How Seriously Do We Take Books?

[mystima]

didn't know where to put this so just decided to put it here. It is a news story that happened in the UK. It also is a news story about this new book that apparently everyone is reading but me. The book is Fifty Shades of Grey. Sometimes men just don't get that it is just a book.

Boyfriend assaults girlfriend with steak sauce over ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ (http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/fifty-shades-grey-steak-sauce-assault-171428353.html)

Mod's note:

So: how seriously do we, or should we, take books? Did anyone ever quarrel with someone, or fall apart, over a book? Is it worth it? To what extent do our tastes in books influence our relationships with friends, lovers and family?
(Jean)

[WeDealInLead]

No, it's not just a book. It's a idiocy and illiteracy in book format. It's proof that we'll take any SHIT media serves us and it'll sell millions. It's proof that general readership has taken a turn toward mediocrity and serious dumbing down of what was a beatiful form of expression and actual ART. It's almost like publishers are fucking with us... 'let's see if we can get away with this one?' or 'maybe they are THAT stupid.'

50 Shades of Dumb is for soccer mommies and tweens who never actually tried S/M. The Twilight was a solid piece of literary work compared to this. I knew humanity is fucked when my mom bought this book.

That bitch got off easy. Fuck her and fuck everyone else who supports this garbage. True authors who actually work on their art are getting shafted left, right and centre because of this shit.

[Patrick]

No, it's not just a book. It's a idiocy and illiteracy in book format. It's proof that we'll take any SHIT media serves us and it'll sell millions. It's proof that general readership has taken a turn toward mediocrity and serious dumbing down of what was a beatiful form of expression and actual ART. It's almost like publishers are fucking with us... 'let's see if we can get away with this one?' or 'maybe they are THAT stupid.'

50 Shades of Dumb is for soccer mommies and tweens who never actually tried S/M. The Twilight was a solid piece of literary work compared to this. I knew humanity is fucked when my mom bought this book.

That bitch got off easy. Fuck her and fuck everyone else who supports this garbage. True authors who actually work on their art are getting shafted left, right and centre because of this shit.
I haven't read any 50 SHADES books, so no comment on them, but I don't think this bolded part of your post reads the way you intend it.


I am currently reading, BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS, by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (Re-read)

[Jean]

"assaulted her with a bottle of steak sauce"
"According to the Carlisle News & Star, the couple had been arguing and exchanging text messages before the sauce assault".
"pleaded guilty to assault"

I don't want to live on this planet any more.

[WeDealInLead]

"assaulted her with a bottle of steak sauce"
"According to the Carlisle News & Star, the couple had been arguing and exchanging text messages before the sauce assault".
"pleaded guilty to assault"

I don't want to live on this planet any more.

Patrick, my comment makes as much sense as does Jeans about not wanting to live on this planet anymore. Both impossible and convey disappointment. The "bitch" comment was tongue in cheek, as was the "humanity is fucked" one. The part about working writters getting shafted and forced to write drivel just to sell "units" (not books) because the audience is dumb.. that is true. You know something is rotten when Joe Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, China Mieville, James Moore etc all of a sudden start writting YA books. So yeah, maybe you shouldn't go F yourself for buying 50 shades, but you should hang your head in shame.

[mattgreenbean]

Obviously there were other problems going on then the book in the couples relationship. But yes, a book can definitely change a person. I take books seriously whether it be fiction or non-fiction. Although I think we're talking about fiction only here.

Read a book where the many character is surviving an end of society scenario, what do you do, start thinking about you're own survival instincts.

I have no interest in 50 Shades, but if my girlfriend read it and whats to get kinky, I'm down (to a degree at.)

[stkmw02]

Have you read the books, WeDealInLead? I didn't buy it, but my mom read all three as part of her book club. When she was telling me about it, at first I was like, "Mom, really. Spend your money on actual books, not smut." So she challenged me to read the first book. The opening, before any of the raunchy sex comes in, is actually well written. The characters are developed, the scenes are described, the plot is interesting. I personally think it is actually written better than Harry Potter in terms of sentence structure and flow. I had to stop myself from reading the whole book, because I really DON'T want to get into the dirty stuff. lol

As for the question at hand: Books should always be taken seriously. I am passionate about my books. My husband, luckily, is a fan of the written word as well. That doesn't mean we agree on literature, but it means we both tread lightly. As in all areas of life, we choose our battles carefully. Is it worth arguing over? It depends. Everything I read, I tell him about. I even read most of it to him. So, if I was going to read a book with descriptive sex scenes, I'd share it with him. Just like I would expect him to watch porn with me instead of hiding it. I think, in a healthy relationship, you communicate about those kinds of things. Clearly, the saucey relationship wasn't healthy to begin with. This book just made that more evident. Books highlight the parts of people that are already there, emphasizing their core beliefs and values.

