Majority rules...

[fajrdrako]

From September 4, 2008: Peer pressure: I was looking through books yesterday at the shops and saw all the Twilight books, which I know basically nothing about. What I do know is that I’m beginning to feel like I’m the *only* person who knows nothing about them.

Despite being almost broke and trying to save money, I almost bought the expensive book (Australian book prices are often completely nutty) just because I felt the need to be ‘up’ on what everyone else was reading.

Have you ever felt pressured to read something because ‘everyone else’ was reading it? Have you ever given in and read the book(s) in question or do you resist? If you are a reviewer, etc, do you feel it’s your duty to keep up on current trends?

I'm such a happy nonconformist, I've never in my life read anything because everyone else was reading it.

On the other hand, when 'everyone' is reading a book, I get curious. I want to know what it's like, and understand the conversations about it. This is why I've read the Harry Potter books, and Dan Brown, and... other stuff. I have not read Twilight, though for a while I thought I wanted to. Then I heard more about the story end decided against it.

The thing is, I often don't like the same things that 'everyone' likes. Though X-Men is still popular in the world of comics, it isn't a mainstream thing. Not even the movies, though they're better known. Dorothy Dunnett will never be to the popular taste - I am, in fact, always suprised when anyone besides myself loves the Lymond books, since I feel as if they're my personal domain. But not in a possessive sense.

This applies to the past, too. The classics that 'everyone' reads, or at least, gets assigned in school. I fell madly in love with Shakespeare - well, with Hamlet - as an adolescent - and then Dickens. But I never loved Jane Austen, or Isaac Asimov, or Andre Norton. I sample these things, all of them. And sometimes I'm glad I did. Tolkien, for example, though when I read Lord of the Rings I had no idea it was popular or famous, and no one called it a classic back then. I quite like the Harry Potter books, though not to the extent of feeling fannish about them. I hated The Da Vinci Code , but I'm not sorry I read it. Sometimes it's fun to hate a book for its absurdities and still half-admire it for its money-making properties. Now, that's alchemy - turning words into gold.

I used to review books (and comics) professionally, and enjoyed it. But it never made me want to read things I wouldn't otherwise have read. Writing style is, for me, the most important thing, and I wouldn't expect others to share my stylistic tastes. It's very individualistic, and very subjective.

I've never wanted to 'keep up' with what other people are reading. Sometimes because it looks boring. Mostly because I've always thought of myself as ahead of that curve anyway - I often read such books before other people do.

The important thing is having read the books and authors I love, not just Dorothy Dunnett but also Elizabeth Knox, Ellen Kushner, Megan Whalen Turner, Karin Lowachee. I don't care what's popular, I want to find what's good.

Yeah, I'm a book snob. Or perhaps an inverse book snob. I'm happy that way.

Comments

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

This is all the funnier that I recognize and have read and loved all you mention. haha. So you aren't so odd!

I felt as you did about Lymond w/ Niccolo until I found Marzipan.

I read Twilight for a young adult literature class, to get a feel for what the teens at the library were reading. I was not impressed, but it does seem written for an atypical 13 year old girl. I know many of them like it. I was reading Niccolo at 13, so I guess I just have different tastes.

To be fair, I take a lot of my lit. recs from Dunnett fans, just because I know we have similar interests. These aren't often or always popular fiction. Which is another reason why I don't see myself being a good public librarian: I just don't read much popular fiction.

I am currently finishing up His Dark Materials, which is also very popular with teens, and I think it's decent. No Dunnett though. :)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

This is all the funnier that I recognize and have read and loved all you mention. haha. So you aren't so odd!

Happy to hear it!

Yeah, different tastes.

I always write down titles when Dunnett fans recommend them. Don't seem to get around to reading them as much as I'd like.

I didn't like His Dark Materials at all, for many reasons, mostly distaste for the writing style and dislike of the protagonist. (I only read the first book.) I... approve it in theory, but it's like with C.S. Lewis, I didn't enjoy reading it at all and found it creepy. Couldn't suspend my disbelief, either, and I'm usually good at that.

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

I had a terrible time getting into the Golden Compass. There is something about the writing... I tried it three times and finally finished before the movie came out. Then I liked it; didn't love it, but for YA I liked it.

I am almost done with book three and overall like it, but the writing still bothers me, and no, I don't like Lyra either. I feel like I'm supposed to.

I liked Golden Compass more than the next two. It's taken me about five months to read through the third book LOL.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I don't like Lyra either. I feel like I'm supposed to.

Yes, that was my reaction. I found her arrogant and annoying. It was a big problem - I kept feeling sorry for the people she came up against.

I loved the visual sense of the book, and therefore might enjoy the movie, but I don't feel like trying it.

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

Yes, I liked the visuals of the books and I liked the way it served ideals of Atheism the way Lewis' books served ideals of Christianity, but I don't really like the characters. I think Iorek the polar bear is my favorite character.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I liked the polar bear and I liked Lyra's young friend - Robert? Robin? That was about it. The adults were horrible.