Your blindspot

I can't, won't read short story collections. I know it's daft. I always feel like I'm having a light appetizer when I could be enjoying the main course (novel).

Anyone have reading blindspots of their own: genres you won't read, authors you have an aversion to even though you may have never read any of their books?

I've got two words for you: Magical. Realism.

Fantasy. Westerns. a lot of Sci-fi. Romance novels. Heartwarming tales of overcoming some frigging tragedy. many Oprah pics. Anything that looks like it could be a Lifetime movie of the week. Military fiction.

I have a hard time considering books that are under 400 pages or so. I feel like I'll finish them too quickly and be left wanting more.

Horror. I've never had a desire to read anything scary. Well, not since I was around 10 at least. Romance too. I read some slightly romancey young adult books in middle school but never anything since then. Though romance I've almost been wanting to try, just to see what it's like.

Also, there are some authors who - despite the fact that I know I don't only read the highest quality fiction - are just too obviously trashy. I'm thinking Danielle Steele, Jackie Collins...the trashiness is so much a part of them that I don't think I could manage to read them.

>2 KromesTomes: OT: I can't seem to get a clear definition of magical realism. The Wikipedia entry for it doesn't even do a good job. Would you mind giving an example of such work?

I'm slowly sarting to read short stories, although I had the same reason for avoiding them as #1 does.

Apart from that, I just can't read anything that I would term a "shoes and shopping book". i.e. Girl has man trouble, girl discusses man trouble with closest girlfriends in wine bar after work, girl buys shoes, girl meets unlikely love interest, girl discusses unlikely love interest with closest girlfriends in wine bar after work, girl goes shopping.....etc.

Fortunatley, these are easy to avoid, as they all seem to have the same cover!

I am trying to expand my reading horizons though.

#6- fleela, I'm pretty sure One Hundred Years of Solitude is considered an example of magic realism.

And yeah, KromesTomes I feel the same way. Within the first 20 pages or so of Solitude someone started flying around outside the narrator's window and I checked out.

I was entranced by the first sentence - and indeed the entire first chapter - of One Hundred Years Of Solitude, but got bogged down after about 150 pages and still haven't finished the book despite several failed attempts. However, this may be the year, especially since I bought a copy with larger print.

twacorbies #1, same here! I can read a 1,000 page book with no problem, but a short story or even a magazine article can't hold my attention.

Baby shoes for sale. Never worn.

There, those of you that can't/won't read short stories just did. Can't remember, but I think that one is Hemmingway's.

#11 - VisibleGhost - I would like to see that developed into a fuller story.

Twelve more words would triple the size of the story. Is that enough?

I'm suspicious. It's sounding more like a novella than a novel. ;)

It has probably been delevoped into countless stories, novellas, and novels, few of them with the impact of the 6-word version. :-)

#15 - myshelves, that was a sentence worthy of your profile picture!

#16
You think he'd have transposed the letters in "developed"?
*blushing*

I'm seriously addicted to mysteries and thrillers - cozies, police procedurals, private eyes, espionage, you name it. But I refuse to read Robert Parker. Years ago I heard him speak at a mystery conference. He came across as very arrogant and very focused on making money. I had the image of a little cash register in his chest where the rest of us have hearts. I doubt that I've had a significant impact on his bottom line, but my refusal to read his stuff just makes me feel better!

Romance. Also, this is more a pet peeve than a genre I won't read, but if I'm reading a SciFi book and it brings up time travel (going to the past to change the future) I won't read it. I don't mind time travel in fantasy/magic stories, but not in my SciFi!

Sci-fi. I admit I haven't read many sci-fi novels over the years, but that's because they simply don't appeal to me. Neither does fantasy in general, though there are a few exceptions on that one.

I'm not partial to romance books like Harlequin (sp?), and I don't like horror books that are toooo scary... Other then that, I'll try just about anything if it hits me right.

Heather

If you can buy it at a grocery store, I won't read it... does that make me a snob?

