A personal question...

[ina]

... about your reading habits. Not much to do with being -ish, I'm afraid - but I feel I need to ask someone somewhere!

I'm just puzzling about the reaction of two of my friends, who seemed quite negative when I asked them if they had read a particular (German) author. One of them said, he's too much like literature, and school made sure he lost his interest in that kind of thing; the other one said she has no time for those old men, and anyway, she's annoyed that 90% of all older literature was written by men.

Now, this author (Tucholsky, for those of you who might have heard of him!) is a particular favourite of mine; he has a lot in common with me personally (not just the birthday), and his style is what I would like to be able to write in. OK, he lived early last century rather than now; OK, he happened to be a man, but it wasn't his fault that women authors weren't acknowledged as much in those times as men were... (Btw, he was a great satirist, but also wrote love poems that even I can read - and I'm the most un-poetic person you can think of! He spent most of his life in exile - was driven out of Germany by the Nazis.)

Would you reject any author just on grounds as those given by my friends?

[boboff]

No, I wouldn't.

To dismiss anything without understanding is stupidity in the extreme.

Your recommendation should be enough to encourage your friends to try it at least.

Me, I prefer those great Novelletes in Take a break! (My husband slept with my Mother and killed our cat with the Strimmer, but now I have found love with a lady friend called Maureen who used to do mornings at the Spar, type thing)

[ina]

Me, I prefer those great Novelletes in Take a break! (My husband slept with my Mother and killed our cat with the Strimmer, but now I have found love with a lady friend called Maureen who used to do mornings at the Spar, type thing)

Gosh, are there rally books like that???

[ina]

Definitely not! But I do find that many people these days see reading as a bit of a luxury! When I mentioned a book I had just finished and was quite impressed with to a friend I received a very flip answer along the lines of 'oh I don't have time to read',

That's actually not the case with both my friends - they read books by the dozen.

But that gives me an idea - maybe we could recommend books to each other - I know we do on the Ish subject... Or, I suppose, there are probably other forums out there that specialise it reading matter of one kind or another - does anybody know any?

[vicki]

I read anyone and everyone! I've recently finished a Jane Austen novel and followed that up by Martina Cole! I probably read a couple of hours a night and other than following Corrie and Eastenders don't really watch TV.

Enjoy your books! Your friends don't know what they're missing out on!

[lazyspice]

My reading habits might not be particularly highbrow (I'm rather partial to vampire books!) but I would never dismiss an author on the strength of sex or how long ago it was written - I would hate to think I was that narrow minded, to be honest

[boboff]

Edit: Oops sorry Boboff was posting this at the same time as you - nothing personal!!!!!

Funny!

We both were saying the same thing, I was only joking, I am an avid reader, not high brow but I love Cobhem, Child, Grisham, Harvey, Cole, Hornby, etc My favorite author is an Irish chap Nial Williams, who rights some lovely stuff, it's all a bit spiritual but in a great way, he is not that prolific though, which is a shame.

[StripyPixieSocks]

Not at all... but then I will read anything I can get my hands on

[Clara]

I don't like historical literature on the whole, it just seems irrelevant, doesn't speak to me at all. I wouldn't dismiss it as rubbish though, or try to dress up my dislike in any kind of intellectualism, just not my cup of tea. Much prefer things written from the latter half of the 20th century onwards, that's all.

Tom Robbins is a particular favourite of mine, if you can find me a revolutionary Russian with as much random insight as him, I'll give it a go!!

[Annpan]

I was certainly put off reading by school, and most certainly certain types of authors. I could get into a huge discussion about how school removes the joy of reading and learning.

I now enjoy reading but don't get enough time too and I find it very difficult to shut out distractions and focus. So I haven't read much recently, unless it is study material (John Seymore, Cookery books, ish bible, wildlife books, etc)

[oldfella]

Not at all... but then I will read anything I can get my hands on

Me too, and I have found some wonderful books in the most surprising places when searching for something to read, as I find it impossible to fall asleep without reading for awhile. On one occasion in Italy on a over night stopover and searching through an old bookcase I found an old copy of prewar paperback which kept me awake all night as I simply had to finish before I put it back on the shelf.

[Green Aura]

A friend of mine won't read books by a particular (prolific) author. He saw him on TV and decided he didn't like him! He can't separate his opinion of the person from any talent he may have as a storyteller. Weird, huh? And so restricting.

[Masco&Bongo]

Oh goodness! I read about 8 or 9 books a week!

I wouldn't dismiss authors on those grounds at all. I do have authors I particularly like, and also those who I find quite hard going.

I joined the local library a few months ago, and decided not to read anything by authors whose books I already owned more than 2 of. I have found so many lovely books, that I woudl never have picked up before, it's great!

[red]

... Would you reject any author just on grounds as those given by my friends?

no I wouldn't

I have more sympathy for the 'school put me off' comment, but really they shoudl rise above it. if a friend was enthusing over an author, i would be inclined to give it another go.

As for rejecting it because it was written by a man? i dislike sexism, and it strikes me as a silly reason...

but you just cant convert some people to reading..

[Uller]

I will also read just about anything, although I did get into a rut of only reading murders (the more gruesome the better). I've recently bought loads of second hand books and have bought anything with an interesting title or front cover to try and broaden my reading horizons - I've read some great stuff that I wouldn't normally pick.

I hate it when people suggest that you are lazy or indulgent if you spend a lot of time reading - I think you learn a huge amount of stuff (even from gruesome murder books). My mum and I were talking about this yesterday - how do you know stuff that you know? We decided that a lot of it obviously comes from school, but I also know a lot that I didn't learn from school - I think I picked it up from all the reading I do. I also watch quite a bit of telly, but don't seem to remember stuff I learn from the telly as much as I do if I've read it.