Are there any genres that you avoid like the plague?
I tend to avoid any books having to do with politics or politicians and ones involving “controversial issues”. My main reason is that, for me, any reading that I do voluntarily is for fun. Books on big, heavy topics aren’t fun for me to read. So, basically, I only read them if they’re assigned in class… and sometimes not even then!
I also avoid zombies – zombie novels, zombie comics, zombie movies, zombie TV shows – they’re all out. The sole exception has been Max Brooks’ The Zombie Survival Guide, which I read cover to cover three times and then promptly gave to my father and resigned myself to not sleeping for the next week or so.
February 17, 2012
Golden Bookwyrm
8 responses to “Ruuun Awaaay!!”
Mom
February 17th, 2012 at 16:33
Like you I avoid books on contemporary political or social concerns if I can — such books tend to be extremely myopic and subjective and inform me of little aside from the author’s passion. At the least, I will wait until the subject matter is no longer considered controversial and is more “ancient history” than something that will exercise my blood-pressure in the present. I also avoid romance novels and can truthfully say I’ve only read three — Francine Rivers “The Mark of the Lion” trilogy — which were very good for the most part but didn’t change my opinion of the genre. I won’t read flavor of the day celebrity biographies.
Allie Enriquez
February 17th, 2012 at 17:02
Hmmmm… a very challenging question for me! Before I started college, I would read pretty much any genre, mainly books people referred me too or books on “summer reading lists.” I’m mainly picky about book titles and book covers when I was just looking for something to read to pass the time. However, since entering into college I have noticed that in the past year I have become VERY picky about books, it seems I am staying away from most everything and sticking to what I call “classical” fiction books, the books we read in high school for example. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, A Clockwork Orange, anything written by Kurt Vonnegut. Not sure exactly what genre that would be….
Golden Bookwyrm
February 18th, 2012 at 23:07
You know, I tried to read “Cat’s Cradle” by Vonnegut several times, but could never get into him. He was just too abstract for me, I guess.
I’m picky about titles and covers too (especially in romance and fantasy novels), and there are key words and phrases that, if used on the back cover to describe the plot, will cause me to put the book down instantly.
Nisha
February 18th, 2012 at 02:30
Like you, I also avoid anything with politics (and war!). I also stay far away from books (and movies) that involve animals. As an animal-lover I hate to see animals in any form of pain – makes me very depressed, so those I avoid like the plague!
Golden Bookwyrm
February 18th, 2012 at 23:11
Smart move. As a child, if there was an animal in the story, my first question was always, “he doesn’t die, does he?”, so I’m wary of those types of books as well.
stevebetz
February 18th, 2012 at 12:12
I don’t read a lot of non-fiction, either — and certainly not politically charged current events crap. I will occasionally read some history as a big change of pace.
I loved loved loved Brooks’ WORLD WAR Z — way more than I thought I would.
Golden Bookwyrm
February 18th, 2012 at 23:12
“World War Z” is in my bookshelf – not sure I’ll ever read it though.
Dennis Langley
February 20th, 2012 at 06:59
Not a big fan of biographies or most non-fiction. I do read military history on occasion. Since I usually prefer the company of cats to humans, I too don’t like to see animals take abuse from our lesser advanced species.