The Ugly Truth - Reading Snobs

[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!).

When I started reading adult books I immediately started reading mostly English books and Stephen King was my favourite. My grandmother didn't know how to react when I read It in a week during the summer holidays. On the one hand I was reading adult books, in English and long ones at that, on the other hand it was horror and not Quality Literature. In the end she decided to ignore the facts that I was always reading thrillers, horrors and mysteries and focussed on the English and long part .

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.

[xg4bx]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

I have my 8 hobbies or so to keep me busy beside working and stuyding (and have time for them because I don't do social media and don't watch brainless TV), and my ways have netted me (more than) enough money, without any debts, enough to do, and a quite uneventful lifestile without any surprises. And I never do anything unexpected.

In the end, I have no or only very few problems and can (almost) do whatever I want without having to pay responsibility to anyone or anything. And I like it that way.

If you don't like my reading habits, my other hobbies, or my very quiet, unproblematic and uneventful lifestyle, then you can just go away and get stressed out somewhere in a very busy place and cause yourself many problems, or something. It'll be more quiet for me then.

My wife and I feel like absolute aliens to this culture. I follow almost literally nothing in pop culture and I feel better and more clear headed for it. We're in our early/mid 30s and have a very quiet life with our cats. We don't participate in much that would be considered normal American social culture. I don't watch tv, we don't drink or ''party'' or anything like that, there's no drama, no stress between us, and we don't fight at all. I've got my Honor Harrington, she has her urban fantasy and whatnot and we're perfectly okay being ''boring''. Personally I don't crave anything more.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by xg4bx

My wife and I feel like absolute aliens to this culture. I follow almost literally nothing in pop culture and I feel better and more clear headed for it. We're in our early/mid 30s and have a very quiet life with our cats. We don't participate in much that would be considered normal American social culture. I don't watch tv, we don't drink or ''party'' or anything like that, there's no drama, no stress between us, and we don't fight at all. I've got my Honor Harrington, she has her urban fantasy and whatnot and we're perfectly okay being ''boring''. Personally I don't crave anything more.

That's us too with the exception of TV watching. He watches mostly Netflix (old TV series). I watch Once upon a Time and that's it. I read mostly. We are probably the most boring couple. We're in our thirties too with no kids just two cats.

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by Harmon

Ah..that's a reminder. I've been meaning to take a look at that one. So I bopped on over to Amazon for a Sample, & I see that there's a study guide for it. Say what?

I think those are for book clubs.

[JSWolf]

I've decided to be a snob. If you are reading "New Adult" then you do deserve to be pointed at and laughed at.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I've decided to be a snob. If you are reading "New Adult" then you do deserve to be pointed at and laughed at.

Why? New Adult is no different from any other genre. It just targets characters between 19-25 which lately has been a big gap in the romance world.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Why? New Adult is no different from any other genre. It just targets characters between 19-25 which lately has been a big gap in the romance world.

Maybe, but it's the term used. If we give in and buy books with that label, publishers will keep publishing books with that label. We have to take a stand and refuse to buy those books. We have to let the publishers know that we want a new designation that's not garbage for the books we read.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Maybe, but it's the term used. If we give in and buy books with that label, publishers will keep publishing books with that label. We have to take a stand and refuse to buy those books. We have to let the publishers know that we want a new designation that's not garbage for the books we read.

Sorry but I can't do that most of the books in New Adult are indie authors who were picked up by the big 6. They shouldn't be punished because of two silly words. If we want the publishers to listen to what readers want. We need to keep promoting these Indie authors who have talent and write outside the box. Indie authors have created this genre and it's been a long time since publisher's actually had to change their cookie cutter molds to fit a new style of writing.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Blossom

There isn't many super hero type romances. I can think of 3 series that's it. I wish more authors would tackle this theme because I would buy it. I grew up reading Marvel Comics. Big X-Men fan.

