I think I would feel so awkward at a book club. Do you really talk about books? Or do you just drink?
TIP has a virtual book club that might make you feel less awkward about book clubs. We have a chat room that is specifically used for our book club nights. It might be a good fit if you think it'd be awkward to go to an in-person book club. You're always invited if you'd like to join us.
You know, I read this when I was 21, and stayed up all night to finish it. So I have it in the "yeah, I liked it!" pile in my head. I should try it again and see if my grown-up self agrees.
I kind of made TIP read one of these sorts of books for me. I LOVED The Mists of Avalon when I was in high school. Re-reading as an adult not only is it really schlocky it's also not written all that well.
I loved Mists of Avalon... and I did read it when I was in high school. I've been wanting to reread it, but now I'm afraid to.
Lol, okay that's a good point. I guess I cringe a little at the dumbing down of literature for the lowest common denominator. Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted it's a topic of conversation and I fervently hope and pray for change.
I'm as WASPy as they come but my parents still had me read Roots when I was 12. I guess that's not the norm though. I am so grateful my parents stressed literature when I was a kid. I absolutely lived off books.
But a) The Help wasn't dumb and b) Who says it's literature?
We aren't discussing your favorite literary giants here. We're simply discussing books.
I'm confused.. aren't we all sharing books we didn't like?
See, I DID think the help was dumbed down. And come on, it's winning all kinds of literary awards.
I get why it's great that it's exposing people to issues they were previously blind to, but I don't get why it's being held up as "what an extremely well written piece of literature".
Others have done it. FAR better. Why don't those books get awarded?
Post by underwaterrhymes on Sept 18, 2012 15:05:08 GMT -5
I also tried reading the first of the Outlander books and found it to be poorly-written, homophobic, misogynistic drivel. But I'm very much in the minority here.
I kind of made TIP read one of these sorts of books for me. I LOVED The Mists of Avalon when I was in high school. Re-reading as an adult not only is it really schlocky it's also not written all that well.
I loved Mists of Avalon... and I did read it when I was in high school. I've been wanting to reread it, but now I'm afraid to.
What if I hate it now
I reread it a few years ago, and while it's not great literature, I still enjoyed it.
I hated On the Road by Jack Kerouac. I fail to see what's so wonderful about men who abandon their families, cheat on their wives, and steal to support themselves while they drive around aimlessly.
Rhett Butler's People was a crime against fucking humanity. I know the dude who wrote it said he loathed Scarlett. I get that. But shit, would it have been so fucking hard of you to at least keep the names the same???
My God.
And way to turn Rhett Butler from a dick into a pantywaist. Shit, Rhett wasn't exactly good people but assholes are far superior and far interesting reads than whiny bitchass men. Fucker ran blockades during the Civil War. Don't tell me he was undone by a vapid, selfish bitch he saw coming from a mile away.
I wasn't sure who I hated more- the writer or myself- for reading that drivel. Sadly, it was the only book I had with me on a road trip. So I read it aloud.
I also tried reading the first of the Highlander books and found it to be poorly-written, homophobic, misogynistic drivel. But I'm very much in the minority here.
I also tried reading the first of the Highlander books and found it to be poorly-written, homophobic, misogynistic drivel. But I'm very much in the minority here.
YES. It was the worst!
LOL. I called it the Highlander books, and then I realized they are really the Outlander books, but presumably you knew what I meant.
I'm confused.. aren't we all sharing books we didn't like?
See, I DID think the help was dumbed down. And come on, it's winning all kinds of literary awards.
I get why it's great that it's exposing people to issues they were previously blind to, but I don't get why it's being held up as "what an extremely well written piece of literature".
Others have done it. FAR better. Why don't those books get awarded?
I don't know that I have the words to explain this to you.
This is like saying The Departed sucks because Goodfellas was better and didn't win an Oscar.
I'm sure no one has heard of Snow in August or Pete Hamill. But I hated this book. And now I hate him.
I also loathed The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I don't want to kill the author but I'd like to slap the people I know who went on and on about how great it is. Blech.
I'm confused.. aren't we all sharing books we didn't like?
See, I DID think the help was dumbed down. And come on, it's winning all kinds of literary awards.
I get why it's great that it's exposing people to issues they were previously blind to, but I don't get why it's being held up as "what an extremely well written piece of literature".
Others have done it. FAR better. Why don't those books get awarded?
I don't know that I have the words to explain this to you.
This is like saying The Departed sucks because Goodfellas was better and didn't win an Oscar.
Dude, I really like you so that the only reason I'm still at this is to help you understand what I'm saying. Because its not like saying the departed sucks because goodfellas was better.
It's like saying the departed sucks because it was poorly written and acted. And Jesus, I didn't even say the book sucks. Just that I didn't love it. I thought it was "meh". I'm not even the only person saying that so I don't know why you're all over my ass about it.
If the departed were winning all kinds of awards and everyone was like "now I really understand the mafia!!!!" then I would say "ugh, not reaaaaallllllllllly" and eye roll that better movies are so overlooked because people are choosing to remain sheltered.
Look, I'm not saying The Help was some kind of amazeballs book. Notice it isn't on my favorite list anywhere. But it doesn't deserve the majority of the reasons people shit on it. Had you simply said you weren't a fan of the writing and it seemed rather simplistic to you, I probably wouldn't have said much. But the whole, OMG, other books have done it better/why do people like it??? suggests you really don't know much about the different genres, time periods, etc of the era but want some black folk points because you "get" it.
Look, I'm not saying The Help was some kind of amazeballs book. Notice it isn't on my favorite list anywhere. But it doesn't deserve the majority of the reasons people shit on it. Had you simply said you weren't a fan of the writing and it seemed rather simplistic to you, I probably wouldn't have said much. But the whole, OMG, other books have done it better/why do people like it??? suggests you really don't know much about the different genres, time periods, etc of the era but want some black folk points because you "get" it.
You don't.
No, I don't know because I read Roots. You stated that the book had to be done like that (i.e. oversimplified) because otherwise southern white women wouldn't have read it. Good point. I only brought that up as an (ONE) example of a book I was encouraged to read as a child. I was also handed the bible, the diary of Anne Frank, Animal Farm, The Catcher in the Rye, the Hobbit, All Things Bright and Beautiful by my parents. These were not books I was given to read in my very sheltered school. My parents thought it was a gap and fostered a love of literature in me and encouraged and facilitated my exposure to topics that were different than my experiences. I was merely expressing gratitude for that exposure. I think good books are important.
In no way shape or form am I looking for "black folk cred" (come on, really?!?!?!?!) I never professed to know the experiences of what it means to be black. But I do think I can spot the difference between a well written book and a less well written book. I am allowed to have an opinion on things like character development, plot points and flow.
Red Badge of Courage The Scarlet Letter The 2nd LOTR book (The Two Towers? Maybe) Catch-22 The House on Mango Street (and other Cisneros crap I had to read in undergrad)
Agree on Moby Dick, Steinbeck, Hemingway, and cheeseball stuff.
I do like the occasional romance novel and historical fiction (mostly love the Red Tent), but I read so fucking much for school that I feel like I need it for balance.
Oh yeah, I read Caramelo last year. Interesting "voice" but not a huge fan overall.