Spoilers!

[DiapDealer]

I admit I'm pretty lackadaisical when it comes to worrying about ensuring that I start each and every book with complete ignorance of every single plot point or event that happens (or doesn't happen) before hand. Nor do I think it's reasonable of those who are afflicted by extreme spoiler-phobia to expect the entire internet to cater to their special needs (especially when they are actively perusing book-related threads and topics before they've finished said book). But now, I have data that shows it's all moot anyway.

I'm not saying the data is valid, or even empirical... only that it's data... and it happens to coincide with my opinion on "la, la, la—I'm not listening to you—shut up before you ruin it all for me" nonsense.

http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/soc...08spoilers.asp

[carpetmojo]

Ah, but have you ever turned to the back page first ?

[ Confession : I did once when a small person, and it so spoiled the story for me I've never done it since. ]

[DiapDealer]

Ah, but have you ever turned to the back page first ?

Once. But only after I'd determined I wasn't going to finish the book anyway.

In casual conversation, I've learned (purposely or otherwise) a lot of ancillary tidbits before starting many, many books. And not one of those details has ever "spoiled" my enjoyment of a good book.

By the way, I'm not making fun of people who want to remain relatively spoiler free, I'm making fun of the ones who go overboard—you know the ones I mean. The ones who actively participate in threads about the book telling everyone to spoiler that... "you should spoiler that just in case." The ones who think that chapter titles, page counts and jacket blurbs are spoilers.

I'm not walking on pins and needles for those kinds of people. Take responsibility for your own reading enjoyment. If you need to enter a book under that kind of vacuum, then stay out of the areas of the internet where things like that are likely to be discussed until you've finished. And as it turns out, your enjoyment may not be in jeopardy in the first place.

[HomeInMyShoes]

I know where this thread is going, but I'd hate to spoil it for someone.


I always read jacket blurbs. How does one buy a book without doing that? What are these people reading that they can pick a book without doing that and how would you pick a book without knowing anything?

[DiapDealer]

I could answer those questions:

Spoiler:

But it might spoil the rest of the thread, so I won't.

[Badandy]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

I always read jacket blurbs. How does one buy a book without doing that? What are these people reading that they can pick a book without doing that and how would you pick a book without knowing anything?

I read a book based off of other's recommendations and maybe a small bit of info on the plot. For example, I read Dune because I had multiple friends (and a lot of you) tell me it was incredible. All I knew before starting it was "it's set in a desert world". If something is highly regarded among people whose opinions I trust, I tend not to look at anything first. If someone tells me a bit more of the plot that's OK with me. But people who say

Spoiler:

DUMBLEDORE DIES IN HARRY POTTER BOOK 6

are just plain jerks.

Those rules do not apply to non-fiction for me.

[xg4bx]

the only spoilers i don't want to know about are deaths or twist endings. anything else is fair game.

even with twist endings though, i knew the end of the sixth sense before i saw it and still enjoyed it. frankly though, i'd prefer if nobody ever told me something had a twist ending because that in itself is a spoiler.