My mom and I have always had a touchy relationship. Reading the Hunger Games together helped us identify common feelings, while her reading Twilight brought up a lot of our differences. lol Books are serious stuff.

[Ka-mai]

Wow, so much anger in here. :ninja:

I don't really see the big deal about Fifty Shades, just because the author flat-out acknowledged the books are terrible and romance novels have existed since the printing press (probably). I think if you're honest about writing smut for money then whatever. Some people strip or collect bottles on the side of the road or beg when they aren't poor. I don't think it's worth assaulting someone with food products.

I do have a problem with Twilight because of the messages it sends young women (to whom the series is marketed to) and because they are just so, so bad. I can understand people reading something poorly written if you're getting something out of it (arousal, or a fun story, or interesting characters) but when the writing's bad and the story's bad and the messages are bad and the characters are one-dimensional at best... well, that's something you should reevaluate.

So basically, I will probably think you're a little weird for reading certain books, but unless it is actively pushing unhealthy thought processes or so bad there is no redeeming quality (I mean none) I don't see a huge problem. Besides, our economy is shot enough, at least some people are spending money, even if it's on garbage.

[stkmw02]

God points, Ka-mai. My dad told me I should start writing smut, because it pays. I've actually considered it. lol

[Patrick]

...
Patrick, my comment makes as much sense as does Jeans about not wanting to live on this planet anymore. Both impossible and convey disappointment. The "bitch" comment was tongue in cheek, as was the "humanity is fucked" one. The part about working writters getting shafted and forced to write drivel just to sell "units" (not books) because the audience is dumb.. that is true. You know something is rotten when Joe Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, China Mieville, James Moore etc all of a sudden start writting YA books. So yeah, maybe you shouldn't go F yourself for buying 50 shades, but you should hang your head in shame.
I wasn't commenting about your view of the quality of writing, nor the state of literature in general in this country. Please go back and read my post again and read the part of your post that I highlighted. It sounded like you were calling your mom a bitch and saying some nasty stuff toward her. That's what I was referring to when I said, "I don't think this bolded part of your post reads the way you intend it."

Again, I haven't read any of the 50 SHADES books myself, so I am not qualified to comment on them.

[Brice]

If you want high quality smut/horror; read Ed Lee. :)

[WeDealInLead]

...
Patrick, my comment makes as much sense as does Jeans about not wanting to live on this planet anymore. Both impossible and convey disappointment. The "bitch" comment was tongue in cheek, as was the "humanity is fucked" one. The part about working writters getting shafted and forced to write drivel just to sell "units" (not books) because the audience is dumb.. that is true. You know something is rotten when Joe Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, China Mieville, James Moore etc all of a sudden start writting YA books. So yeah, maybe you shouldn't go F yourself for buying 50 shades, but you should hang your head in shame.
I wasn't commenting about your view of the quality of writing, nor the state of literature in general in this country. Please go back and read my post again and read the part of your post that I highlighted. It sounded like you were calling your mom a bitch and saying some nasty stuff toward her. That's what I was referring to when I said, "I don't think this bolded part of your post reads the way you intend it."

Again, I haven't read any of the 50 SHADES books myself, so I am not qualified to comment on them.

Oh God no, I'd never think or say that. I meant the one who got hit with the BBQ sauce.

stkmw02, I've read a few pages in manuscript back when it was just The Twilight fan art. Did you know that? The main guy was called Edward. That's pretty much why publishers took notice; it was slightly kinky/edgy stuff about the sexy guy from The Twilight when The Twilight was at the peak of its popularity. The manuscript was hand-written and each time there was "Edward" in it, it was crossed over. What I read was soo damn stupid... it seemed like she was going to bust out a 'like' at any moment. As in, "She was then like awesome, cool, LOL, follow me on TMBLR.." Funny you mention HP, I've only read the first book but I thought the writting was simple but superb.

Don't we all on here take books seriously? We've either searched out a forum to discuss books or to talk about the expensive ones we collect.

[Ka-mai]

God points, Ka-mai. My dad told me I should start writing smut, because it pays. I've actually considered it. lol

Thank you. And you totally should! :lol: There are worse ways to make money. If I could write fiction I would probably try, under a pseudonym of course.

