I was pretty clearly disparaging the tendency which some people show hereabouts to write off a work of literature because it's difficult or unpleasant.

And the responses were pretty clearly disagreeing with you that "difficult" is the reason said books get put down in favor of other ones.

I think that's more than a bit of an overstatement.

I wouldn't. This thread has always had an anti-intellectual, anti-academic, pro-populist slant. People are actively hostile about critical reading and defensive about reading for pleasure. And it's never simply championing genre or the pleasures of reading, but there's a weird defensive/guilty/angry whipcrack of resentment about difficult literature, the way literature is taught in colleges and critical theory. And it's layered on with self-congratulation and reverse snobbery.

I'm not talking about a slight tendency either - but by far the dominant tone in this thread. Endless loops of Jennifer Crusie, Lord Peter Whimsy, Austen, Georgette Heyer. And the funny part (to me anyway) is that people loved to indulge in deep critical discussion about Buffy and Angel once a week for years and years, but it's nearly impossible to have that kind of discussion in this thread.

My heart sinks a little when I read a post saying the poster doesn't like one of my favorite authors. I don't know why, and it's cool everybody's got different tastes.

I think it's perfectly natural. Usually, an author becomes a favorite because they do to you what Deb wants an author to do to her: echo in you, touch you on a personal level. And so, when someone disparages them, it's like they're disparaging you personally. I totally understand it.

PC do you have an edition/translation of Crime and Punishment you'd recommend.

I think I read the most popular translation. Hold on, let me see who it is. Constance Garnett. That's the one I read, and the one I own, I'm pretty sure.

I was pretty clearly disparaging the tendency which some people show hereabouts to write off a work of literature because it's difficult or unpleasant. Did I name names? No.

Who has ever on this thread written off a work of literature because it's too difficult? I've never seen it done, unless it was situational, along the lines, of "I just tried to read Great Work, but because of Situation X that's happening in my life right now, I set it aside and picked up Brain Candy instead."

And as for unpleasant, well, why should I read something that actively makes me unhappy? And by that I don't mean a story in which sad or shocking things happen and I feel those emotions while reading. But why read a book that makes me want to scrub my brain with bleach, or one where I actively hate all the characters, or one where the author isn't just challenging my beliefs and values but deliberately insulting and stomping upon them? What's the point?

Not really trying to change the subject, but not really caring if I do-

Barbara E(mumblecan'tspellherlastname) of Nicke and Dimed is subbing for Tom Friedman while he's away.

resentment about difficult literature

Gee, there's that word again.

(seconding Betsy's Waterston sigh.Even if I'm still mad at him for making me cry in school watching The Killing Fields...and thereby Ruining My Life for six months. In freshman years, that's a long time. But it was Waterston, Nhor, friendship, and "Imagine"...I'm only human. Sniff.) One of my Brilliant But Cancelled =I'll Fly Away. (Interested in La Tep's rant.) I loved "Women Who Run With The Wolves."

P-C it was Crime and Punishment that brought that thought up. I'm not even sure if it feels like a personal thing as much as. Oh but I like that person so much, they should like this book. It's weird.

I wouldn't. This thread has always had an anti-intellectual, anti-academic, pro-populist slant. People are actively hostile about critical reading and defensive about reading for pleasure. And it's never simply championing genre or the pleasures of reading, but there's a weird defensive/guilty/angry whipcrack of resentment about difficult literature, the way literature is taught in colleges and critical theory. And it's layered on with self-congratulation and reverse snobbery.

Couldn't that POSSIBLY be because some of us are a little tired of having our tastes slammed as unworthy by the establishment? And what the fucking FUCK is un-intellectual about loving Jane Austen?

Oh but I like that person so much, they should like this book. It's weird.

Heather, I totally understand that as well. It's like you'd already felt in your heart that they should like it, and then you discover they didn't. You almost feel betrayed, through no fault of their own.