2 KromesTomes

I agree with you there.

Anyway, I can't quite get past the thought that magical realism (*shudder*) is the name for fantasy books that are 'too good' (snobbish, snotty, 'literary') to be on the fantasy shelves. People keep telling me that that's not true, but their explanations of what makes it different haven't changed my mind.

I don't really like mysteries unless they're mixed with another genre. For example, I liked Storm Front which I consider a mystery/fantasy but I won't read Agatha Christie stories. I don't like military fiction or long, sad stories that are supposedly uplifting. I'm also not a big fan of books where they take 10 pages and a multitude of long words I have to look up in the dictionary to describe a sky full of fluffy, white clouds.

edited to fix "their". I should know better!

23 DL -

take 10 pages and a multitude of long words I have to look up in the dictionary to describe a sky full of fluffy, white clouds.

That made me giggle. And I agree - good prose is one thing, but purple prose is something else entirely.

Oh. As a rule, I don't like Mary Sues (or Gary Stus for that matter). But that's not so much a blind spot or whatever, because there is a whole series of books that I read that are chock full of them. Somehow I can't help it...the series hooked me when I was young.

I really hate, though, really, really long, complicated, confusing books whose worlds are supposed to be oh-so-realistic, so all sorts of dreadful, awful, disgusting things happen to the main characters and nothing good ever happens (I'm looking at you, GRRM).

Re: magical realism v. fantasy

Maybe it's just that I haven't tried the right books, but, IMHO, a lot of the "magic" often seems just tacked on to the "realism" ... as opposed to a fantasy book in which it's a seemless whole ... as a result, I find there's a disingenuous tone to MR writing that I find really off-putting ... like the author is just "having a wank" as our UK friends would say.

I agree with #1 -- I don't particularly like short stories. I also tend not to like novels considered 'postmodern' although there is a lot of variation within this label. I don't mind novels that blur the line between reader/narrator but I hate that snarky cynical 'I'm smarter than you' attitude that many of these novels have.

januaryw #21: Could be missing some bargains there. Tesco often have some 'worthy' books, albeit the ones that have been well-hyped or Booker prize short-listed etc as well the thrillers/horror/romance. I paused briefly today wondering whether to buy a Sebastian Faulks book (I enjoyed his Birdsong) but was in a hurry and moved on.

I can't think of anything I absolutely refuse to read. I thought maybe horror, but I've seen books I like in horror lists though I wouldn't call them that myself. The closest thing to a blindspot would probably be chick-lit, but if someone who liked the same books I do recommended one I'd try it. So far this has never happened.

Historical fiction. I wish I could, but I can't. I don't know, it's not...relevant...to me?

>21 januaryw: Looking at your catalog, I see several books I could buy at my local grocery store.

>Maybe it's just that I haven't tried the right books, but, IMHO, a lot of the "magic" often seems just tacked on to the "realism" ... as opposed to a fantasy book in which it's a seemless whole ... as a result, I find there's a disingenuous tone to MR writing that I find really off-putting ... like the author is just "having a wank" as our UK friends would say.

There's a quote from Garcia-Marquez that I think comes into play here...

"The tone that I eventually used in One Hundred Years of Solitude was based on the way my grandmother used to tell stories. I discovered that what I had to do was believe in them (the stories) myself and write them with the same expression with which my grandmother told them - with a brick face"

>Historical fiction. I wish I could, but I can't. I don't know, it's not...relevant...to me?

I can do historical fiction, so long as the fiction is pretty well done. I cut my teeth on James Michener and Johnny Tremain growing up. It depends on how good the fiction is, though. Very often it can feel like being beaten over the head with the history stick. It's almost as if the author is just putting the character through the paces in order to get in the right historical scenes and tableaux.

# 7 - I am with you on the Chick Lit. I did try one - In Her Shoes - Big mistake. Plot was exactly as you described, and cover was exactly what you want to avoid...

