"Adults Should Read Adult Books" anyone else bugged by this?

[karrie91]

I came across an interesting article while browsing the internet.

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/03/28/the-power-of-young-adult-fiction/adults-should-read-adult-books

Quoted article:

The only thing more embarrassing than catching a guy on the plane looking at pornography on his computer is seeing a guy on the plane reading “The Hunger Games.” Or a Twilight book. Or Harry Potter. The only time I’m O.K. with an adult holding a children’s book is if he’s moving his mouth as he reads.

I’m sure all those books are well written. So is “Horton Hatches the Egg.” But Horton doesn’t have the depth of language and character as literature written for people who have stopped physically growing.

I appreciate that adults occasionally watch Pixar movies or play video games. That’s fine. Those media don’t require much of your brains. Books are one of our few chances to learn. There’s a reason my teachers didn’t assign me to go home and play three hours of Donkey Kong.

I have no idea what “The Hunger Games” is like. Maybe there are complicated shades of good and evil in each character. Maybe there are Pynchonesque turns of phrase. Maybe it delves into issues of identity, self-justification and anomie that would make David Foster Wallace proud. I don’t know because it’s a book for kids. I’ll read “The Hunger Games” when I finish the previous 3,000 years of fiction written for adults.

Let’s have the decency to let tween girls have their own little world of vampires and child wizards and games you play when hungry. Let’s not pump Justin Bieber in our Saabs and get engaged at Cinderella’s Castle at Disneyland. Because it’s embarrassing. You can’t take an adult seriously when he’s debating you over why Twilight vampires are O.K. with sunlight. If my parents had read “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing” at the same time as I did, I would have looked into boarding school.

Now this just.. offends me on so many levels. And it really bothers me. I know I'm not the only one in the world but I know a lot of people here read, so I wanted to see how you guys feel about this. To me, I just don't understand what's so wrong with reading Harry Potter, or Fablehaven, or any other YA fiction series. They're not supposed to be educational like this man claims.. they're for enjoyment. They're wonderful stories that you shouldn't have to be young to enjoy.

I don't think I've actually ever read an adult book. I'm not even sure what an adult book is. I guess maybe the books where there's a murder and some detective solves it? I don't know.. I've always been into youth fantasy and I just can't figure out how it's 'embarrassing' to be into it. Since when are books supposed to be an entirely educational experience. I always thought it was a hobby.. something to do for fun. I just can't figure out where this guy gets off thinking this way?

And then to come and learn he hasn't read any of the books he's talked about. I haven't read The Hunger Games myself, but I did read Twilight, and while I'm not a fan, I see NO reason why it can't be enjoyed be anyone 18+. My mom loves Twilight and so does nearly everyone I work with. Really, it's no different than someone being a fan of The Notebook or any other Nicholas Sparks book for that matter.

I don't feel I should be embarrassed and judged for reading a Harry Potter book. And his whole thing about a man looking even more worse for reading that instead of porn on a plane. That's just plain insulting and ridiculous.

What exactly is an adult supposed to do? I'd really love to see what his definition of an adult is.

I hope this suits better here than in What's Your Problem. Because it's technically not a problem for me lol. Just something interesting I came across that I'd thought I'd share.

[nessa16]

This guy sounds like an idiot.  It also sounds like he is really insecure about adults reading "kids" books.   I read and enjoy lots of things made for "kids".  He would probably have a huge problem with a whole community dedicated to "little girl" toys like MLP too.  I wouldn't take to heart too much of what he said.  Not to mention what does he consider an adult book?  One of non-fiction only? 

[Moony]

I definitely don't agree with that author. I read mainly teen books and I'm 22. I find the material to be much more interesting and easy to read. I have read very few "adult" books as I find them tedious to read. I want to read to have fun not to learn. If I wanted to learn I would be reading non-fiction books... then I can feel like I'm in college again lol

[ashes]

That's just silly.  Books of all kinds are also meant to be enjoyed - true some are lighter than others, but that doesn't mean they can't be enjoyed by people of all ages.  His article is a bit on the ridiculous side.  I mean I have my own personal collection of children's books because I adore the illustrations.

