Book 'Snobbery'

[Nailed]

Do you ever feel that people judge you by the books which you read?

I find that if I read a certain style of book, and not other books I am frowned upon. For example, I addor the P Cornwell books but i found 'The Great Gatesby' and 'Tess of D'ubervilles' to be two of the worst books I ever read, However, if this comes up in conversation I feel as though I am being ridiculed by people who consider their book choices more 'authentic' and 'correct'

 

Thoughts? If any.

 

Lou x

[Chrissy]

I always feel that snob readers who would even think of judging the reading choices of others are incredibly insecure readers. They can't have any confidence in their reading choices, and take no real pleasure from exploring authors if they so rigidly categorise what one should read.

 

I like what I like, and hate what I hate, with a right old mix of classics, moderns, light, heavy and whatever other tag you might apply in each pile. I have had the "Oh, have you read [insert worthy title here]?" but if you actually get into a discussion, you invariably discover that the person asking read a number of 'worthy' books at school / University etc, but nothing like it since.

[Ben]

I always get this at university from the really clever types that knock me for not having read such-and-such classics

Edited September 3, 2012 by Ben

[vodkafan]

Luckily I don't mix in such "exalted" circles! I like it when I do stumble across another reader, it is always nice to hear them be enthusiastic about who they like to read and why. I don't mind what authors they like.

[ian]

I tend to find that book snobs read certain authors because they should, rather than because they want to. In the same way they wouldn't dream of trying the "wrong" authors. I've tried to keep an open mind when approaching any book or genre - I've come across some gems doing that.

[bookmonkey]

I agree with Ian, and I often find that they say they 'like' certain books because they think they should like them. Luckily I don't know many people like this.

[Nailed]

I agree with you all! I like Garth Nix. But i can't imagine most people having heard of him!

Lou x

[Devi]

I sometimes get not so kind comments because I read books about ghosts/spirits and what not, and when I say I believe in them they laugh at me.

 

 

I noticed a guy reading fifty shades of gray at a cafe today, and happen to overhear a couple on the next table making not so kind remarks about him reading said book. For some reason they were judging the guy for reading a book targeted at ladies.

Edited September 4, 2012 by Devi

[Raven]

There are, of course, the arguments that it doesn't matter what people read as long as they are and as long as they enjoy what they are reading.

 

I agree with this to a point, but I also find it very grating that in recent years the best seller charts have been dominated by a slew of badly written books (I'm not going to point fingers, you know who they are . . .).

 

Perhaps it's just me, but when someone I know says they are reading book "X" and I know it's badly written, I will quite often try to steer them towards another book on a similar theme that is well written.

 

I don't think it is arrogance or snobbery to say that a book is dreadful when it is and you are being asked directly for your opinion, but people probably do need to hold their tongues, or be a bit more tactful, when they aren't being asked.

[bree]

I think most of us are there on the different rungs of the "snob" ladder.

Looking down on some. Being looked down upon, by others.

 

Why should it matter to us, what another is choosing to read?

 

There is a reason why some books are on the top of the best-seller lists more than others - and I don't think it is only about aggressive marketing.

There is that too, of course, but I think they also fulfil a need and requirement in the readers.

And that is why they are being read by a lot of people, and recommended by word of mouth.

 

Why should the fact that a person has picked a particular book say anything else, other than the fact that they picked that book?

 

We don't know about his life, his pressures, his needs, his state of mind, or the reasons for choosing the book that he did, and what relief/pleasure/escapism/hope it provides him.

So how can, or even, why should, anyone judge?

 

Is it just one more way we like to think we're "better" than the rest?

Or are we really worried that the collective intelligence of the society is diminishing, because of these choices?

 

I'd be more concerned about the emotional intelligence.

If anything, I'd assume that reading the classics, and the literary heavy-weights, or whatever we consider to be good books, should make us a better people - more sensitive, more compassionate, more open-minded, more, yes, accepting.

Because I'd assume having read these, we're able to see the world through the eyes of other characters, more aware of complexities, possibilities and situations.

If all it does is make us arrogant and snide, then, I guess, we just have a little more growing to do.

 

Of course, we all judge books we've read - as good, brilliant, horrible - but isn't that more about what that book made us feel, than the book itself?