Westerns, romance & sci fi.

i read short story collections. why? to be introduced to authors i might not have read before. sometimes reading a short story can entice me enough to seek out a book by a particular author. sure its backfired a few times where the short story was far better than the book by that author. but for the most part it works for me. especially if my favorite authors don't have anything out for me to read and i'm not ready to reread their stuff.

sometimes short stories or anthologies can be filler for me. if i'm on a genre kick (say 4 books of scifi ready to be read or maybe 3 books by the same author) but i need a brief little no brainer break then i'll pick up a quick read anthology. if i like one of the stories i'll jot down the author's name and look for published works from them later. though i've been aggravated by finding out that an author only has short stories and no books...it happens.

i'm a weird one though...so what do i know?...lol

i'm not one for reading chick lit...like nanny diaries though

I like anthologies for the same reason. I've been introduced to many new writers I wasn't sure I wanted to read until I checked out their short stories.

Jumping in after only reading the first seven post. I have a reverse world. The entire book world is gigantic black sheet with a couple tiny holes of light here are there of stuff I've actually read: some novels, some fantasy books, some memoirs, some history. The poetry, short stories and classics areas have tiny pin-prick spots of light. The darkest areas in that black sheet are mysteries, thrillers, horror, romances-westerns-etc. At least I vaguely intend to read more poetry, short stories and the classics.

Jesse: Interesting Marquez quote ... I can easily relate to that tone coming from a grandma telling folk tales from the old country ... not so much to a contemporary writer trying to do the same in a contemporary setting ...

Magical Realism can be very hit-or-miss, depending on the book or author, as can most genres. For GGM, I'd recommend Chronicle of a Death Foretold, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Love in the Time of Cholera, or Strange Pilgrims. The last is a short story collection, so it might be easier to dip in and out of.

I guess I have a different kind of blindspot -- I don't see genre's. I just don't do little boxes.

I have read completely worthless classics and fantastic pulp. Worthless and fantastic to me. The books I truly love cover a wide spectrum of genres -- I even read a couple of Christian chick lit books I enjoyed, which I did not think was possible (they were very light on the Christianity and had a good plot, plus I had very low expectations...so I was pleasantly surprised.)

The closest I can come to a genre I don't read, I guess, is philosophy. That pretty much bores me silly. And I am even trying to read that again, as I work my way through a pile of to be reads that is currently about 67 books deep...

Sci Fi. It just doesn't do it for me. I'm also a bit blind to poetry. It feels kind of lowbrow to say it, but I seldom have any desire to read poetry.

CEP - I'm with you on the poetry, if not the science fiction (I love science fiction). I don't 'get' most poetry, and spending much time trying can bore me to tears.

This feels a bit freeing. I have a hearty dislike for poetry. Sure, there are one or two that I dig, overall though, I'll pass on it.

Although I'm not a big 'genre reader' (I prefer literary fiction) I hate to say there is a type of book I won't read. I guess it would all depend on the individual book in question, regardless of genre. If a book is really well-written . . . a stylishly and well-told story . . . I would be intrigued regardless of genre. With me, it's more HOW than WHAT. How does the story unfold? How does the writer's style affect my experience of the tale? Is the writing fluid and/or innovative/creative and/or clever (v.s. formulaic and/or cliche and/or overblown)?

I do tend to steer clear of mass market paperbacks, though. I guess that makes me a snob, like january2 in Message 21.

I'm open to trying the odd piece here and there, but for the most part I steer clear of science fiction. I'm sure there's some very good stuff out there, but the few books I've tried have all been the sorts of things that were written solely as vehicles for the author's scientific ideas, and it's given me an aversion to the genre.

bluesalamanders, have you read any science fiction poetry? You could take a look at the Rhysling Award nominees and winners.

45 myshelves
I've read a few SF poems. I liked one or two of them. But in general, I just don't care for poetry (which made my freshman-year college literature class a trial; I accidently signed up for the poetry teacher. It was not much fun).

