So throw me into the pit of mediocrity already!
I recently finished reading Stephenie Meyer's 'The Host'. The first half was quite easy to put down. The end was predictable. But both her world-building and the way she writes relationships (for the most part not necessarily the romantic sorts) is really quite inviting.
I told a friend that reading an author before she becomes top-of-a-roller-coaster screaming popular and then becomes snubbed by the 'intellectual' community because of the popularity of "pop" fiction reminds me off an episode of Futurama. In said episode, the crew of main characters is going to a nightclub where everyone wears glowing neon rings (some Saturn reference is made). When Fry asks why -- he thought it wasn't cool to wear rings anymore -- he is told that that's why they're wearing them. It's NOT cool to do so. He replies, "Cool." Someone walking by stops, aghast that being cool by being uncool might be described as 'cool'.
That's, strangely enough, how I feel about 'pop' culture I enjoy. In fact, I intentionally tell kids in class I'm going to play dorky/uncool music sometimes in class. If I claim it as uncool, they can enjoy it. I won't apologize for enjoying 'The Host'. It's a 3 out of 5 stars for me: nothing I'd seek people out to convince them to read, but something I'd enjoy discussing with them if they did indeed read it.
Is it wrong to be tired of being embarrassed for liking some things that aren't considered high brow? I think I'm finished hiding my preferences. Hah! (Pynchon is still teasing me from the bookshelf though. Dare I?)
TPQ
I told a friend that reading an author before she becomes top-of-a-roller-coaster screaming popular and then becomes snubbed by the 'intellectual' community because of the popularity of "pop" fiction reminds me off an episode of Futurama. In said episode, the crew of main characters is going to a nightclub where everyone wears glowing neon rings (some Saturn reference is made). When Fry asks why -- he thought it wasn't cool to wear rings anymore -- he is told that that's why they're wearing them. It's NOT cool to do so. He replies, "Cool." Someone walking by stops, aghast that being cool by being uncool might be described as 'cool'.
That's, strangely enough, how I feel about 'pop' culture I enjoy. In fact, I intentionally tell kids in class I'm going to play dorky/uncool music sometimes in class. If I claim it as uncool, they can enjoy it. I won't apologize for enjoying 'The Host'. It's a 3 out of 5 stars for me: nothing I'd seek people out to convince them to read, but something I'd enjoy discussing with them if they did indeed read it.
Is it wrong to be tired of being embarrassed for liking some things that aren't considered high brow? I think I'm finished hiding my preferences. Hah! (Pynchon is still teasing me from the bookshelf though. Dare I?)
TPQ