DC did it a few years back.
YOUNG HEROES IN LOVE. It lasted 18 months, well-reviewed but sales didn't hold up.... Apparently the art style didn't flly with some readers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Heroes_in_Love

I pretty much gave up on X-MEN at AGE OF APOCALYPSE.
Too much doing things *to* the characters, too little doing things *with* them. After a while nobody was recognizable.

I only came back when Bendis took over. So far, so good...

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Same here - this is my kind of old-timey SF, although I'm not certain I'd read Smith in public anymore. (Well, at least not with an old pulp in my hands!)

Cover: Skylark of Space



Don

Risk a valuable pulp!? That's why I have a e-book reader....

(although I admit that I like Smith's 1958 rewrite of Skylark over the original magazine version or the 1947 version. (I have them all...))

Just read Clarke's Wall of Darkness last night, and Eric Frank Russell's Legwork the night before...

[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!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Sorry but I can't do that most of the books in New Adult are indie authors who were picked up by the big 6. They shouldn't be punished because of two silly words. If we want the publishers to listen to what readers want. We need to keep promoting these Indie authors who have talent and write outside the box. Indie authors have created this genre and it's been a long time since publisher's actually had to change their cookie cutter molds to fit a new style of writing.

That happened and we got 50 Shades of Crap, 50 Shades Crappier and 50 Shades Crappiest.

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.

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

That happened and we got 50 Shades of Crap, 50 Shades Crappier and 50 Shades Crappiest.

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.

Is it really necessary to carry on the same outrage in multiple threads at the same time?

Just sayin'.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by xg4bx

My wife and I feel like absolute aliens to this culture. I follow almost literally nothing in pop culture and I feel better and more clear headed for it. We're in our early/mid 30s and have a very quiet life with our cats. We don't participate in much that would be considered normal American social culture. I don't watch tv, we don't drink or ''party'' or anything like that, there's no drama, no stress between us, and we don't fight at all. I've got my Honor Harrington, she has her urban fantasy and whatnot and we're perfectly okay being ''boring''. Personally I don't crave anything more.

That's not good... that is even waaay more quiet than my life. You should divorce that boring lady you're with, and go do something exciting such as bungee jumping and climbing Mount Everest. Just pass me her phone number, so I'll keep the lady out of your hair. You can thank me later

(Just kidding, of course )

With regard to feeling alien sometimes... Tell me about it. An example with regard to TV...

We've got some girl over here in the Netherlands, nicknamed "Barbie", who became famous around 2010 in a show called "Oh, Oh, Cherso". If I'm correct, it's the Dutch version of Jersey Shore. She now has her own reality shows:

Barbie's Bruiloft (Wedding)
Barbie's Baby
Huisje, Boompje, Barbie (A pun on "Huisje, Boompje, Beestje", which basically means "to get settled".)

What I *did* see of her (and other people from those "Oh, Oh..." shows) seems to firmly put them in the "braindead" camp for me. Some people (even guys...) at work can talk ENDLESSY about stuff like that, and I got majorily dissed and laughed at for asking "Why should *I* care about Barbie or those others?", a while back.

To make a long story short, summarizing one of my colleagues:

"Because you're now someone who doesn't know what's going on in the world and who has nothing to talk about."

Okay. If you say so. I'll go sit right there. Call me, should you need a brain for anything.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

That happened and we got 50 Shades of Crap, 50 Shades Crappier and 50 Shades Crappiest.

Some people praise these books into heaven.
Some people condemn them to hell.

I've got to read them sometime to determine who is correct.

Strictly for scientific purposes only, mind you. They're supposed to be books for women, after all. I CAN'T be caught reading those now, can I? (And if, I won't care! Mwuhahaha!)

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

Risk a valuable pulp!? That's why I have a e-book reader....

(although I admit that I like Smith's 1958 rewrite of Skylark over the original magazine version or the 1947 version. (I have them all...))

Just read Clarke's Wall of Darkness last night, and Eric Frank Russell's Legwork the night before...

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