>43 booksinbed: booksinbed,

I could be wrong, but I think "mass market paperbacks" is almost the same as "genre" these days. If you don't do mystery, SF, or romance, there just isn't a lot coming out in the mass-market format any more, unless it's already a proven bestseller. (I remember seeing Colin Powell's memoir in a mass-market edition at a pharmacy and being surprised without quite knowing why.)

My genre prejudices: I don't do mysteries, or I haven't for years. I enjoyed a few, but just never pursued it. My mind is way too prosaic for poetry. And I tend to avoid memoirs by sensitive people who are still recovering from being left-handed, or from watching their cat die when they were 5, or from their mother having the television on too loud.

I avoid series that seem to go on forever (mostly SF), and authors (again mostly SF) who produce a new book every two months. It just seems like they're asking a bit much of me.

Pawcatuck: I guess you're correct in your assessment: most mass market paperbacks are genre fiction. But there are also classic tales (both traditional and modern) in each of the genres that qualify as 'literary fiction' and which are also available in trade paperback format, (for example, Grimms' Tales or Bram Stokes' Dracula or Wilkie Collins' The Moonstone). Two examples of contemporary historical fiction which one might consider literary include: Barry Unsworth's Sacred Hunger and Peter Carey's True History of the Kelly Gang. Kazuo Ishiguro's latest novel, Never Let Me Go, is definitely literary, but might also qualify as science fiction.

I guess what I'm trying to say is there are genre books which have true literary merit and appeal to a wide variety of readers, not just those readers who are the 'die-hard' fans of a particular genre.

I'm willing to try pretty much anything once in fiction, but I'm not real big on nonfiction in general. There are a few things I like--take a peek at my library for the type of nonfiction I do read--but memoirs, biographies, political writings, etc. put me right to sleep. For example, I had a class last year for which I had to read the Communist Manifesto, The Origin of Species, and something (I can't remember the title) about equality and freedom by Rousseau, and I could not finish a single one. This is totally unheard of for me, to go to class having not read the book. But I would literally fall asleep on these things. I was absolutely bored to tears.

I really don't like horror. My students have tried to get me to read Stephen King. They say, "But he's so good - it's like you're really there." To which I reply, "I know he's good - and I don't want to be there."

I also tend to avoid Oprah choices. I don't think the woman ever picked a happy book.

I don't really like horror or gore novels. Anything even vaguely 'chick-lit' seems like an utter waste of time to me, and I have no interest in reading romance novels. I am not opposed to books where romance occurs, but I have no stomach for those 'bodice ripper' novels.

I have actually read very little fiction in my life, compared to most people. I used to prefer non-fiction but have entered a period in my life where I want fiction, so I am slowly making up for my deficiencies in literary classics and modern literary fiction.

The book has to be well-written. If it's not, I ditch it before the end of the 1st. chapter. I don't buy new books unless they're remainders. Books by unknown authors are usually from the library or yard sales, or 2nd. hand books. There are authors I will try anything they write & authors I avoid. I'll try any category fiction, except maybe fantasy or Tom Clancy type stuff. I also enjoy short stories, essays, memoirs, poetry & non fiction.

I totally agree with #7, but I don't consider it a blind spot, because a blind spot would be refusing to read a book for the wrong reason ;-)

My blind spot is success. I have trouble reading a book that sells too much. Though I did read and like the Harry Potter books.

This is a very thought provoking thread...I, too, don't read romance novels although I have been forced by fellow beach buddies to read some and found them to be not all bad, mostly bad, but not all. I don't read mysteries because I assume I am supposed to try to figure out the criminal before the author tells me and I seldom do, so I feel stupid. I don't read chick books unless as previously stated forced to do so on a Hawaiian vacation with my chick friends. I read lots of nonfiction but not every book gets completed. I have lots of books with book marks in them on the shelves. I read lots of fiction - fantasy, sci fi, literary, gothic, not as much horror as when I was younger. I like biographies a lot, I think I live vicariously through them and thus have had many lives.