[Bergamot]

I've read some of the "How to Train Your Dragon" books. They are hardly high literature, but they are fun little stories read. I also enjoy Philip Pullman's works (usually classified as YA) to be quite amazing, and "The Hunger Games" was quite interesting as well.

Reading can be as much about escaping as it is about learning. There's no harm in getting caught up in a good story.

... And heck, by this guy's standards, reading his article was a waste of time in its own, apparently! Maybe I should have gone to pick up some Chaucer instead!

[rybett]

Umm, I'm currently re-reading the Harry Potter books atm.  Also a Saddle Club book as we got them for DD and I'm seeing if she is old enough to enjoy them.  So in that case, I'm "screening".  Great big raspberry to that guy. 

[Galactica]

That guy sounds totally insecure- 

Or maybe he is hoping to get people all upset.  I kind of think the latter...

[Kaeldre]

What's with this guy?  You become an "adult" and suddenly you /have/ to read classic literature and non-fiction books only?

Personally, I find YA books much easier to read.  I tore through the Hush, Hush series over the summer and am making a valiant attempt to read through the Unicorn Chronicles again (I NEED to know how the series ends!).  Reading is reading no matter what "age group" it's for.

There are really only a few "adult" authors I can stomach.

And the article was in the NY Times: A newspaper for stuffy "adults" (no offense to anyone here that reads it!)

[NovelNerd]

I did not read the article. I only read the part you've listed here, so I cannot comment on the entire thing. I can say as an English teacher the entire thing is obviously a laughable statement in my mind.

I agree in the respect that certain works depending on audience will have deeper level meanings than other texts, but I can say without a doubt I love YA fiction. I don't believe there is a teacher out there (English or lit based at least) that could deny being passionate about the literature they teach their students. Does that make our maturity childish? I read "adult" novels all the time, but they are not everything. I think sometimes people tend to forget it was one of our childhood favorites that inspired us to read to start with. Right now I'm reading The Outsiders with my students, and it's clearly a YA novel. The story may lack deeper symbolism and ideas in an adult text such as Paradise Lost, but it still packs a punch.

YA from earlier to now have to deal with a variety of issues and peer pressure. Today you have novels like Speak, Cut, Crank ect that speak out to teens and connect with them. The Outsiders is a book that people have loved for so long. The novel itself is based from the 1960s, and my students today can still relate to the gangs and rough homes ect from the novel. In the end will it encourage more kids to read? Maybe or maybe not? I can tell you right now though ten years from now more of those students will probably remember The Outsiders over Romeo and Juliet. It might encourage one to later have their child read and say "I remember this book. I loved it at your age."

I had a co-worker before that hated reading, but she bought her daughter The Outsiders. They read it together and enjoyed it.  YA literature may lack some of the deeper meaning or historical aspects, but it packs a great deal of content and understanding.  I think a well rounded reader has the ability to pick up almost any book and find something interesting or some sort of meaning. Confining yourself to one genre only limits your scope and imagination.

A good thing to keep in mind is banned books week every year. I don't know if others regularly participate. It's a time when schools and libraries stand up against the banning/challenging and censorship of books. I tend to take that time every year to read pieces of challenged books to my students. One former book being The Outsiders because of themes ect.  People that typically challenge these works are those that have never taken the time to read them. When I see things like this I'm always reminded of those people that challenge books.  It's simply an ignorance of literature. I feel sorry for those people, but I also attempt to ignore them. You can never win their arguments, and I attempt to leave it be until it interferes with my teaching world. Don't let the stupidity of others bother you.

[RAMChYLD]

No, you're right. It offends me on many levels too. I read Arthur. I read Spot the Dog. I read Clifford the Big Red Dog, Madeline, Caillou, Biscuit the little golden puppy, Kipper the Dog and of course MLP, among thousands others. What's wrong with that? I balance myself between adult books (which mostly consists of programming guides, fine literature like Shakespeare's comedies, and contemporary like Douglas Adams' works (ok, I admit it, serious stuff causes my head to spin, hence I stick to the comedy stories).