Haven't we ever felt differently about the same book, on reading it at different points in our lives?

Then isn't our judgement of a book more a reflection of our state of mind, our life journey at that point?

 

Isn't it the same then, with others? They are at a different point in their, yes, different lives, and have picked what they have, for a reason they know best.

 

Yes, there are books which we'll always find horrible, at whichever age/stage we read them - but again, isn't it more about about how we are wired, and nothing more?

[SueK]

I think the main thing here is to get people reading - doesn't matter what - as we are in danger of becoming illiterate! I know people who boast that they've never picked up a book in their life!!!

 

I hear people being "well read" - does that mean they only read classics or boast that they've read James Joyce? I consider myself "well read" in that I don't stop reading - but I can't sit and have a deep meaningful conversation on some of the dull so called heavyweights out there.

Edited September 5, 2012 by SueK

[bree]

Sue,

 

I know what you mean. I know that "reading" is a sort of virtue almost, in the "civilized" world.

 

But I don't think it's necessary or even important for people to read. Being literate yes, but being a reader, no.

 

I know of so many people who've reached the same end - that of being able to have a meaningful conversation, of being broad-minded, of being intelligent and sensitive (which I assume is what book-reading is expected to do) - without picking up a book.

 

For some it may have been travel, or music, or being keen observers of society, or living with nature, or silences and introspection. And some are just instinctively wise souls.

 

Actually when I meet people like this I am in awe of them, as they have so many startling ideas and deep pools of wisdom which originated from their own experiences, rather than having read it second-hand through a book, like I did.

 

I think when people say that they are proud of never having picked a book, it's more in defence, as there is a huge pressure, and expectation in society, that you should read.

 

I've done it too. Thought that reading is a thing to be proud of.

And then I met my partner, who isn't a reader - but amazes and fascinates me with his thoughts and views on things.

And then I travelled around and met so many people who don't read, but still lead remarkable, and even inspiring, lives.

Yes, it's wonderful to read. But surely not necessary at all.

 

I remember Hermionie saying in one of the Harry Potter books :

 

"Harry--you're a great wizard, you know."

"I'm not as good as you," said Harry, very embarrassed, as she let him go.

"Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things--friendship and bravery and--oh Harry--be careful!"

 

(I'd to look it up for the exact words )

[Gabbie]

I guess some would call me a book snob, so I try to explain this the way I mean it. Which is to say, my intention is not to insult of upset or cause trouble. But yes, I do think less of people who ONLY (that's the imperative word here) read books like Twilight (sorry. I glanced at one of these in a bookshop, read a paragraph in which 7 out of 8 sentences started with the word "I". That's a give-away for a badly written book in my mind. Not to mention the reviews I've heard from people with tastes I trust.) and only watch BigBrother. I'm not saying, mind, that reading Twililght or watching BigBrother is bas as such, but if that's the only reading and TV watching you do, then no, I'm not going to assume great intellectual depth in you.

 

I think as long as the book you're reading (whether contemporary or classic) makes you think, generates some thought progress in you, some original thought, then it's worth your time. (And concequently, you're worth mine.) And if that's the kind of material you usually do, then it's "ok" to read the occasional fluff. We all need the easy escape every now and then, after all and there's nothing bad in that. It's like spending a day on a beach, doing nothing, as opposed to visiting a museum.

 

I guess it's more about who I feel comfortable around than any actual "I'm holier than thou" attitude. I just don't find myself having anythign in common with the Twilight/BigBrother types.

 

But bree, you're perfectly right. Book smarts is not the end of it, and I too know plenty of people who don't really read all that much. Then again, they also don't watch BigBrother (using that as a genre here). And they do have original thoughts. But in the academic world in particular we are falling in to the trap of thinking our kind of "smartness" is the only kind, the best kind. It's not. But that's not quite the same thing than the original topic, don't you find?

[pontalba]

Do you ever feel that people judge you by the books which you read?

I find that if I read a certain style of book, and not other books I am frowned upon. For example, I addor the P Cornwell books but i found 'The Great Gatesby' and 'Tess of D'ubervilles' to be two of the worst books I ever read, However, if this comes up in conversation I feel as though I am being ridiculed by people who consider their book choices more 'authentic' and 'correct'

 

Thoughts? If any.

