The painful truth about myself
Remember the FUN?
I have always loved to read. I don't remember learning how to do it, just that it came naturally to me. My whole family loved books, so it's no surprise that we were often found at the library choosing them and then going home and eagerly devouring them.
When I was young, I read any title that appealed to me. I pulled books off the library shelves if they had a pretty cover, had a name I recognized, or just "sounded good." It didn't matter what I read. I had time and no goal other than to enjoy the book.
Sadly, the older I got, the farther I strayed from the pure bliss of reading. Somehow, I started believing that each book I read had to be meaningful or educational. Gone were the days when I would lose myself in a Gothic mystery or swoon to a light-hearted romance without kicking myself for spending my limited time on a "frivolous" novel.
What happened to me that I stopped "enjoying" and started judging every book?
When other people mentioned "popular" reads that I hadn't read, the self-analysis began. Was I a book snob?
Ouch. The truth hurt. I AM a book snob!
How to know if you're a book snob:
If you, too, wonder about your elitist literary tendencies, here's what to ask yourself to assess your level of snobbery.
Do you choose your reading based on reviews in "high-brow" publications?
Do the "Best Books of the Year" or "Best Books of the Century" lists matter to you?
Do you purposely choose books that have won awards?
Do you eschew certain genres, (romance? sci-fi? comedy? beach reads?) thinking they're not serious enough?
Do you make yourself plow through a serious work rather than laugh and be entertained by a "frolic" read?
Do you often say, "The book was better""?
Do you consider classics superior to popular bestsellers?
Do you own a shirt or a mug with a reading quip on it?
How did you do?
If you said yes to two or less of these questions, you are NOT a book snob, merely a careful chooser of your reading selections.
If you said yes to three or four of these questions, you are mildly aristocratic in your book choices.
If you said yes to five or six of these questions, you are, indeed, a condescending critic of literature.
If you answered yes to seven of them, or all eight -(like I did) - woe to your fun factor! You are a definite, disdainful, full-fledged book snob!
Friends, I am changing! While I will always care about books of notoriety in the literary world, I am coming back to my roots, reading for hours, - JUST FOR FUN! Whatever looks good or sounds good - regardless of hype, awards, and fancy publicity!
p.s. In the spirit of "lightening up!" I'm writing this piece not to be too serious, but "JUST FOR FUN!"
If you buy a book or product in any format that you’ve discovered through Literature Lust, I earn a small commission on the sale. Thank you!
JUST FOR FUN:
Comentários