What's his problem? I read what I like and I like what I read. He can go lay an egg.

[lemontwist]

Maybe I'm going in a little different direction on this but... I rage a little bit when people call Hunger Games a kid's series. If I had a kid I wouldn't let them in the same room as that book. Don't get me wrong, I loved it, and I probably would have read it as a kid, but not every kid has a high tolerance for that kind of stuff. My 11 year old cousin is fighting against so much pressure from her friends to read it, because she says all her friends have been "changed" by the book in a negative way.

Honestly I don't understand what separates all these so called young adult books from typical adult books. Every YA book I've chosen to read has been darker, more complex, and all around more "adult" than most other books I've picked up. I mean, sure, there's the usual piles full of "omg middle/high school drama!!" books on the YA shelves, but books like Hunger Games? Just because a book is about a teenager, doesn't mean it's not good enough for adults, or that the topics they cover aren't adult and serious. I shouldn't have to wander into the land of tween drama for a good third of the books in that section.

Don't judge a book by the age group some idiots in offices decided to sell it to. Seriously what kind of people decided to market Hunger Games to kids?

And on the other hand, I read and enjoy kids books all the time. Not everyone wants to read nothing but classic literature all the time, it's exhausting.

[LuvlyMelody]

There are so many negative things I want to say about this guy, but I don't think they're appropriate for off topic or WYP.

Why should it matter to anyone that who reads what for their own enjoyment/entertainment?? Why should someone judge someone else for what they're reading or what appeals to them?

I definitely don't agree with that author. I read mainly teen books and I'm 22. I find the material to be much more interesting and easy to read. I have read very few "adult" books as I find them tedious to read. I want to read to have fun not to learn. If I wanted to learn I would be reading non-fiction books... then I can feel like I'm in college again lol

My exact thoughts! I'm 22 too, and I do the exact same thing! I like reading teen/young adult books because they're fun and entertaining.

[tulagirl]

All I can say is so odd. I don't need anyone telling me what I am and am  not allowed to read as an adult.  Obviously this person has major problems with allowing others to be who they are.  Major insecurity. I just read a childhood book of mine that I had not read since I was in 4th grade. I re-read it for the memories since my best friend and I loved the book so much we acted it out for hours during our visits at each other's homes.  My husband and I read it together and really enjoyed it.  Silly little kids chapter book...read in one evening..but was so much fun to relive.  I would take my simple enjoyments and memories over this person's boring life any day.

[invaderhorizongreen]

 I love to collect children's books especially the very old ones just to see how much literature in general has changed over the years.  I still love the serendipity press series, and I will never be too old for any book.

[Beachball]

I haven't read The Hunger Games or watched the film but I've caught wind that it's about a edgy game of survival and to lose is to die so I figured it was targeted at teens and adults. This person calls it a child's book and all I can think it's awfully dark for a child.

I love all kinds of books. I don't appreciate being told it's wrong for Adult Me to read children books such as Ramona Quimby, Harry Potter, The Baby-sitters' Club, Unicorns of Balinor, American Girl, The Great Brain, Heartland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Peter Pan, The Adventures of Pinocchio.

I buy children's picture books on second hand that have amazing illustrations in them and they're only for me. A few of them I've bought had stories I'd never read before and after I bought them for having cool illustrations I'd read them and whether the stories are weak or not, I like to keep the books for the pictures. Recently, I bought a beautifully illustrated book of Hans Christan Anderson's The Nightingale (probably 15 pages long, the book is 14 inches tall and 12 inches wide, the story has small text consuming most of the space on the pages opposite of the pages with the illustrations) at a thrift store in my town and I had been a fan of the story for a long time at that point.

And I like Dr. Seuss books and I'm 27! *blows raspberry at Joel Stein*