 

Lou x

 

If people find it necessary to judge me according to the books I read it's their problem. Not mine.

Their insecurity is not something I have to worry about, or deal with in any way.

I read what I like, what I have the itch to read, and have on the shelf.

 

Yeah, we're all a bit snobbish about the books we like, and wonder how in the heck "they" can enjoy "that". Pftt. So what.

Our differences are what make life interesting.

Discussion of our differences is what makes life interesting and lively.

 

How bloody boring it would be if we all liked, for example, Harry Potter, or Nabokov, or Joyce, or mysteries...........whatever!

The plays the thing my friends.

[karen.d]

If people find it necessary to judge me according to the books I read it's their problem. Not mine.

Their insecurity is not something I have to worry about, or deal with in any way.

I read what I like, what I have the itch to read, and have on the shelf.

 

 

Hear, hear! I totally agree with you.

[emelee]

People always have prejudices about certain things. Not the same things though. But still.

 

Like if I were to say "upper class", most people can say what the typical upper-class person would wear, work with, what their hobbies might be, where they might live etc etc. You can't really escape it. Just like you can't have this sentence unread. Or immidiately imaging a pink elephant by just reading/hearing "pink elephant".

 

I really don't care what people think of me when they find out what I read. Chances are I will judge them back when I in return find out what they read. Like if they read all the classics and look down on people who don't, I'd think "snob" and "bore" about that person.

[Karen]

I think book snobbery is part and parcel of the reading world as a whole.

 

I read a lot of chick lit and, more recently, have started to branch out into the contemporary romance genre.  Now I know there are a lot of people out there (and probably here on BCF too) who wouldn't even consider reading a book from either of these genres, which is fair enough as it's their/your choice, but I do sometimes feel that people judge ME for reading them.

 

Don't get me wrong there are a lot of trashy chick lit and romance books out there, but there are also a lot of really well written and enjoyable books which are tagged with these genres which probably get overlooked because of the way they are marketed.

 

Just because I may be reading a book with a girly pink cover doesn't mean I'm a dumb blonde.

 

I think Bree made a really good point earlier about not judging someone for the type of book they read when you don't know the reasons why they picked that book to begin with.  I like a good hard-hitting crime novel like the best of them, but then again sometimes after a hard day at work I like to curl up and escape reality for a while and, for me, chick lit and contemporary romance fits that bill perfectly.

 

At the end of the day I like to read and I don't care what genre a book is as long as it fits my needs at that particular point in time.  It doesn't matter what genre it is or who wrote it as long as it's a good read!

[Athena]

I sometimes feel ashamed to be reading a certain book in public, I know I shouldn't be, but I'm sometimes afraid that people will think less of me because I'm reading a certain type of book.

 

I read more complicated books and less complicated books, of various genres. Like Karen, I like to read a chick-lit book now and then.

 

Imo people should read what they want. I'm sure that there are people out there who judge others by what they read. Generally, for me, when someone is reading a book, I'm interested to know what kind of book it is (ie. in the train I try to sometimes glimpse a title or author).

[julie]

^{Very interesting topic .}  

 

^{I must say I am guilty of being a book snob in a way,although I'm trying to reform my ways,so to speak . To me, I like reading a book that teaches me something by the end . I lean towards nonfiction mainly,because all nonfiction books teach me something I didn't know before .}

^{Not saying that fiction won't do the same. There are tons of fiction books I've read that also teach me about LIFE .... you know,about how a person might handle a specific problem in their life,and what happened as a result of their decisions . So I think ALMOST every book can teach us something .}

 ^{I tend to think that romances and cozy mysteries fall into the "fluff" category,because I don't think I could learn much by either of them,but like others have said in this thread, ,everyone enjoys different books , and at times, we all step out of our usual reading habits to cross over into something lighter . I've done it myself ,depending on my mood .}

