I agree that there is some value in that - but if the only way to get people interested in reading is that avenue, I still wince a little. Not that I'm some sort of literary snob - I mean, I mostly read sci-fi/fantasy. I guess that's the difference, though. Not everyone likes sci-fi/fantasy.
I'm torn because I like that people are reading, but I very strongly dislike the fact that this is what they're reading. It's poorly written and gives people a bad idea of what to expect from a relationship.
But really, anything I have to say on the matter has been said a thousand times before in a thousand better ways.
If ever you’re curious, go and look at the annual bestseller lists for years gone by. You’ll find a lot of books that sold an unbelievable number of copies when they were fashionable. I’m sure The Revolt of Mamie Stover also sold more books than Ray Bradbury will ever have sold in his whole life in its year. Have you read it? Heard of it? Off the top of my head, Peyton Place in its year, or The Gospel According to Peanuts, or The Ginger Man, or Jonathan Livingstone Seagull in their years undoubtedly outsold all of Ray Bradbury. But when their day is done, mostly those kind of books drift back into the void, and go, if not out of print, then back into a world where nobody quite knows why they sold that many copies any more. (Do you know who Gilbert Patten was? He sold about 500 million books in his lifetime…)
Meanwhile, Ray Bradbury sold quite a lot of books in 1956, and quite a lot of books in 2006 (Fahrenheit 451 alone has sold over 5 million copies), and he found his readers for his books and his stories in every year. And I’ll wager a hundred years from now he’ll still be read…
So, honestly, I wouldn’t fret, if I were you.
Nothing’s changed. Some books are, often inexplicably, bestsellers. That’s been the way of it for a hundred and fifty years or more.
Read the books you love, tell people about authors you like, and don’t worry about it.
Full Disclosure... I am N.....ot Neil Gaiman, nor have I read anything of his. Yes yes, work at book store and this is probably drawing gasps from everyone here. I wouldn't say I'm a "Neil Gaiman fanboy", just I agree with what he says a bit too often.
I'm going to say no, mostly because "reading" this kind of material is likely to not engage the mind in anyway -- we emphasize on reading as a positive activity because of the social conditioning around it, but this type of material provides no more intellectual stimulation than reality T.V. I have ghost-written an erotic ebook series before; looks like they sold well but honestly it took me one month of writing every other evening or so while wine-drunk and we're talking 125k words here. And I think it matches James' work in quality. I did it cause I was poor and it seemed like an easy 1000 dollars, which is exactly what it was and I felt like I lost some I.Q. points by the end of the process... I can't imagine how anyone who read it didn't experience the same. This is all to say, some reading is not necessarily better than no reading depending on what you are reading.
Is it just me, or is this reason to weep for the future?
At least reading/writing is becoming hip and cool again?
I agree that there is some value in that - but if the only way to get people interested in reading is that avenue, I still wince a little. Not that I'm some sort of literary snob - I mean, I mostly read sci-fi/fantasy. I guess that's the difference, though. Not everyone likes sci-fi/fantasy.
I'm torn because I like that people are reading, but I very strongly dislike the fact that this is what they're reading. It's poorly written and gives people a bad idea of what to expect from a relationship.
But really, anything I have to say on the matter has been said a thousand times before in a thousand better ways.
I'm not convinced that such works will act as a gateway to more enlightening books.
Neil Gaiman said it best
Source
Well, if Neil Gaiman said it... :) (In all seriousness, good point)
Full Disclosure... I am N.....ot Neil Gaiman, nor have I read anything of his. Yes yes, work at book store and this is probably drawing gasps from everyone here. I wouldn't say I'm a "Neil Gaiman fanboy", just I agree with what he says a bit too often.
No problem - I like Neil Gaiman and I have read some of his stuff :)
Suggested books? (heard Sandman was good if you classify graphic novels as books).
I think I would start with American Gods or maybe his collab with Terry Pratchett, Good Omens
It is :( But I am happy to see so many people criticise these books.
I think so !!!!
Nope - spaceghoti says I'm not alone. Whew!
It isn't just you.
Oh, good.
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