Sunday, June 8, 2014

How about we don't shame people's reading choices

I finished reading The Fault in Our Stars and as predicted there were many tears involved. I don't even know if I can handle the movie. I might need a little time to recover before I attempt to watch it on the big screen. It was a very good book though and I enjoyed it immensely. It gave me all the feels.

Speaking of YA novels I've seen quite a bit of discussion going on regarding this article on Slate. The headline reads "Yes Adults Should be Embarrassed to Read Young Adult Books." What a load of crap. I read YA novels because I enjoy them and no I'm not embarrassed. No this is not taking me away from reading "adult books" as I read those as well. There are good YA novels and bad YA novels just there are good and bad books in every genre.

"But if they are substituting maudlin teen dramas for the complexity of great adult literature, then they are missing something."

So there is no value in reading something I enjoy? I have to read complex adult literature or be ashamed? I can't appreciate a good story or writing because it's a YA novel? Bullcrap!

I could go on but I think you get the point.

Read what you want people, just read something! I don't care if it's fantasy, YA, romance, sci-fi or a "classic". Don't be embarrassed for liking a certain genre, be embarrassed for the writer of this article who is shaming people's reading choices.

9 comments:

  1. I read that article earlier this week and it bothered me a lot! I read YA and adult novels. I choose books that I think will be interesting. Some times I want something to make me think, sometimes I want something so I don't have to think. And I can find both types of books in YA and Adult fiction.

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    1. I pick my books by if they look interesting. I don't care about the genre. I completely agree with you.

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  2. Movie was really good. I remember thinking after it though that it ripped out my heart and destroyed me emotionally. Saw it Friday and I feel recovered by now. Lol

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    1. I'm glad you liked it. I will see it eventually. The trailer looks great.

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  3. Oh lord, I ugly cried for like an hour after reading The Fault in our Stars, and I thought it was a great book--YA or not.

    And I think you're spot on, people need to stop worrying about what other people are doing or reading. If you don't like YA, I have a solution, don't read it!

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    1. I was in the bathroom because I didn't want my boyfriend to be like "what on earth is wrong!"

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  4. I'm reading a 400 page book about the history of my hometown: Agawam, MA! And I get crap about that too. :-)

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    1. Why am I not surprised ha ha. I love historical books so I 100% approve!

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  5. "Some people think they are raising themselves up by putting down others. They have a very high opinion of themselves and it is an opinion that is generally not shared by anyone else."

    Exactly my thoughts!!!

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