook sales - Page 4

Fbone · 03-28-2012, 09:36 PM

I thought JSWolf meant porn as in addiction. Whereas I don't know if romances have a high level of addictiveness, I have read that pornographic images can be for men.

JSWolf · 03-28-2012, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abookreader

I'm not sure why you care what "women" think but I would define porn as something that is produced and consumed purely for the sexual thrill. Do you not understand that there are many men that read romance also or do you just not care about their opinions?

I asked of the women here because it's the women who are complaining about the term porn.

JSWolf · 03-28-2012, 10:22 PM

Question....

In a porn movie, it's the sex act that make it porn. So why isn't the sex act in a romance making it porn?

What is it about a porn film's sex act(s) that differentiate it from sex acts in books?

vxf · 03-28-2012, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

Romance is NOT porn. It is not "porn for women." Again. Romance is NOT porn.

Ok. Romance might not be porn for women.

But porn is romance for men.

Nahgem · 03-28-2012, 10:59 PM

Quote:

In a porn movie, it's the sex act that make it porn. So why isn't the sex act in a romance making it porn?

What is it about a porn film's sex act(s) that differentiate it from sex acts in books?

It's not a matter of media; it's a matter of the purpose of the sex acts. Keep in mind that I read porn rather than watching it, but in my experience sex in porn is purely there so the reader/watcher has something to wank to.

The sex in a romance is there to enhance the character relationships, to demonstrate their emotional connection, and to help drive the story forward.

My own personal definitions:
Porn may contain a story, but the sex is the point.
Romance may contain sex, but the love story is the point.
Erotica: where story and sex are equally the point.

Joykins · 03-29-2012, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Question....

In a porn movie, it's the sex act that make it porn. So why isn't the sex act in a romance making it porn?

What is it about a porn film's sex act(s) that differentiate it from sex acts in books?

Actually, it's not; there are plenty of Hollywood non-porn movies that have sex scenes. Think of romances as this; there is a story, with a little bit of sex in it. In most mainstream romances, hm, maybe you have 10 pages out of 300 with sex in them. Most of the book is story. This is analogous to those Hollywood movies, and not to porn movies where you have the sex right away, bad acting, flimsy plot, and it's all timed to get you off in 12 minutes; there's a purpose to that and it isn't storytelling.

plib · 03-29-2012, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vxf

Ok. Romance might not be porn for women.

But porn is romance for men.

I was under the impression that porn was fantasy for men? The size of some of the swords being swung, and the giant size of certain parts of some of their targets, certainly seems fantastical?

MrsJoseph · 03-29-2012, 10:01 AM

I'm starting to see here that there are several men who need romance book recommendations! Its a sad state of affairs when any sex is now labelled porn.

DiapDealer · 03-29-2012, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

I'm starting to see here that there are several men who need romance book recommendations! Its a sad state of affairs when any sex is now labelled porn.

I'm not afflicted by the sex/romance = porn disease, but this man would welcome a romance book recommendation. I admit it's not a genre I give a lot of attention to, but that has nothing to do with sex/porn. I am a sucker for the Romance/Adventure/Swashbuckling novels of the late 19th/early 20th century... but that may be primarily due to the swashbuckly-adventure parts, I can't be certain.

So hit me! If I can find/afford it, I promise I'll read it (just no series, please, unless the first book is perfectly capable of standing on its own two feet).

jhempel24 · 03-29-2012, 10:18 AM

I've read some romance books...and usually...they are terrible. Not my kind of books. The sex scenes I would describe as pornographic, as they are detailed enough.

In my opinion it detracts from the reading experience and is in there for the sake of being in there. I don't feel that I know the characters any better than before. I don't go "oh my they most not love each other...oh wait, here's the sex...now I know they love each other".

It's not the sex that makes it porn it's the way it's described.

abookreader · 03-29-2012, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Question....

In a porn movie, it's the sex act that make it porn. So why isn't the sex act in a romance making it porn?

What is it about a porn film's sex act(s) that differentiate it from sex acts in books?