^{What worries me is that Reading is almost becoming a thing of the past. People have busier,more hectic lives today that ever before . Most families have both parents working full time, which makes their free time very limited. If you have kids, you have to spend time with them at night ,you have housework needing done,food needing fixed, etc.so Idont think people in general have as much reading time as they once did. Life has gotten way too hectic . And how about all the sngle parents ? Their reading time would be even less ,if they have sole custody of the kids .}

^{We are also in the world of "entertainment," let's call it . Lots of people have phones that not only make phone calls,they take pictures,, play video game,s and music,etc .}

^{Lots of people tend to play video games or watch movies in their free time. It's sad,but books seem to be being pushed further off the list of popular hobbies .}

^{I read online the other day that the average American reads 4 books a year. FOUR ???? That's sad .}

 

^{I may be wrong,but it seems to me that people from other countries value books and reading much more than we do here,if you were to take a survey . I think it would have been so interesting to live back in Dicken's time,where people eagerly awaited the next part of his book being published that week in the magazine or newspaper .}

^{It's still neat to see people waiting in long lines at a bookstore for a new release ( mainly Harry Potter is the one that comes to mind ).}

 

^{I'm in the minority here, I have yet to read a Harry Potter book. Not that I think they are "stupid" or they aren't good books. I'm sure they are . I actually did try reading the first one, and thinking I wish I was about 40 years younger and I would have gobbled them up. I think ,to me ,anyhow,some books just aren't targeting my age group,so I tend not to read them. In doing that, i'm probably missing out on some terrific books .}

 

^{To summarize, as long as people READ ,that is what is most important . Read anything ,just read. It's sad to me to hear the average number of books we read as FOUR .  That number, to me, makes reading look like it's becoming extinct, like some exotic animal . I'd rather see people read,even a comic book, than to let reading become extinct .}

[bobblybear]

^{To summarize, as long as people READ ,that is what is most important . Read anything ,just read. It's sad to me to hear the average number of books we read as FOUR .  That number, to me, makes reading look like it's becoming extinct, like some exotic animal . I'd rather see people read,even a comic book, than to let reading become extinct .}

 

I wonder how they worked that average out. Did they only count people who read, or the entire population of readers and non-readers alike. I don't know many 'casual readers'. The people I know who read, are quite 'hardcore' about it and always have a book on the go, rather than only pick one up every few months. I think you have a population of avid readers like on here, who read 40+ books a year, and then you have those who read nothing, with not that many people in-between.

[julie]

Bobbly

Not sure how they came up with that number, or even where I read it now. Someplace online where they had done a survey of American readers .

I would tend to agree with it though. Just in my circle of people, I am the only one I know who reads for enjoyment or entertainment. No one in my family likes to read, none of my friends like to read. The Hubster has just recently started reading for enjoyment, maybe in the past year .

I'm trying to figure out if I make the circle wider,say,the people in our town who like to read . We have 6000 people in our town. I'd say on average, if I use our town library, the majority of library users are kids,there to do research for a school project or find a book for a school class.We live in an area with a HUGE population of a religion very closely related to Mennonite,maybe a little less strict. THEY come in to get books for their small kids very frequently . I'd say maybe 1/3 of the people who use our library are adults who read strictly for enjoyment,not because they have to .

If I go further to the next big town (not sure of their population,but I'd guess maybe 15,000 )? Their library is pretty busy,but a large number of people go there to use the computers. The teen kids go there to hang out,since they have a teen center with a big screen tv and video games.

I need to do some more research on this. I think I'll ASK our libraries how many adults they would guess actually come in strictly for books . Might be an interesting thing to find out .

I would still like to think people read to their kids every night,but I'm not sure if they do. I did for our kids,and my grandson. I read him LOTS of books every day .Even when he was still a baby,I'd tell him a story while I was rocking him to sleep . He reads now,but not for entertainment,just for schoolwork.

I think I instilled the love of books into our kids when small. Our oldest likes to read,the middle one used to,the youngest,NEVER .

 

I'm still thinking other countries would have a higher enjoyment of reading. It seems to me as if they value education more ,where we don't realize how fortunate we are to be able to go to good schools and have millions of books free for the taking .

 

Maybe I'll do an informal survey at our local library to see what they say. I know our library is the 2nd busiest one in the county. We have 6 towns with libraries in our county .The main one is HUGE (they are a college town,so get LOTS of business.)

