Comments for Simon Read

Comment on ‘Always writing the Next Book’ by Julie

Julie — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 23:42:19 +0000

Maybe I’m just strange (okay, I am) but I love the idea of life as a series of manuscripts. I think it might be a consequence of spending too many years for my liking not writing, but I love the feeling of planning out the next book in my head as I’m wrapping up the next (a task I’m currently engaged in).

Maybe it’s that it lends a sense of continuity that books with wholly different ideas don’t give me otherwise. I’ll have to think about this.

Comment on ‘Always writing the Next Book’ by Marc Schuster

Marc Schuster — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:05:54 +0000

Thanks for dropping my name! It’s comforting to know that I’m not the only one who worries that the ideas might stop coming.

Comment on Can ‘genre fiction’ qualify as ‘Great Literature’? Yes. by Kourtney Heintz

Kourtney Heintz — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 05:20:00 +0000

Donald Maass recently spoke about the 21st century novel–a cross genre novel or hybrid with fiction that read like literary fiction but is genre fiction. He stressed the importance of both great plotting and great writing craft in this cross genre novel. I read Harlan Coben and I think this is the 21st century novel.

Comment on Can ‘genre fiction’ qualify as ‘Great Literature’? Yes. by simonreadbooks

simonreadbooks — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:30:24 +0000

Ha! Thanks, Julie!

Comment on Can ‘genre fiction’ qualify as ‘Great Literature’? Yes. by Julie

Julie — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:16:05 +0000

Fabulous post. I agree that as long as you enjoy the story, that it engages you and makes you think, it’s great literature.

Oh, and this English major is cheering.

Comment on Can ‘genre fiction’ qualify as ‘Great Literature’? Yes. by simonreadbooks

simonreadbooks — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:01:08 +0000

A great point, Colline. I’m sure the Harry Potter series, like the Chronicles of Narnia or Tolkein’s trilogy, will be considered a classic generations from now. The Sherlock Holmes stories are genre fiction, but I think many folks out there would consider them great literature. I do!

Comment on Can ‘genre fiction’ qualify as ‘Great Literature’? Yes. by simonreadbooks

simonreadbooks — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:58:04 +0000

No shame in reading Harry Potter! I’ve never felt the need to justify my reading tastes, as everyone likes different things. If someone would rather read Joyce than Rowling, that’s certainly their perogative. It doesn’t make one better than the other because it’s a purely subjective thing. Of course, there are literary purists out there who would completely disagree!

Comment on Can ‘genre fiction’ qualify as ‘Great Literature’? Yes. by simonreadbooks

simonreadbooks — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:51:37 +0000

Thanks, David!

Comment on Can ‘genre fiction’ qualify as ‘Great Literature’? Yes. by Colline

Colline — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:47:38 +0000

I tend to agree with you. And wouldn’t the definition of great literature change with time? What readers 100 years ago found to be enjoyable, may not be on the bestseller list today. We have talented writers in our time – and who is to say they will not be described as a great writer many years down the line.

Comment on Can ‘genre fiction’ qualify as ‘Great Literature’? Yes. by Sally Panayiotou

Sally Panayiotou — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:41:14 +0000

Gah, I used to worry about other people’s perceptions like this, just like I used to feel the need to give my A level grades and name-drop what University I went to so people would know I was intelligent because obviously I was insecure enough to think it wouldn’t come across unless I offered tangible proof.

“Is that a Harry Potter you’re reading?”
“Yes, but I’m allowed to like it because I was choosing to read Dickens at the age of ten and Dostoyevsky (translated) at fifteen. Look, I’ve also got this book in my bag that was written two centuries ago, please don’t think I only read Harry Potter books because I can’t cope with more challenging works, please.”

I loved English throughout school, but notions of what constituted great literature seemed very old school and out-dated, which put me off studying it further.

In short, I concur. Now back to my Sookie Stackhouse novel.