#39 - I feel the way you do to a large extent. Never will try "Christian Chick Lit" tho. I don't have the guts to do that to myself.
One blindspot I have is for "Stephen King-like" horror. I just find it too unpleasant. I've actually read a few Kings in the past and one Dean Koontz. In almost all the Kings I found the horror to have unnecessarily disturbing, even disgusting aspects. (*cough*, embarrassed whisper - has anyone ever questioned the man's overall mental health?) It's just that when I read some of his writing I feel it is too sick and that I shouldn't really be imbibing it into my mind - so I stop. I have now decided not to read any more of his work.
And I rue the day I ever read Koontz. Never again.

#55 - Hey Phlox... I never would have read the Christian chick lit, either...I was in Costco, grabbed a couple books that looked interesting, totally missed any and all references to Christianity on the cover. I think, though, they would be the kind of CCL (Christian Chick Lit) that barely deserves the label, because the women actually wanted to have sex (married, of course, but still admitting they wanted to sleep with their husbands. Shocking). They were pretty light on the God talk, as well...Still, doesn't convince me not to pass on others of the same genre.

Some of King's I find very compelling -- I sped through Firestarter and a couple others, but some of it is a non-starter. Why would I force myself to read about horrible things happening to decent and not-so-decent people if there's not a ripping great plot and compelling characters?

I give up on books rather more easily lately -- there are a hundred or more books around here that I want to read or read again, so if I am not enjoying it or finding it interesting, I toss it aside.

#55 Phlox72 I agree with the weirdness factor of some horror/fantasy authors.
I don't read King and have only read one Koontz, at least 15 years ago. That one book has stayed with me. In it, people became one with their computers and the hardware grew into their bodies with their fingers attaching permanently to keyboards. Somehow, that image comes to me from time to time as more and more technology creeps into our lives.

I was thinking I didn't really have too many blind spots, but they're kind of multiplying the more I think about it. In terms of genre, I am not drawn to westerns or sci-fi/fantasy, but if I really heard great things about a book in either of those genres (especially if it was recommended by someone who usually isn't a fan of those genres...), then I'd consider it.

I absolutely will not read anything recommended by Oprah or any of the other myriad "book clubs" out there, unless they pick a major classic, and then I would have read it without their stamp of approval.

The only books I refuse to read are the Harry Potter ones.

This has nothing to do with genre, but I absolutely hate when a book I want to read has a photo from a movie on the cover. Never mind that it is Shakespeare or Jane Austen or whomever, the cover has a picture of Kirsten Dunst, Nicholas Cage, etc. because that is what is going to convince the general public that this book is worthy of their time. I usually shop in used bookstores and I will choose any other copy or wait.

As far as Oprah books go, I think her seal used to be a sticker that you could pick off. Now they are printed on the cover. For awhile this seal was enough for me not to read the books. Then she chose three of my favorite books in a row (Anna Karenina, East of Eden, and The Heart is a Lonely Hunter). Oh well, now I just pretend it's not there.

Sheesh, Emaestra. Just hide the whole cover behind the dust jacket from the latest Mitch Albom and be done with it.

VisibleGhost, 6 words to go along with Hemmingway's 6-toes cats?

Poetry - in general, I just can't get in to any of it.

Romance - especially "bodice rippers". Although I truly enjoyed Forever Amber and I'd count that more as "historical fiction" than "romance".

At this point, I categorically refuse to read any more of the "Fire and Ice" series by George R. R. Martin. I'll wait until all the books are out - in paperback - if I finish them at all. I find his delay in getting the next book out in a reasonable amount of time incredibly rude towards his readers. Just my opinion...

And I agree with #59/emaestra. I *hate* it when publishers use a movie photo for a book cover. And an "Oprah Seal of Approval" generally turns me off as well.

I don't like the movie covers either.

