Sunday Salon: A Minor Rant

I used to be able to stay up all night reading a book. These days I am lucky if I can stay up past 11:30 p.m. It is never the book's fault. The book can have me on the edge of my seat, but my eyes will not stay open no matter what I try to do to make that happen. The joys of growing old.

Today I was lucky enough to have most of the morning to myself, the house still quiet, my husband and visiting brother-in-law fast asleep. I used the opportunity to dive right back into my book, immerse myself in its pages. What better way to greet the day? I am reading David Ebershoff's The 19th Wife at the moment. It is an intriguing tale--two actually; one from the past and another set in present day times.

A friend of mine recently had an experience which many of us can relate to, especially if you read genre fiction of any kind. She was sitting on a bench outside of a restaurant one afternoon, waiting for her lunch date to arrive. She figured she would use her early arrival to catch up on a little reading. Out came the novel she had tucked away in her purse.

The woman who sat down next to her made a visible effort to see the cover of the book my friend was holding. "Oh. It's one of those novels," the woman said. The woman must have been feeling rather talkative because she went on to say that she only read books that challenged her and added to her personal growth.

My friend jokingly asked, "You prefer reading self-help books then?"

The woman shook her head vigorously. No, she meant that she reads the classics and literary fiction. Too much of that other stuff, "mysteries, romance and, oh, those horrid fantasy novels," would most certainly dull the mind. There's no value in books like that, the woman said.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are readers who have commented that they "only read for pleasure" when asked if they have read a classic or a book that would more generally be classified as "literary" - as if the person reading those types of books do not read for pleasure.

I am of the mind that reading is a very individual experience, and, as a result, it can be different for all of us. Our reading tastes vary. Our reasons for reading what we do are not always the same. Where we are in our lives, our moods and experiences all can play a part in what we get out of what we are reading at any given time. While the academics and scholars may argue over the value of one type of book over another--for me, the average reader, they stand on equal ground. I know not everyone agrees with me on that point. And that's okay. For them. I just want them to respect my choices, not snub their noses at them.

Week in Review:
Review of The Tenth Case by Joseph Teller
Review of First Daughter by Eric Van Lustbader
Guest Appearance by Publisher Lou Aronica
Bookish Chatter