Very funny thread over at “I Love Books”.
It starts out with: “I am now more tired of people bitching about the Da Vinci Code than I am of people telling me to read it or of telly programmes and magazine articles devoted to it.” and ends with the question: “what books or authors will you never read or have you already read that you are tired of people recommending to you or trashing and why?”
I have to say Henry James. If one more person tells me I HAVE to read Henry James, my head will explode. I have read him. Thanks. I don’t like him. DEAL WITH IT. It’s okay that YOU like him, but I don’t. What is the problem?
As to being sick of the complainers? I’m sick of people complaining about the Harry Potter books, and angsting about them, and over-analyzing them. STOP COMPLAINING. God. Just shut UP. Why does it BOTHER you that these books are popular? Get a feckin’ LIFE, please.
The thread then sort of becomes an argument about James Joyce – people who ge sick of people lionizing him and shouting: ‘YOU HAVE TO READ JOYCE!!”, and then someone makes a good point that a lot of people who bitch and moan about James Joyce actually haven’t READ any Joyce. So STOP COMPLAINING. If you bitch about a book you haven’t read, then I automatically discount your opinion. Like the fundie idiots who want to ban Catcher in the Rye from school libraries but haven’t read it. Well: you are just an idiot, and so therefore, I do not take you seriously in any way whatsoever. Like the picketers outside of Last Temptation of Christ, or Passion – 90% of whom hadn’t seen the film. You’re idiots. I do not take you, or your opinion, seriously. At all. Why should I??
But also: to those who feel the need to SHOUT at others about their reading choices: what on earth is your deal?? It reminds me of one of my friends who doesn’t like The Beatles, and her descriptions of being subjected to literal harangues by people who are truly ANGRY that she doesn’t like the Beatles … as though her not liking the Beatles is somehow a personal insult to those who DO like the Beatles … The stories are hysterical, actually. She’s pushed into a corner at a party by some Beatle freak, and she’s thinking: please, stranger, stop yelling at me at a cocktail party. If I tell you I like the Beatles, will you GET OUT OF MY FACE then??
But still: funny thread. Go read it.
I’m sick of the people complaining about Da Vinci Code too. (And that means you, too, Sister Mary Michael!) I mean, I haven’t read the book. Maybe I will, maybe I won’t … but the complainers are just out of control! God. Get some other interests. Get a life, basically.
the two things I can’t stand having recommended to me are the syrupy “feel good” books (like Mitch Albom). I’m sorry that I’m a cynic, but I’m just not uplifted by them.
Also, I live in the South, and I get one or more of the “Left Behind” series of books pushed at me on a regular basis. You think the Da Vinci Code fans are hardcore? Man. It’s not enough to say “Sorry, the books just aren’t to my taste” and I’m really not assertive enough to go off on a rant about bad theology, etc., etc.
It makes me happy that people enjoy the books and get something out of them; I just wish they’d respect my right not to care for that kind of book.
I don’t often recommend books to people because it makes me sad when I recommend a book that I loved to someone and it turns out they hate it.
Mitch Albom!! hahahahahaha Excellent one! I feel the same way! People get downright evangelical about his books. It turns me off.
I don’t recommend books to people either. Or movies. (Well, except for Love Actually. EVERYONE HAS TO SEE Love Actually IF THEY WANT TO BE MY FRIEND.)
Ahem.
I look at it this way: With books, I like what I like. I don’t like to think too hard when I read, so if a book is “deep” or “meaningful” or if I have to delve down into the inner sanctum of my very being to understand what the author was trying to say, I’ll pass, thank you very much.
But I don’t begrudge people who like those types of books their pleasure. Whatever floats your boat. YMMV. All those things apply. Just don’t try to tell me that I’m shallow because I didn’t like Moby Dick. I’m as deep as I wanna be.
On the other hand, though, if someone ASKS me to recommend, say, a good mystery or a good love story I’ve read, then I’ll do it. But I ALWAYS say, “Now I liked this, you may not.”
Lisa … what is YMMV???
I like your attitude – I feel the same way. it seems like the kinds of books someone likes is a really personal thing, and I don’t know why some people seem so tormented that they can’t control the reading lists of others.
Oh. And I loved Love Actually. Especially the small octopus child in the car. My favorite moment in the whole movie. Well, also Hugh Grant’s dancing through the Prime Minister’s mansion. :)
I may have mentioned this before, but I cackle at the thought of anybody wanting to ban DH Lawrence. Lady Chatterly’s Lover managed to do the impossible, and make sex utterly tedious and boring to my hormone-crazed sixteen year-old self. I would hand out copies as part of an abstinence-only sex ed program.