Here's another blindspot for me: I have a few friends who are excellent un-suggesters. I avoid everything they recommend :)

First

I try to keep an open mind. I will read just about anything which catches my eye, but I will also admit that there areas of the bookstore where I don’t browse. Therefore unless I see a review or something I probably won’t buy those kinds of books. I never look in the romance isle or at the westerns, home repair books, or cooking… However, I have purchase a few westerns because of recommendations I trusted (I haven’t read any of them yet) and I have read a few books I would consider placing the fringes of the romance section.

Second

Many folks have said that they hate or dislike romance novels. Before you discount them entirely consider this. There many people who consider all of Jane Austen's work to be romance novels. I personally would argue against say that Austen was just a romance writer, but her novels certainly have much in common with that genre.

inkdrinker, when someone says "romance novels", my mind immediately focuses on Harlequin Romance type books - cliched, frothy, and interchangeable. I read a few as a young teen and soon found them uninteresting.

I'd consider reading something labelled "romance" if I could be assured that it had some substance to it.

Assigned reading. I can read anything unless someone tells me I have to. For this reason I had to bypass the offer to be reviewer. I also can't do book groups. Oddly, if I ask someone to recommend something, no problem, but if unsolicited they press a book on me and say I have to read it, I immediately resist. Doesn't stop me from pressing books on others though......

I know what you mean, but, I can't tell you how many times I've heard people refer to Austen as romance. I've even had bookstore employees say that Austen is nothing more than glorified romance. I'm not saying I agree. I'm just saying that in some folk's eyes if you like Austen, you like romance.

I think there's romance and then there's romance. check these chicks out, they're a riot!

http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php

The last few messages make me wonder how many others do the same thing I do...

I have a (bad?) habit of lumping all the things I don't like under certain genre labels and leaving out the ones I do. Like romance. Of course Austen's books aren't romance, because I like them. Same with Gaiman and horror, and probably others as well.

I've been trying to not do that with my tags here, which works as long as I remind myself frequently that my 'romance' tag is just a reminder that there's a fairly significant romantic relationship somewhere in the book. I still can't bring myself to tag things I like 'horror', though.

#2: Me too! I just cannot read Magical Realism.

>24 bluesalamanders:, bluesalamanders,
I really hate, though, really, really long, complicated, confusing books whose worlds are supposed to be oh-so-realistic, so all sorts of dreadful, awful, disgusting things happen to the main characters and nothing good ever happens (I'm looking at you, GRRM).

I'm with you! It is too depressing to read books in which nothing good ever happens to anyone-- or if a bright spot of hope appears, the world severely punishes them for it. That's why I had to stop reading GRRM. It's also the reason I cannot read Oprah picks.

Romance--bah!

Anything that has politics as a central theme or is written by a politician.

Westerns.

I like some book club or "pick" books, but NOT if it seems to revel in disability, tragedy or other heart-tugging nonsense. I'm picky about how those things are handled and I prefer humor

Another blindspot I have is for "knock-offs" or books that seem to be trying to feed off the fame/success of a better work(s). Hate those and they abound in youth fiction!

Romance. Westerns. Science Fiction. Mysteries. I will read short stories, but not typically. Christianity. Poetry.

As an avid science fiction reader since I discovered my parents' collection in high school, I've never been able to understand why people dismiss it out of hand.

...but then, I'm sure there books and genres that I dismiss that they would feel the same way about.

I've tried a handful and really just hate it. It is just really not me. It does seem to be the one genre that people get upset about you hating. I can't tell you how many times people have argued with me that I'm not reading the "right" books or I need to try it again. Why? I don't like it. I don't want to try it. There is so much else out there for me to read. To each their own. I'm not going to try to force you to read magical realism (I happen to like that genre) so get off my back about why I don't like Hitchhiker's. There. End of rant.

>72 thatbooksmell: Didn't think of that -- I almost always dislike knock-offs and won't give most of them a chance...I can't actually think of any at the moment that I liked or read, although I think a couple of times I picked something up without realizing it was a knock-off.

