Sorry, ignore that first line. I just got really irritated. So-- as some of you might know, I am a bookaholic. Or at least, I used to be. (What happened? AP classes happened.) Fortunately, people still know me as the girl who reads hella (obviously I'm from NorCal. Who else uses "hella?") or "the crazy book lady." Yeah, seriously. And I find it really funny and satisfying whenever someone asks me for book recommendations. Especially people I don't know that well. Like, wait, how do you know I read? I love my reputation. And then I go on and on and on, listing my all time favorite books/series, Harry Potter (OH MY GOD YOU HAVE TO READ HARRY POTTER), everything Cassie Clare (READ MORTAL INSTRUMENTS AND INFERNAL DEVICES PLEASE)... Usually I suggest mainstream books first. It's my test to see if they're genuinely interested.
Like when Malcolm suspected Macduff of being a spy for Macbeth so he was testing him. Get it? That's the first and only Shakespeare reference I'm making for today..
So, anyway, I recommend Harry Potter and, guess what? "It's too long! Give me something shorter!"
There are so many things wrong with that statement.
1. Reading for leisure? Then I don't see why a long book would be such a problem, because there isn't a due date, is there? Regardless of how fast or slow you read, HARRY POTTER SHOULD BE A PREREQUISITE TO ASPIRING BOOKAHOLICS. I'M SERIOUS. Does it discourage you that Harry Potter is such a long series? Well suck it up, because it's good and that's all that really matters.
2. Asking me for a recommendation? Don't expect me to recommend something like Diary of a Wimpy Kid. If you ask me for a recommendation, expect something big. Don't ask for something small because the big books are usually the good ones. AND I'M GIVING YOU THE GOOD ONES. GOSH.
3. There is no such thing as "too long." A book can be as long as it needs to be. Unless there's a whole bunch of extra shit that's totally unnecessary to the storyline. But if it were a bad book, I wouldn't even recommend it.
HONESTLY I DON'T SEE WHAT'S SO DISCOURAGING ABOUT A BIG BOOK??? There's nothing wrong with hundreds of luscious pages, as long as the author is good! Gosh people are so impossible. They want to read more, yet they don't want to read. I M P O S S I B L E.
I swear you've made this discussion before. Maybe they just want a good book to read for a book report? Ugh. Bored to death here! Thanks to you, 2 and half more hours to go.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I have to say this JUST happened to me. There was this girl who asked for a good book and I told her HP and she said it's too long, which started a huge debate on why that's NOT true and why she should read it.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do understand what's "intimating" about a long book. Big books (especially firsts in series) are the ones that take me the longest to choose to read. I do, because I love books and reading and I read freakin' 150 books a year minimum, which in total is SO MUCH BIGGER than the book, but, yeah, they intimidate even me, so I can see how it'll intimidate a newbie. However, in HP's case, J.K did something really smart. She started with a short, none threatening book. Then slowly worked her ways for the big one. The first HP is TINY, and that (I believe) opened the book's ways to so many more people, cause the first don't look so scary, and by the time they get to the heavy ones, everyone are so hooked they don't even care anymore!
Great discussion! :)
great book.. and your discussion is good i like it and book. i will also recommend my friends after my bus tour to niagara falls from new york city to read it and enjoy.. i am waiting for your more good work.
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