^Tolstoy dedicated entire chapters in Anna Karenina to farming practices in Russia, so is it really even that great? Any decent editor would probably slash half the book before printing it now Also, I was going to bring up the point that a lot of books we consider classic now were just considered fun populist fiction when they were written.
Yeah, obviously there's always been a snobbishness to literature and attempts to divide "high" and "low cultures", but I'm sure the idea that "popular" almost automatically means "bad" is a fairly recent one. To your point: almost all classic fiction would be rejected by modern publishers on the grounds that it doesn't grab the attention in the first page. Most agents/publishers will reject manuscripts that fail to have a hook in the opening few paragraphs, so that's pretty much the majority of "Classic" fiction out the window. Just a demonstration of changing trends, really.
Its easy to think that whatever you enjoy is the shit and all else sucks but then I think folks probably looking at me the same way thinking that exact same thing lol. So asong as I'm enjoying that's all that matters, not gonna get upset because someone else don't like my books or music or movies. Actually I already know most of what I personally enjoy is utter garbage to the masses.
And once upon a time the "beloved" classics and examples of great literature....were viewed as lacking and for those devoid of intelligence.
Yes--we should ALL read the exactly same books and disdain those who feel otherwise. That's because we need to be ALL exactly alike. Not a bit of difference in us. Pfffft,
Anything by Ursula Le Guin. Hyperion by Dan Simmons. Just a couple of my favorites. You may not like them. I don’t really care. I read 35-40 works of fiction every year. Recently (since I started reading ebooks from amazon) I’ve read dozens of extremely well written, entertaining and possibly even meaningful novels by self published authors. If you tell yourself that there’s no good contemporary literature or music, you’re not going to find any.
Sometimes it just takes my mind off the stresses of life. Same with bad movies. I admit I kinda enjoy both for a little mental escape.
Or...all eyes! I love Amish romance novels. You probably wouldn't care for it but I for one love it. I don't think paper books will ever cease to exist. There will always be purists. My sight is going so now I listen to audio books, but I own hundreds of books.
As a general rule, people strive to avoid reading crap fiction. Take me, for example I try to read only well written, entertaining fiction. You should try it. Don't be afraid to improve your mind...and your disposition
I totally agree. When I was working I read stuff that was light and easy to pick up and put down. Now that I am retired I find I am changing my reading habits but still enjoy a trashy detective or sci-fi novel now and then.
Fiction is an escape. One mans trash is an others treasure I dont read much fiction anymore Last fictional book was "The Art of Racing in the Rain" which I enjoyed
Im actually not following a lot of people.. I kind of click around and just talk to people as convos arise.. bad movies.. where do I start? I have a ton saved on my DVR for boredom days lol
Crap fiction...I try to avoid it, preferring GOOD fiction, which is an excellent escape in a too serious world.
Why Do So Many People Read Crap Fiction Books? I wish that I knew the answer to that one, including the soap operas. In one UK soap opera, when one fictitious character attempted to murder another one, the actor was spat on and attacked in the street, along with his house being daubed with graffiti and the windows broken. He ended up needing 24 hour police protection.
I read fiction as a form of escapism. As long as I am enjoying the book, I don't care whether others think the book to be great or crappy.
Me, neither. I'm a shut in, but in books I can go almost anywhere! I spend lots of time in places like Castle Rock and Derry, Maine!