And I am with you on books that revel in misery -- if the horse dies and then the son gets bitten by a snake and then the cow gets sick and then there's a prairie fire and then locusts eat all the crops and then the mother loses the baby and then the indians attack -- I don't get how that is enjoyable...

75 dancesong_97

I'm not upset, nor was I trying to tell you any of those things. I was talking more about me than anyone else, and I was certainly not talking about you personally - plenty of other people in this thread (and many other places) have singled out SF as something they dislike.

I assumed that the second sentence in my post would make all that clear. My apologies for the misunderstanding.

76 randomarbitrary

Is it bad that your description of the miserable book made me laugh? Oh dear...

>77 bluesalamanders: blues -- I am glad I made you laugh. What would be bad is if you read that book and laughed. Then one would have to wonder about your empathy and sanity...

I was actually thinking of Lonesome Dove -- my friend loved that book and mini-series and I used to describe it to him like that, and he always just laughed and agreed with my assessment. But he loved it. I don't get it...

>

I think you just described a country western song.....

or maybe I'm thinking of the old joke "What do you have when the dog comes back, the truck is fixed and Mama gets out of jail?" A country western song played backwards.

Edited because I can't remember the html to put the answer in invisible ink/white font.

bluesalamander - I don't think you were calling anyone out. I kind of feel the same thing when people say they don't read mystery or thriller, which makes up a large chunk of my reading.

With the exception of westerns, I've tried each of my blindspots and come away with no desire to read more. When people say I've read the 'wrong' sci-fi books, I ask which Heinlien, Asimov or Robinson would you have me try instead of the ones from them I did read. That usually shuts them up since they are the 'masters' of that universe. Same with the chick-litty, Oprah type books, I've read what is supposed to be the best from that genre, and I don't like them. It's really tough to pull off and not be insulting. Just like I try not to get insulted when people say they don't like Chandler, Rendell or P.D. James.

Of course there are exceptions to my blindspots. I do quite like Greg Bear who is a respected science fiction author. Same with Sue Miller who writes mainly women's fiction. Ditto for Ms. Austen, the queen of the romantic comedy.

Sorry, bluesalamanders. I wasn't really referrring to you and I wasn't upset by your post. You didn't say or do anything wrong. If anything, it's the people I know in "real" life that are pushing the sci fi. Sorry if I implied that I was mad by your post. That truly isn't the case. Again, my apologies if you were upset by my post.

Young adult fiction. I'm an old adult, so don't read it. Not at all tempted to read Harry Potter.

Re: GRRM, Lonesome Dove and various popular books containing massive amounts of human (or otherwise) misery. Gee...I count those among my favorites! Must be the black Irish in me.

I do not, however, like sappy, tear-jerkers like many of the Oprah "{insert enthnic or sociological stereotype here} woman overcomes adversity" books.

Westerns. most Romance. Military (I do own one Clancy novel). Biographies. I'm not fond of Oprah's picks either.

I'm not a fan of Westerns, either, or romance. However, I don't mind romantic books, as long as they are not found in the "romance novels" section. I get annoyed seeing people read the bodice rippers on the subway, but then I kick myself because I shouldn't be a snob, and besides, at least they're reading something. Best to mind my own business, I guess.

Oh, and political stuff. Not my cup of tea.

bluesalamanders, I'm right there with you. I too have a hard time understanding why people would dismiss SF out of hand. I read tons of SF and find it to be incredibly diverse. There's a million miles of difference between Connie Willis (humorous and character focused) and Gregory Benford (hard SF), and both of them are far from Asimov.

At the same time, I turn my nose up at romance and I'm sure there are avid readers of romance that could go on and on about it's virtues and diversity and I'm sure they think I'm missing out on something special by dismissing it (and they're probably right).

The books I really really turn my nose up at are the "books that revel in misery" as described by randomarbitrary (msg 76). Of course, I always thought those and the Oprah books were one and the same. Did she endorse The Road yet? If there's one SF book I won't touch with a ten foot pole it's that one! It sounds absolutely miserable.

