B07 #30: Book Snobbery
Sunday, July 29th, 2007As I already hinted, I am a bit of a literary snob. I do not tend to read “genre” fiction, or anything mass-marketed. That leaves out most science fiction, fantasy, romance, and mysteries. There are, of course, exceptions,(such as chick-lit, and random books here and there. I actually like about half of Nicholas Sparks’ books, and all of John Grisham’s and Tom Clancy’s books.) but generally, these books are written for people who enjoy a certain “feel” to their book– a generic idea or concept or plot. They are marketed for a specific audience, and they tend to be plot-centered. They are not (generally) marketed for me.
I like to read what is called “literary fiction”. These are books that survive on their own merit, apart from genre, and usually tackle psychological or philosophical issues. They are “deep thinking” books. These are the future classics, the award winners. Most of these books are also character-centered; I love character developement.
You will not find Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, or The Chronicles of Narnia in my hands. These cross genres, but in general, I don’t do fantasy. I have nothing against it; I just find it boring. However, I absolutely adore dystopian novels. 1984 by George Orwell is a great example of one, as well as The Giver by Lois Lowry.
I also enjoy my share of nonfiction. Douglas Hofstadter is an authour I am excited to read soon. He wrote Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid, as well as Metamagical Themas: Questing for the Essence of Mind and Pattern. These are the two I own. I cannot wait to take them head on!
I love philosophy, abnormal psychology, and anthropology books. I do not tend to read nonfiction cover to cover, so that is why you will not see a lot on my completed reading lists.