What's so embarassing to admit you like popular fiction?
By theonlooker
@theonlooker (84)
Singapore
May 9, 2007 1:50pm CST
I'm not an academic, but I study Literature at a pretty elite university. Now while I do read the occasional classic in my spare time to expand my literary repertoire, I personally find myself turning to more books in the popular fiction category; like thrillers, mysteries and romance to read in my spare time, because all the reading for uni makes me not really what to read a heavy classic texts. During tutorial discussions and stuff a number of them slam popular fiction till it's a bit annoying. I'm very sure I do have classmates who indulge popular texts, just that they don't admit it. Or if they do, they're very hesitant about saying so.
Is is that embarrassing to admit you read romance or science fiction/fantasy novels? I mean, nowadays I don't see many people stereotyping others for what they read. And that stuff about popular fiction not having any depth is just so not true...
1 person likes this
2 responses
@natalie1981 (1995)
• Singapore
12 May 07
I'm a fan of popular fiction and I'm not ashamed of it. And I don't think my IQ will go down just because I've read it. I don't get it why some people slam popular fiction. Why? Are they so all high and mighty that their ever expanding brains wouldn't stoop to the books that we, the "stupid" people read? LOL. Oh, I really hate those persons who slam popular fiction. They're just jealous because they didn't think of writing that bestseller first.
@unusualsuspect (2602)
• United States
9 May 07
I don't have any problem with popular fiction, though I do usually require that it have some intellectual content and a high level of language use. I've always been a science fiction fan, but have no use for sword and sorcery or for most fantasy. I don't particularly care for mysteries as a genre, but will read a mystery now and then if it's by an author whose writing I enjoy. What I avoid entirely is "formula" fiction, and most best sellers. If an ex-best seller is of real value I may read it years later.
Basically, I like to think, and I like to be challenged to learn something new, even when I'm reading mostly for entertainment. The best writing does have depth, and that can include books that are looked down on by the academic community.