[Patrick]

...Oh God no, I'd never think or say that. I meant the one who got hit with the BBQ sauce. ...
:lol: Good! I had to read your original post three or four times before I figured that out.


stkmw02, when you go to publish, count me in for a signed first edition.

[Shannon]

Read what you want, watch what you want, listen to whatever type of music you want. Why should it matter to anyone what other people are interested in? If Fifty Shades Of Grey (haven't read it) is "smut", then so be it. It seems to be a hit, and people are talking about it. Whether it is our own personal opinion of "good" shouldn't matter to anyone else.

As far as the news story is concerned ... To hit a woman is, of course, uncalled for. To hit a woman and "sauce assault" her for reading a book is just ridiculous. The guy had issues, both control issues ("Why are you reading that book!? I told you not to and you went ahead and did it anyway!") as well as insecurity issues ("I am intimidated/offended/embarassed by the subject matter of the book, so I must make her stop reading it.") Give me a break. Idiots will be idiots.

Now, as far as the main question is concerned ("How seriously do we take books?"), that can open a huge wriggling can of worms. It's not WHAT the book or movie or music is about, it's what the reader or viewer or listener takes from it. If I'm watching a movie about rape and mutilation, and my significant other starts getting horny, we might have issues. If we watch a movie about ... I don't know ... some war somewhere, and after the movie my significant other and I have a discussion, we might end up on opposite sides of the fault line. It all comes down to how something makes you feel. If you read a book or a short story where a dumb woman makes bad choices and ends up having horrible things done to her, you can take that as two ways: One, it can be a bad message to women, or two, it can be an example of what those women SHOULD and SHOULDN'T do.

And before I go, Mr. WeDealInLead, we've spoken quite a few times and I've never taken you for someone that would be ok with a woman getting slapped and "sauce assaulted" (lol, I'm gonna use that phrase even when it doesn't apply from now on) for reading a book. Did I have the wrong impression of you?

[WeDealInLead]

What do you think?

[Shannon]

:( Not sure, friend.

[WeDealInLead]

Do I think it's funny she got attacked with BBQ sauce over 50 Shades of Grey? Absolutely. The situation is funny because it's so ridicilous and absurd, not because she got hurt. Would I ever do it? No chance in hell.

[Brice]

The saucing was somewhat amusing; the hitting not so much. The absurdity quite so.

[mystima]

I take books seriously when I am reading. I don't like to be disturbed while I am reading a book. If someone sees me reading a book and asks what the book is called I will give them the name of the book and who it is written by that way if they seem interested in the book they can find it on their own. What irks me is if the person then asks what it is about that is when I get snippy because some books you just can't explain without giving the whole story away....lol.

But on the whole fighting over a theme of the book, what is inside it with family and what not, I don't have that problem. My husband and I read practically the same things and he doesn't go ape shit over something as trivial as the mentioned book....hell the way he is he would probably want to copy it...lol...

The point being is compatibility with your significant other...obviously these two from the news article were not or he wouldn't have assaulted her in the first place. Like I said in another thread, we read to get out of the reality that we are in to find an escape from the world that we are in and if that world happens to be filled with smut from this book and you are okay with that more power to ya. Some of the books that I have escaped into have that in it and I am not ashamed nor embarrassed by it. It seems the boyfriend in this news article was a prude and inexperienced and didn't want to show his inexperience at the fact that a book made his girl happy and he didn't.....and that is my two cents for the day....maybe more than two cents.....lol

[Brice]

Putting this in perspective...my copy of Helter Skelter came from a library book sale. Scrawled in a jagged hand on the back page pictures are comments about how the writer idolizes Manson and wants to be the next Charlie. Yes, I'm serious.

1. Maybe it's just someone trying to fuck with people.
2. Jesus, there are some sick fucks out there

[Jean]

oh SHIT...

[Brice]

Umm...yeah! I got it like twenty years ago. People are fucked up.

[Ka-mai]

I take books seriously when I am reading. I don't like to be disturbed while I am reading a book. If someone sees me reading a book and asks what the book is called I will give them the name of the book and who it is written by that way if they seem interested in the book they can find it on their own. What irks me is if the person then asks what it is about that is when I get snippy because some books you just can't explain without giving the whole story away....lol.

But on the whole fighting over a theme of the book, what is inside it with family and what not, I don't have that problem. My husband and I read practically the same things and he doesn't go ape shit over something as trivial as the mentioned book....hell the way he is he would probably want to copy it...lol...

