Comments on: Peer Pressure – Booking Through Thursday

By: Jeane

Jeane — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:51:41 +0000

I like what Rebecca said! I’ve disliked lots of books that are really popular, and don’t feel afraid to say so. After all, we all have different tastes! If everyone liked the same books, reading book blogs would be so boring.

By: Rebekah

Rebekah — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:54:36 +0000

This post is cracking me up because I’m just about to start reading Book 2 in the Twilight series. I didn’t like the first one so much, but have been facing lots of pressure from blog land to read the entire series to see what the hype is all about. Luckily, they’re quick, suspenseful reads so it shouldn’t be too hard to finish the series.

I felt a lot of pressure to like the Diana Gabaldon series. After reading Outlander and a few chapters of the second book in the series, I had to put it down and move on. They just weren’t my cup of tea.

By: softdrink

softdrink — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:04:34 +0000

I don’t really feel pressure to like a book, but if I don’t like it I will wonder if I’m missing something. Then I just move on and read another book.

Half the time I’ve completely forgotten about the book being discussed, so I couldn’t offer much in the way of discussion even if I wanted to.

By: Cathy

Cathy — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:58:16 +0000

One thing I’ve been noticing in going from blog to blog reading all our responses to this great question is the number of times “I hated______”, “I won’t waste my time on________” and similar things have been said. I have strong opinions on what I read, and I state them very clearly in my blog reviews, but normally I steer clear of discussions. I’m a diehard believer in freedom of speech and in the belief that everyone’s opinion is valuable, but I just don’t feel right in telling someone else that I hated a book they loved (or vice versa). Especially online, you never know when your words are going to wound someone. If someone loves a genre of books that I loathe (although those genres are few), I’m content to say nothing. That person is READING, and that’s what matters. It doesn’t help that I was worthless in debate class in high school. I’ve always been a proponent of “everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but that doesn’t mean I have to drown him out with mine”. Perhaps it was because I spent a lot of time in grade school being picked on that I can’t help but see people who’ve read and adored Harry Potter, The DaVinci Code, Twilight…reading these posts and cringing, thinking, “What’s wrong with me?” The answer to that is: there’s nothing wrong with you at all. Just work a bit on developing a thick skin. Thick skins come in handy on the internet!

Okay. I’m done waffling now! LOL

By: Joanne

Joanne — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:14:37 +0000

Fantastic follow-up question!
I do feel pressured to like certain books, but that does not change my opinion of them and I don’t feel like a horrible person when I voice said opinions.
As far as the people who say “You never like the good books”, I find myself trying to find out if they read anything other than what is considered “the good books”. Most of the time they stick to mainstream and then I am amazed by what they are missing out on. Then I wonder to myself whether this persons opinion of me matters – everytime the answer is no.
I read for my own enjoyment and no one has the right to judge me for my choices.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:00:22 +0000

I realize that the type of books that interest me the most–historical fiction, classics, literary prose–aren’t anywhere to be seen on bestseller charts. So I never feel pressured. Every once in a while I find a good one that is popular, but that’s only because it appeals to me, not because it appeals to a mass or a hype.

By: mellymel

mellymel — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:21:13 +0000

Didn’t like Love in the Time of Cholera, or the Curious Incident. Didn’t bother with DaVinci Code or the Five People you Meet in Heaven (cringe).
I did get sucked into Twilight though. Big time. And now I’m working to get my street cred back.

By: Ladytink_534

Ladytink_534 — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:56:35 +0000

I did read The Indian in the Cupboard when I was a kid but it wasn’t until recently that I read some of the Narnia books. I don’t think I’ve ever been pressured to like something that I didn’t before. I hated The Historian and I’ve let many people know it despite thier glowing reviews!

By: Jen Forbus

Jen Forbus — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:12:40 +0000

I’m the kind of reader who says what she feels about a book. If I don’t like it, I explain my reasons for not liking it. I’ve liked some very popular books and I’ve hated some very popular books (and everything in between). I’ve had absolutely no desire to read the Harry Potter books or the Twilight series…neither is of a genre that has ever been a favorite of mine. But if both series encourage young people (or older people for that matter) to read, then GREAT! As for me, I have a huge TBR list and won’t be running out of great things to read anytime too soon.

I will often read a book based on recommendations from others, especially people I know share common interests with me. But I NEVER decide if I’m going to read a book based on whether or not it’s “popular.” I wouldn’t discard a book just for that reason and I wouldn’t consider it just for that reason. If I made my choices that way, I would never have read The DaVinci Code, Gone With the Wind, The Thornbirds, A Prayer for Owen Meany, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, L.A. Requiem, Shutter Island…all great pieces of literature. My standards are far more complex than “popularity status”.

But, in the end, what other people read is entirely up to them. I would never want someone else to dictate to me what constitutes “readable” standards, so I would never impose such a thing on others.

By: Swapna

Swapna — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:11:21 +0000

Hmm, that seems like a snobby thing to say – just bc you don’t like the books she likes doesn’t mean that you don’t like good books!