Edited March 12, 2013 by julie

[chaliepud]

I wonder how they worked that average out. Did they only count people who read, or the entire population of readers and non-readers alike. I don't know many 'casual readers'. The people I know who read, are quite 'hardcore' about it and always have a book on the go, rather than only pick one up every few months. I think you have a population of avid readers like on here, who read 40+ books a year, and then you have those who read nothing, with not that many people in-between.

A few of my friends read as much as I do and a lot at least always have a book "on the go", some friends say they only read on holiday as that's the only time they can spare the time, only a handful of my friends don't read at all..

 

I think it's really important to encourage the next generation of readers, my children could quite easily not read and spend all their time on electrical devices but I make sure they have 'screen free' time and put time into resourcing books I think they will like, whilst making sure as best I can that they are appropriate to their age and maturity.. My nearly 14 year old son will only read at bedtime as a rule but he has just finished The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time and has just started To Kill A Mockingbird, both books that were on a recommended reading list he got from his English teacher..

 

Saying that they wouldn't consider taking a book on a sleepover or school trip in case they were to be teased for it, sad but true..

[Athena]

I would think that the average is higher in ie. my country, though I'm not sure. I know some people who read often, I know quite a few people who read now and then (when they have the time, ie. in the holidays). I don't know many people who never read at all, then again I don't have tons of friends so it's not at all representative (I was one of the few people who read a book at university though while I was waiting for classes, everyone else usually turned up late and chatted the remaining time away). The US seems more focused on other forms of entertainment. We don't have that as much here, to my knowledge (but then again my knowledge is limited). To be honest, other than the people I know, I wouldn't really know what goes on in most people's heads. I do know that television and games also take up some time of the people I know (depending on who we talk about, of course). For me, I love reading the best, though I would watch more television and play more games if I had the energy (and thereby possibly reading less).

 

I do think it's important to show children how fun reading is. I was taught this at my primary school, I don't know though if primary schools these days still give the same attention to reading (or even whether it was just my school). My siblings like to read too, though I've always been the most passionate about it. My parents encouraged our love for reading, they read books themselves too (they don't have that much time for it today unfortunately).

 

Maybe these days some younger people see reading as old-fasioned? I'm not sure.

[julie]

Ok, I am back from my fact-finding mission. I went to our library which is just a few blocks down the hill from me . Here is what I found out :

In our entire COUNTY,the libraries as a whole checked out 1 million total books in 2012 . Of those, the kid's books were slighlty higher than adult books .

The MOVIE checkouts beat all the books ,which shows movies have bumped higher than books .

 

They found a couple different studies for me :

1 states that in 2010, 11% of adults read 10 books or more that year.

In 2012, that number decreased to 9 books per year, per adult .

 

 

Next one -

In 1978 ---12 % of adults admitted they hadn't read a book at all that year .

In 2011, 19 % admitted to not reading a book all year .

 

 

Ereaders :

It seems that the availability of Ereaders has increased people's reading amounts -- This study involved 3000 Americans 16 and older :

21 % of Americans said they read more since getting an Ereader . Also the ability to read online, on your phone,etc has increased interest in reading .

The average Ereader owner has read 24 books per year . The highest group included in this study : White females, well educated, 65 and older were the top readers in this group .

Print books still dominate Ereader books ,as a general rule .

 

Last study:

8 % of adults read one book last year

17 % read 2-3 books

16 % read 4-5 books

19 % read 6-10 books

18 % read11-20

22 % read more than 20

 

So,that's the info I gathered regarding reading habits of Americans .  Do I get a Gold Star for my report ?

[chesilbeach]

There are definitely booksnobs out there - I used to get it more when I read paperbacks, but now I tend to have my Kindle in public, so I only get the people who sneer at ereaders rather than the content I'm actually reading! I've had people make snarky comments when I've been reading something they felt was beneath them, but I usually just put my headphones in and ignore them - probably not the best way to deal with them, but I'm not going to let them bother me.

With regards to the number of books people read, I know a few people who only read when they're on holiday, so for them, four books over the course of a few weeks away would sound about right.

Julie - you definitely deserve a gold star! Here's the best I can find: