Thank God for popular fiction...
For those of you who don't know me too well, I'm a huge literary nerd. I love the classics. I'm not just one of those people who reads classic literature to say that I've read it, because I actually do enjoy reading it. I typically read stuff from the 19th century because the authors seem to have really developed the narrative structure during that time. I love literature because it's edifying and inspirational, (in inspiring me to write that is). But I have to admit that classic literature has a tendency to get laborious. Sometimes authors are simply dull because their language usage is so unlike today. Combined with this are frequent insertions of symbolism, metaphor and the ever present motifs. Reading a good popular novel is often quite refreshing. Stephen King is often my comfort in this area as I enjoy his style, enjoy his stories, and can read his books relatively quickly. King has referred to himself as, "the literary equivalent to a Big Mac and fries". I like that analogy because it's enjoyable to visit a fast-food restaurant every now and again. While the food isn't as good as a fancy, sit-down restaurant, it still tastes good, if not better, than a more refined, exquisite taste, which is usually acquired over many years of dining. While the popular novel is not always in good taste, it's fast, cheap, and clear in its symbolisms, which leads to highly enjoyable reading.