For the first question, I'm about evenly between "there are a few things I can't forgive..." and "I try to avoid giving money to authors who offend...."
It really depends on not just how offensive their words or statements are, but on what they're likely to do with the proceeds of book sales. Somebody who just says offensive things is in a different category, to me, from somebody who gives half his money to NAMBLA. To me, it isn't about punishing people who don't agree with me, it's about not indirectly supporting things I really, really don't support.
However, since I buy many books used, I don't really think of buying and reading as the same thing. The writing itself would have to be awful, and I honestly get a little sense of glee at buying OSC books at 50¢ from the local used bookstore! (Though I found his latest book utterly unreadable. Couldn't even make it past the first chapter.)
Also, I think people have a right to spend their money however they want. That means that OSC is welcome to spend his money on anti-gay causes and say whatever the heck he likes on that subject, and I am equally free to purchase books or not from whomever I please, for whatever reason I like, and tell people why I do or do not recommend any book or author. That is my prerogative. It can be for a good reason or a stupid reason. It's my money, and my speech, and my choice.
On that note, Sanderson is Mormon too? Is it just me, or are there a heck of a lot of Mormons around lately? I had barely even heard of them when I was a kid, but now it seems like you need to have a basic idea of the religion and beliefs to understand politics and media and... everything!
Mormons are probably growing as a % of Christians (and whites) in the US due to having lots of kids, and they tend to be fairly well-educated and socially organized.
It really depends on not just how offensive their words or statements are, but on what they're likely to do with the proceeds of book sales. Somebody who just says offensive things is in a different category, to me, from somebody who gives half his money to NAMBLA. To me, it isn't about punishing people who don't agree with me, it's about not indirectly supporting things I really, really don't support.
However, since I buy many books used, I don't really think of buying and reading as the same thing. The writing itself would have to be awful, and I honestly get a little sense of glee at buying OSC books at 50¢ from the local used bookstore! (Though I found his latest book utterly unreadable. Couldn't even make it past the first chapter.)
Also, I think people have a right to spend their money however they want. That means that OSC is welcome to spend his money on anti-gay causes and say whatever the heck he likes on that subject, and I am equally free to purchase books or not from whomever I please, for whatever reason I like, and tell people why I do or do not recommend any book or author. That is my prerogative. It can be for a good reason or a stupid reason. It's my money, and my speech, and my choice.
On that note, Sanderson is Mormon too? Is it just me, or are there a heck of a lot of Mormons around lately? I had barely even heard of them when I was a kid, but now it seems like you need to have a basic idea of the religion and beliefs to understand politics and media and... everything!
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