The point being is compatibility with your significant other...obviously these two from the news article were not or he wouldn't have assaulted her in the first place. Like I said in another thread, we read to get out of the reality that we are in to find an escape from the world that we are in and if that world happens to be filled with smut from this book and you are okay with that more power to ya. Some of the books that I have escaped into have that in it and I am not ashamed nor embarrassed by it. It seems the boyfriend in this news article was a prude and inexperienced and didn't want to show his inexperience at the fact that a book made his girl happy and he didn't.....and that is my two cents for the day....maybe more than two cents.....lol

I hate when people ask about what I'm reading, particularly if the book has been turned into a tv show or movie (Game of Thrones). People will always ask me things like, "Oh, is (name) still alive?" You literally can't give an answer to that without spoilers. Even if you say, "I'm not going to tell you" there's always some sort of facial tic they'll take for an answer.

My boyfriend and I don't really fight over books, but if he's reading something I love and he doesn't (again, Game of Thrones) I get a little upset. Also, if he says he's going to read something and then proceeds to read one chapter a week (Game of Thrones) I get really pissed because I feel like he's refusing to bond with me. Yes, that's a little dramatic, but if someone says they want to read something because you enjoy it and then they don't read it, well.... <_< Anyway, all of this pretty much goes both ways, so we're both crazy, it's not just me.

I don't think the sauce-assaulter (sauceaulter?) is a prude necessarily, but I do think he has extreme insecurities and is probably abusive. He could also be a prude in addition to these things.

Brice: You might want to put a little disclaimer note in that book that you didn't write that stuff. Just in case someone finds it after you die. :P

[Brice]

After I die what do I care if anyone thinks I'm a raving psychopath? LOL

[Matt]

I read what I like for the most part. For years I would only read certain authors (like King) because I was sure I would like the book. In the last decade I've tried to branch out and been burned several times. I have figured our a formula but I think in the end people just read what they like and that has a lot to do with how it is written.

Some authors can write a subject I'm totally interested in (like smut) very badly and turn me off while others can do something I am on the fence about (like cathedral building) very well and produce one of my favorite books ever.

As far as the original question...I am passionate about books but don't really get that worked up about anything. Maybe it's the medication. :nana:

I also think "50 Shades" shows most women love some crazy semi-rough sex weather they want to admit it or not.

[Ka-mai]

I will get a little insulted when people either won't read my favorites or don't enjoy them. For example, my boyfriend will not read Harry Potter or Chronicles of Narnia because they're kids' books (also the Christian allegory thing for Narnia). I just want them to give it a chance! However, if they give it a chance and don't like it, I get really defensive. :P So I take my favorites very seriously.

[Patrick]

... while others can do something I am on the fence about (like cathedral building) very well and produce one of my favorite books ever.
...
Totally agree, Matt. THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH was a fantastic book!

[Girlystevedave]

"assaulted her with a bottle of steak sauce"
"According to the Carlisle News & Star, the couple had been arguing and exchanging text messages before the sauce assault".
"pleaded guilty to assault"

I don't want to live on this planet any more.

What bears said.
I don't know how many times I've had this same thought.

[beam*seeker]

No, it's not just a book. It's a idiocy and illiteracy in book format. It's proof that we'll take any SHIT media serves us and it'll sell millions. It's proof that general readership has taken a turn toward mediocrity and serious dumbing down of what was a beatiful form of expression and actual ART. It's almost like publishers are fucking with us... 'let's see if we can get away with this one?' or 'maybe they are THAT stupid.'

50 Shades of Dumb is for soccer mommies and tweens who never actually tried S/M. The Twilight was a solid piece of literary work compared to this. I knew humanity is fucked when my mom bought this book.

That bitch got off easy. Fuck her and fuck everyone else who supports this garbage. True authors who actually work on their art are getting shafted left, right and centre because of this shit.

I can't believe I actually agree with you on this one. Perhaps her man misinterpreted her reading of S/M soft porn as she wanted some and started out with the bottle of steak sauce. NO, I don't believe she deserved it, and I am pretty sure you were tongue in cheek about meaning she deserved to be A-Sauce-saulted but, I agree overall with the rest of the intensity and theme of your commentary.

As to the topic at hand, of course books are important. Art imitates life and vice versa. Unless you don't take life seriously, you should take books seriously. I think the relationship however had more critical issues than a philosophical disagreement about reading material however...

[Mattrick]

I scowl at every woman I see with a 50 Shades book in their hands. I take books very seriously and more people should take them seriously.