Representation of sexual acts is portrayed in all arts, painting, sculpture, music, film, literature. The same question can always be asked - when is it art and when is it pornographic?

The concept that the presence of the human sexual act makes it porn is one that is an outlier of opinion. A very small percentage of people would hold that view.

MrsJoseph · 03-29-2012, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'm not afflicted by the sex/romance = porn disease, but this man would welcome a romance book recommendation. I admit it's not a genre I give a lot of attention to, but that has nothing to do with sex/porn. I am a sucker for the Romance/Adventure/Swashbuckling novels of the late 19th/early 20th century... but that may be primarily due to the swashbuckly-adventure parts, I can't be certain.

So hit me! If I can find/afford it, I promise I'll read it (just no series, please, unless the first book is perfectly capable of standing on its own two feet).

One of my favorite books that has both some action and romance is Agnes and the Hitman. Of course, there's some issues with the characterizations for me - I would prefer a little more depth - but I loved it all the same! It's also a stand alone

MrsJoseph · 03-29-2012, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhempel24

I've read some romance books...and usually...they are terrible. Not my kind of books. The sex scenes I would describe as pornographic, as they are detailed enough.

In my opinion it detracts from the reading experience and is in there for the sake of being in there. I don't feel that I know the characters any better than before. I don't go "oh my they most not love each other...oh wait, here's the sex...now I know they love each other".

It's not the sex that makes it porn it's the way it's described.

It's easy to find dreck. 90% of all books are. It's harder to take the time to find it done right. What are you interested in?

AnemicOak · 03-29-2012, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vxf

Ok. Romance might not be porn for women.

But porn is romance for men.

Nope.

abookreader · 03-29-2012, 10:40 AM

Oh there are absolutely terrible romance novels - especially if you are cruising the Amazon Self-Pub and free to low cost lists. Romance is also highly character driven so if you hate the character types, you will hate the book. Add in that many of the Romance imprints are highly formulaic and if they aren't the types of book you will enjoy, you will come away thinking that you hate romance.

I can't tell you the number of people I have seen report that they picked up a couple of Harlequin Presents at the grocery store or a garage sale and believe the entire genre of Romance is represented by those novels.

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03-28-2012, 09:36 PM	#46
Fbone Is that a sandwich? Posts: 8,284 Karma: 101696762 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook Glowlight Plus	I thought JSWolf meant porn as in addiction. Whereas I don't know if romances have a high level of addictiveness, I have read that pornographic images can be for men.

03-28-2012, 10:22 PM	#48
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,169 Karma: 144286760 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Question.... In a porn movie, it's the sex act that make it porn. So why isn't the sex act in a romance making it porn? What is it about a porn film's sex act(s) that differentiate it from sex acts in books?

03-29-2012, 10:01 AM	#53
MrsJoseph Loves Ellipsis... Posts: 1,554 Karma: 7899232 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Washington, DC Device: Kobo Wifi (broken), nook STR (returned), Kobo Touch, Sony T1	I'm starting to see here that there are several men who need romance book recommendations! Its a sad state of affairs when any sex is now labelled porn.

03-29-2012, 10:18 AM	#55
jhempel24 Wizard Posts: 2,157 Karma: 7068605 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, B&N Nook Colro	I've read some romance books...and usually...they are terrible. Not my kind of books. The sex scenes I would describe as pornographic, as they are detailed enough. In my opinion it detracts from the reading experience and is in there for the sake of being in there. I don't feel that I know the characters any better than before. I don't go "oh my they most not love each other...oh wait, here's the sex...now I know they love each other". It's not the sex that makes it porn it's the way it's described.

03-29-2012, 10:40 AM	#60
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	Oh there are absolutely terrible romance novels - especially if you are cruising the Amazon Self-Pub and free to low cost lists. Romance is also highly character driven so if you hate the character types, you will hate the book. Add in that many of the Romance imprints are highly formulaic and if they aren't the types of book you will enjoy, you will come away thinking that you hate romance. I can't tell you the number of people I have seen report that they picked up a couple of Harlequin Presents at the grocery store or a garage sale and believe the entire genre of Romance is represented by those novels.

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