This is topic Has a book you've read ever caused you to dislike an entire genre of books? in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.
I'm reading a book that is causing me to greatly dislike many of the self-help books out there, and, I feel justified in doing so. It's debunking these books and spelling out the BS for me and what is real and what is not. I'm wondering if you've encountered a similar situation in that you read a book that turned you away from other genres. This has happened a few times before.
Posted by Raymond Arnold (Member # 11712) on :
I think your situation isn't actually the same as the one you're asking about. If you read a book specifically debunking anything, you'll probably dislike that something, whether it's a group of books or not. You can't "debunk" science fiction the same way you can debunk nonfiction.
Posted by Lanfear (Member # 7776) on :
Yeah. Sounds to me like your reading an anti- self help book.
Has something I've read ever caused me to dislike an entire group of anything?
Maybe. I'd like to think it hasn't, but we're all influenced by things.
Reading anti- literature is usually the easiest way to not find the truth.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
Not one book, but a couple of them convinced me that Victorian Brit Lit is unreadable. For me anyway.
Posted by Orincoro (Member # 8854) on :
Charlotte Bronte made me hate white people.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
I don't think there is any genre that is 100% bad. Most genres are at least 85% bad, but every genre has at least a few books that are fantastic.
I don't like Westerns, except Lonesome Dove is a masterpiece. I don't like romance novels, but Phantom by Susan Kay is great. I don't like graphic novels, but The Watchmen is fantastic. I don't like finance books, but The Millionaire Next Door is quite instructive.
If you hate the book, you've probably hit one in the 85%. That doesn't mean it is impossible to write a book in the genre and have it be good.
Posted by Tara (Member # 10030) on :
Honestly, I don't like science fiction except for OSC books and Firefly.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
That's because 85% of science fiction is crap. If you throw in the comic books and the bad star wars novels, probably 95%.
Oh, but that other 5%...this is what words were made for.
Posted by JennaDean (Member # 8816) on :
quote:Charlotte Bronte made me hate white people.
Oh ... kay....
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Robert Jordan made me largely abandon fantasy for the better part of a decade.
It's only recently that I've been brought back into the fold, ironically, by Brandon Sanderson, who is writing the last Jordan book.
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
I definitely think there are books that make you so aware of a particular genre's tropes that you become hypersensitive to authors' use of them. ("Oh look, this is the heroic journey, this is the false challenge, this is... Me throwing the book against a wall...")
This is a good part of why I find myself reading nothing but nonfiction for months at a time.
Posted by Armoth (Member # 4752) on :
Self Help books are often trashy ways to appeal to the problems people are having in life and prey on their weakness to buy a self-help book to fix all their problems.
That having been said, you should check out Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Unbelievable book.
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
Buy it now. Especially if you're female. It's not really self-help, per say, but it will help you help yourself. Posted by Reshpeckobiggle (Member # 8947) on :
The Celestine Prophesy. I don't know what genre it belongs to. Is idiotic drivel a genre?
quote:Originally posted by katharina:
I don't like Westerns, except Lonesome Dove is a masterpiece.
One hundred percent with you. Fortunately, McMurtry didn't only write westerns. His other stuff is really good too. But Lonesome Dove is definitely one of the greatest works of fiction I've ever read.
[ December 15, 2008, 04:32 PM: Message edited by: Reshpeckobiggle ]
Posted by T:man (Member # 11614) on :
quote:Originally posted by Lyrhawn: Not one book, but a couple of them convinced me that Victorian Brit Lit is unreadable. For me anyway.
It is unreadable!
Posted by Orincoro (Member # 8854) on :
quote:Originally posted by JennaDean:
quote:Charlotte Bronte made me hate white people.
Oh ... kay....
A joke- I am white.
But seriously, Mein Kampf put me off of books promoting fascism and the supremacy of the master race.
![[Wink]](wink.gif)