Oh, and Last Temptation of Christ actually made my heathen soul want to convert to Catholicism. What can I say – I was young & impressionable.
Sheila, YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary.
Lisa, a lot of people condescedingly look down on Love Actually as if it was supposed to be high art or something. I just enjoyed it for the silly bit of fluff that it was. Especially Bill Nigh as the old washed-up rock star: “Listen to your Uncle Bill, kids, don’t buy drugs. Become a rock star…then they give them to you for free.”
One of the first comments Lisa ever made on my blog was “I basically am Richard Curtis’ bitch.”
I liked her immediately. :)
I didn’t care much for Love Actually, but that probably has to do with the excedingly high expections I have for Richard Curtis’ work.
I have turned a thread about books into a discussion of Love Actually! Bwaahahahahahaha! World Domination is next! Or a discussion of Vicar of Dibley!
My favorite part of the movie — because I am a TOTAL SAP for “unrequited love” — is the Mark/Juliet/Peter story. The one where the best man is in love with his best friend’s bride, and on Christmas Eve he comes to her door to tell her:
Mark: [words written on sheets of poster board] With any luck, by next year – I’ll be going out with one of these girls.
[shows pictures of beautiful supermodels]
But for now, let me say – Without hope or agenda – Just because it’s Christmas – And at Christmas you tell the truth – To me, you are perfect – And my wasted heart will love you – Until you look like this
[picture of a mummy]
Merry Christmas.
Oh. my. God. I was a sobbing WRECK the first time I saw that scene.
PLUS, Mr. Curtis pretty much uses the same cast for his movie, so there’s ALWAYS the chance that his movies will have Colin Firth.
hmmm…don’t mind the thread…but what are we sowing, m’dears? Corn-fused, I be!
I love the posterboards!!!
Dave J – *cough* That’s Bill Nighy. Please, show Slartibartfast some respect.
I’m right with you, Sheila. I may joke about things that I worship/adore/can’t live without, but some people just really need to get over their own tastes.
And Henry James sucks.
emily – hahahaha
I think we’ve had the Henry James conversation before. I found it very validating.
Before you read the rest of this comment, could you please point a video camera at yourself and turn it on?
I’ll wait.
Now:
You have to read Henry James.
Not that I actually care whether you read Henry James, I just wanted a video of a head exploding. I mean, I’d certainly miss your writing and all, but, come on, it would be an exploding head.
Plus, I’m pretty sure you could get some money from America’s Stupidest Home Videos, or whatever the show is called. Well, not you, really, but your estate. See, it’s a win-win.
Yes, we have. I’ve gotten to the point where I just rudely cut short any lecture about how I am simply not reading properly or are incapable of comprehending the subtle nuances of James’ writing. No, I comprehend fine. I comprehend that he’s boring and incapable of writing a character that I give a toss about.
I hate to say this too, but if I read one more lecture from a British Douglas Adams fan explaining why Americans don’t “get” his humor, I’m going to invent a device that allows me to assault people over the internet. HE-LLLOOOO. Adams is one of the greatest wits of our time, but he was no great author. His stories had no coherency, his characters were underdeveloped and shallow, and he single-handedly redefined an expanded definition of the run-on sentence. These are part of the reasons why I love his work, but give me a break. I read his stuff when I was twelve and I “got it.” The humor is subtle and anti-climatic, but it’s not that hard to understand.
Ah yes, the superior “you can’t possibly ‘get it'” attitude. grrrr.
Adams is one of the greatest wits of our time, but he was no great author
Well.. that was because of the deadlines.. surely???
Pshaw. Like Douglas Adams ever minded deadlines.
Dead lines? Pshaw.
Indeed. :)
I wonder if the Henry James thing is partially a gender thing? Really. Most of buds during college (any of my tenures there, most recently a year ago), have been the Eng./Lit. majors. Most are pretty split on their like of HJ. And it’s been pretty much along gender lines.
Personally, I got into Henry’s work because I was a fan of William (whose name I share) and decided to pick up Henry’s fiction. Enjoying pragmatism, it was intersting to see a fictional world of William’s philosophical idealogy. Guess you gotta like William too. I don’t know.
Read what you want. I’m no bigot. I think Clive Barker is brilliant. So, there’s probably something wrong with me anyway.
“I love deadlines. I love the whooshing sound they make as they go by.” — Douglas Adams
i feel this way, but about music. with books i think i would just walk away from anyone who tried to get into it with me like that, so i don’t know that i’ve ever even had that conversation. :-)