Read what you like

April 28, 2008 by in category Archives with 0 and 0
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I read on Publisher’s Lunch the other day that Harris International did a poll of American adults and asked, “What is your favorite book of all time?” The answers:

1. The Bible
2. Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell
3. Lord of the Rings (series), by J.R.R. Tolkien
4. Harry Potter (series), by J.K. Rowling
5. The Stand, by Stephen King
6. The DaVinci Code, by Dan Brown
7. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
8. Angels and Demons, by Dan Brown
9. Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand
10. Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger

Wow, I was shocked – first, because 4 of my top favorites were there (2,5,7 & 9.) Second, because there wasn’t one “literary work” listed (not counting the Bible – I’m not going to attempt to categorize that.)

In my humble opinion, this tells us several things about the American reader: First, obviously reading is not dead. The fact that none of these were comics tells us people are still reading, and not at a low level. They didn’t publish the demographics, so I don’t know whom they asked, but Harris is an esteemed poll, so I’m going to assume it was a true cross-section of the population.

Next, in spite of critics, ivory-tower professors and snobs, “literary works” aren’t as well loved as a good, a old-fashioned yarn. After all, I don’t see Faulkner or Hemmingway on that list – not even Jane Austen! What I see all the above have in common is that they’re great stories, told in a colorful and straightforward manner. I’ve always had the secret belief that “literary fiction” (apologies to my friend Ann who swears the term doesn’t exist) is what people buy as a “coffee table book” to leave around the house to impress their friends with what they’re reading (but don’t.)

Now don’t misunderstand me, I really enjoy Steinbeck, Twain, Dickens and others. I’m just saying that they don’t make my top ten list, and apparently not others’ either. What’s wrong with popular fiction? Given the stats on how many books the average American reads per year, shouldn’t we be happy they are reading anything?

Read what you like – proudly

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A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers. The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.
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