Literary tastes

Those of you who know me, and some of you who don't, might know that I'm getting a Master's degree in Literature. I read a LOT. Even before I went back to school, I was reading about two books a week when I was substituting. I have what I like to consider fairly well-developed tastes in books.

So, having said that, I need to relate a little story from this evening: So I'm (gasp!) sitting in the coffee shop, reading a book, and by sheer happenstance, I end up sitting next to a pair little hipsters in their early twenties. Now usually, I find most hipsters charming and entertaining. These two, not so much. As I was ordering my coffee, an older gent was leaving. He's a regular. I don't know him, but I recognize him. Now I will try my best to transcribe the conversation between "Ironic Glasses Hipster" (IGH from here on) and his buddy "Silly Hat Hipster" (SHH from here on).

IGH: Did you see that guy?
SHH: Uh, yeah.
IGH: (with roll of the eyes) I hope I'm that happy at his age.
SHH: Yeah, really. That's what we have to look forward to in life.
IGH: Dude, whatever you do, don't let me become him.
SHH: What? You don't want to go out in your sweats, and sit in a coffee shop drinking a glass of wine while reading the new John Grisham novel?
IGH: I'd sooner die. I don't even know why John Grisham writes. I
really can't figure out why anyone would want to read his stuff.
SHH: Yeah... I'll bet Oprah recommended it.

*SCENE*

Okay... now, I appreciate that these little pretentious assbags understand the sweatpants rule. However, I take great exception to the Grisham comment. Granted, I have never read a John Grisham book. I may someday. I don't know. But dude is popular for a reason, and has been popular for a long time for that same reason. I'm sure if I were John Grisham I'd stop selling millions of copies of all of my books and turning them into blockbuster movies if two shit-for-brains know it alls in a coffee shop critiqued me.

Similarly, I recently saw a video of Henry Rollins doing spoken word. I will say it plain and clear right here: Rollins is one of my heroes. He is hilarious, well-read, and he rocks like few others can. However, I actually took exception to something he said in this clip. He was indirectly critiquing adults who read Harry Potter books. Now, I would see his point if that's ALL anyone ever read. But I for one read them unabashedly. I am really quite proud of the fact that I waited in line for book seven to come out so that I could finish reading it before noon the following day.

So, these two little incidents got me thinking: I am really not one to critique anyone's literary tastes. And do you, dear readers, know why this is? Quite simply put: these people are FUCKING READING. I would looooove to see more people like the great man the other night who flashed me a thumbs-up for reading Raymond Carver at the coffee shop, but quite frankly, when I see someone sitting there reading anything: Stephen King, Grisham, Dan Brown, or any Oprah's Book Club selection, I grin, because they could just as easily be sitting on their couch watching TMZ or some equally ridiculous shit like that. Rather than finding out who was in the motorcade that took a certain media darling to the nuthouse, these people are out entertaining themselves with something that requires at least the tiniest shred of imagination.

Wow, this went on much longer than I had anticipated, but when I talk reading, I get a bit heated. Also, notice that my friend Jon has started blogging, and I have a link to his blog in the right hand column under the archive. Just click on the words "Trapped in a Dumbwaiter". If you like reading my posts, you'll like his too. Show some love.