A Rant: Because I Haven't Done it in Awhile
At work today, a woman, maybe 27, approached and asked where the "Stephanie Meyer" books were. Now, for those not familiar, this woman Stephanie Meyer is writing a new series of 900+ page books, and it is, according to one of my co-workers who is reading them, essentially 90210 with vampires. This series is monopolizing book sales recently, and, just like Harry Potter, everyone is freaking reading it, kids to adults. Anyway, this lady asks me where they are and I respond "In our children's section," and she shoots me a nasty look and says "Well, why are they there?" So, I give the obvious response..."Because it's a children's book." Oh, man, she got so pissed and told me I was giving her attitude. Sounded to me like someone was a little embarrassed that only book she's read in months is for TWEENS.
Look, I don't have a problem with books like this, really. But there has to be BALANCE. A friend was telling me about her cousin, who's gone to juvie and never reads, who is obsessed with this series. I say, kudos for getting kids to read. Fuck, kudos for getting dumb-ass adults to read. However, what are they learning from their reading? Does it count as literature when it's essentially Buffy the fucking Vampire Slayer? Okay, okay, reading stimulates the mind in ways that television never can. Okay, okay, who cares what they're reading as long as people are reading. Wait, no, I don't agree with that sentiment at all. There are people where I work who ONLY read this kind of stuff. AND THEY WORK IN A BOOKSTORE.
I don't care if you read tabloids, as long as you read the news too. AND DON'T CALL THE TABLOIDS NEWS. Same deal with this tweenie series of books. Read it, fine, but, dude, read some Cormac McCarthy too - that is some fast-paced literature.
"I don't want to think that much," my co-worker said to me, when she overheard this same conversation I was having with a friend who came to visit me at work. I suddenly felt very depressed. I guess that's what I get for being a pretentious bitch.
Look, I don't have a problem with books like this, really. But there has to be BALANCE. A friend was telling me about her cousin, who's gone to juvie and never reads, who is obsessed with this series. I say, kudos for getting kids to read. Fuck, kudos for getting dumb-ass adults to read. However, what are they learning from their reading? Does it count as literature when it's essentially Buffy the fucking Vampire Slayer? Okay, okay, reading stimulates the mind in ways that television never can. Okay, okay, who cares what they're reading as long as people are reading. Wait, no, I don't agree with that sentiment at all. There are people where I work who ONLY read this kind of stuff. AND THEY WORK IN A BOOKSTORE.
I don't care if you read tabloids, as long as you read the news too. AND DON'T CALL THE TABLOIDS NEWS. Same deal with this tweenie series of books. Read it, fine, but, dude, read some Cormac McCarthy too - that is some fast-paced literature.
"I don't want to think that much," my co-worker said to me, when she overheard this same conversation I was having with a friend who came to visit me at work. I suddenly felt very depressed. I guess that's what I get for being a pretentious bitch.