books

[azurelunatic]

Read Genesis by Poul Anderson today.

I have to keep reminding myself that when an author of SF goes highly recommended by other SF readers, I am actually likely to appreciate their work. Fen are not garden-variety book reviewers; I tend to avoid books that claim to be bestsellers, out of a childhood dislike of the cover art, and the condescending belief that if everybody liked it, I wouldn't: I was not "everybody", and the things pushed at me as appropriate for my age group I saw as demeaning.

My one guilty secret, with books, was reading the Sweet Valley High books when in middle school. Mama thought they were yucky, and FatherSir thought they were trash. I read them to defy my parents in secret, and to get the clandestine thrills of the ultra-hip California world. I collected the Sweet Valley Twins books for a while, and checked the Babysitter's Club books out from the library.

All in all, I still prefer Jane Austen and Gordon Korman.

Comments

[iroshi.livejournal.com]

My one guilty secret of books, at least among fen, is that I *like* romance novels. Not the big historical ones, either. Nope, the totally modern Silhouettes and Harlequins. Admittedly, only specific classifications: Silhouette Desire, Harlequin Temptation, Harlequin Super Romance, and Harlequin...damn, what is the name of the mystery ones? Ah, well. I used to like Harlequin American Romances when I was a teen; they've gone downhill since then, though.

Don't read 'em much. They're mostly read-once-throw-away books, and when I have book money I tend to spend it on other stuff, stuff I'm less likely to be embarrassed about liking. But every now and then I pick one up at the grocery store, or a handful at Half-Price.

This was, in fact, one of my first secret rebellions against Mark, even before my nervous breakdown. I used to buy a few of these at the grocery store and hide them, read them, and then throw them away.

[azurelunatic]

I will read them, but only if they're well-written. I enjoy Amanda Quick, though I've noticed that her females are all the same character. Think a cookie-cutter Strong-Willed, Strong-Minded, Intelligent Beautiful Kickass Female, dressed up with various cosmetic changes and the random character quirk/flaw. You don't notice it on the first book; you notice that there are no characterization differences on the second one or so, when you discover that it's how the first one would react if put into the identical situation.

I have noticed that some romances will get me reading them, even though they are not Real Good Literature, whereas modern techno-thrillers will leave me yawning in the first ten/twenty pages, and have me return them to the library unread. (I am morally against leaving a book unread once started: the Gor books are the ones I have a Thing against reading; I have one of those around for use in some ritual someday against Bad Writing.)

[weruletheschool.livejournal.com]

I was always reading Babysitter's Club back in elementary school, and I was so terribly disappointed when I got to middle school and it was nothing like Stoneybrook! I was even part of the Babysitter's Club Fan Club. And I loved R.L. Stein's Fear Street Books, along with Christopher Pike.

I guess we all have to start out somewhere.

[azurelunatic]

The thing, though, is that I was already reading, and reading Good Books. These were the literary equivalent of knowing that dinner is good, yummy, and healthful, and filling up on Cheetos instead, knowing you shouldn't, but wanting to have at least the vicarious experience of being like other kids.

Re:

[weruletheschool.livejournal.com]

Oh, don't get me wrong--I carried around a collection of Edgar Allen Poe, and had several volumes of Greek and Norse mythology when I was in only second grade. My reading level was much higher than that of my classmates. But I still had my guilty pleasure. I think I read them to have something more light-hearted and fun.