THE BOOK SNOB
ONE
I Was Finally Called a Book Snob!
After eleven years of book blogging... I was finally called a book snob. Am I a book snob? What is a book snob? Is there such a thing as a book snob? Let's consider...
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This list started the discussion on my personal Facebook page.
AUTHORS AND CRITICS CHOICE
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Even with a free level NYT subscription I was only able to view the article once before a paywall came up, so here's a link to a library laundry list with just the cover, book title author, and date published. There are no summaries like the NYT article has.
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However, don't fret, I will be making a title list blog page with links to Goodreads at some point.
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Jolene, who used to blog at Jo's Book Blog, is Facebook friends with me and she was saying in the comments of my post how she had read The Goldfinch twice and that her book is stuffed full of tabs. Another friend, who is a library clerk, was also singing its praises. Then another friend chimed in commenting that she and her book club (they read a lot of Chick Lit) thought the book was way too long and wordy, and it needed a lot of editing to condense it. Hmm, it's a Pulitzer Prize winner. I assure you, there was not one extraneous word in that book. I loved it.
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I replied, "I love her writing style. I'm a show me don't tell me reader. 'Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.' ― Anton Chekhov"
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At that point I had not finished The Goldfinch and a couple of weeks later, when I posted I had finished, she again commented that the book was too long and too wordy. Why did she feel the need to reiterate her shallow criticism? I replied that I loved Tartt's writing style and I was used to reading long books. I noticed she has taken her second comment down.
I couldn't call her out on Facebook, so to make myself feel better I mentioned it on X-Twitter... and someone whom I don't know called me a, "F#@+ing book snob!"
I see they have also taken their comment down. Come on, people, have a little conviction about your dissing of Literary Fiction. Ha!
SNOB
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/snäb/
1. A person with an exaggerated respect for high social position or wealth who seeks to associate with social superiors and dislikes people or activities regarded as lower-class.
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2. One who has an offensive air of superiority in matters of knowledge or taste.
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3. A person who has extremely high standards who is not satisfied by the things ordinary people like.
I had a college American Lit professor who said no one should ever read for enjoyment. We all rolled our eyes. Now, years later, I'm thinking he most likely meant purely for enjoyment; and I get it.
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Do I tell people who exclusively read traditional cozies and drugstore paperback type romances they shouldn't read them? No. I think that would be a key component to being a "book snob". Do I wish they would try reading other things once in a while? Yes. At least books with soft messages about societal concerns, the environment, and acceptance of unjustly marginalized groups, or simply the human condition. An easy read story like The House in the Cerulean Sea comes to mind. Do I wish Chick Lit readers would sometimes try thought provoking Literary Fiction with more substance and depth? Yes. However, don't criticize it if you didn't "get it".
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I don't think this is being a book snob. I'm not saying I'm better than you for reading Literary Fiction, and I'm certainly not reading it to impress anyone.
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I'm not telling you not to read cozies and paperback romances; I'm saying my brain needs more to evoke feelings and emotions, and for enjoyment I need complex sentences with great vocabulary and thought provoking elements... and that's why I don't like them.
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This is why I read Middle Grade when I need a break after a heavy book. Believe it or not most MG has more complex storytelling than cozies and paperback romances, and after being tricked into reading the aforementioned, better sentence structure and vocabulary, too!
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So to the cheesy Romance readers who like to ridicule those of us who read Middle Grade. Who's the real book snob?
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ON THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OF THE BOOK SNOB
YOUTUBE NEW LIST ALERT SHELLY SWEARINGEN
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I'm going to be dissecting this Booktuber's video about the NYT 100 Best Books of the 21st Century. I haven't watched it yet, but from her initial facial expressions and the top two comments, I'm thinking she had problems.
NEW YORK TIMES BEST 100 BOOKS OF THE 21ST CENTURY
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I will also be discussing the second NYT list chosen by readers. I have read sixteen books from this one. There are still a lot of heavy-hitters on this list, so I guess more "ordinary people" read and love Literary Fiction than others think. I'll be comparing the two lists as to what is on both, and comparing them to the Goodreads "Best Books" winners from over the years. I think Goodreads is the reason so many readers confuse "most popular" with "best".
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What is an "ordinary person", anyway? Is it based on economic standing? Middle middle class? Lower middle class? Working class? Working poor? Only high school level, education?
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What does "ordinary" mean to you in this case?
I'm reading my sixth book from the NYT authors and critics list right now. It's another seven hundred plus page novel.
Do you think I'm a book snob?
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