Here is one no one has mentioned -- Non-Fiction. I just can't read it, with few exceptions. Most of it just seems so pedantic or politically biased in some way. Only non-fiction author I can read with any regularity is Jon Krakauer, and of course I do love In Cold Blood but otherwise it is all so CNN -ish.

I'll have a go at all genres excepting horror; I just can't/will not read horror.

Dracula, Frankenstein, The strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde etc.

My husband won't read anything on the New York Times bestseller list. I haven't figured out why... I try to tell him that there have been some great books on that list but he usually retorts with a "humph."

#85 Ladygata, your remark about bodice-rippers on the subway made me think of the scene in "A League of Our Own" where Madonna's character is teaching another ballplayer to read using one of those and her response to another player is "She's reading, ain't she?" :)

I love non-fiction and fiction, and cannot really think of any genre I would not read, but I typically will return a book to its shelf and not read it if it is written in the first person. I am not really sure why. It may be I dislike not being able to get into the heads and thoughts of the other characters. Whatever, it just feels wrong to me and I can't enjoy it. Any ideas?

I'm open to everything and there are good books in every genre that I love.

But I have the hardest time with short stories, poetry in foreign languages (that includes English) and everything that focuses on technology too much (military fiction, science fiction...). There are really good science fiction books, but in general it's not my cup of tea. Oh yeah, and I don't really like Westerns.

But I've found at least one book in each of those categories that I love.

I avoid reading mystery, horror, thrillers, westerns, romance and chick lit. Oh, and anything about politics. Although I'm willing to give most things a try once...

Science Fiction and Fantasy except very rare occasions, free my eyeballs in place. I don't understand much poetry unless it's read out loud, and then I usually go, "Oh yeah!" I think the last time a read a romance was about 30 years ago.

That said, I find that my reading taste continually widen, whether I want them to or not. I can no longer enjoy many of the novels that make it to the top ten lists, having reserved them from the library, only to return them after a few chapters. I'm thinking that at this rate, I may actually enjoy reading poetry if I live long enough.

Mysteries, unless there is a kitty (Sneaky Pie, author-Mrs. Murphy, character) or a Roman (Decius Caecilius Metellus) involved.

I don't particularly like mysteries. I used to read them when I was a kid, but don't like them anymore.

I also don't read very much nonfiction, though I read more now than I used to.

And I don't like to read short stories. They frustrate me - as soon as I get comfortable with the story and the character, it's over. I much prefer a nice long novel, or - even better - a series.

I'm biased against "supermarket paperbacks"... medical mysteries, political thrillers, bodice-ripping romance, etc.

I've read a few of them (medical/forensic mysteries are all my mom reads) and I just don't care for them. I'd rather watch Law & Order.

Mine is bestsellers or 'mainstream fiction'. I read SF and mysteries and most genre fiction - and I find that the mainstream stuff seems to be bad things happening to nasty people and when it's over they're still in the same situation unless it's gotten worse. I also don't like horror, which I define as 'people helpless in the face of a crisis'.

Now this may have been based on the 'classics' I had to read for school - Catcher in the Rye, Tess of the D'Urbervilles, etc. But I have tried reading mainstream fiction and disliked everything I've tried (and I have only recently developed the ability to stop reading a book and get rid of it. Mostly I _have_ to finish what I start...ughh).

And my opinion on romances - there are probably 5-10 good romances published every year - that is, good stories with realistic characters and situations and something more than the formula for a plot. However, there are literally hundreds of romances published every year (each publisher publishes 3-4 books in each of 4-5 lines _every_month_ - so _minimum_ of 144 books per year per publisher!), so _finding_ those 5-10 good books is hard work. You can't even trust authors - some are consistently good, some are consistently good in one line/universe/period and consistently bad in others, and lots have one good book in them and then keep writing...and writing...and... There are books published as romances that I think are good books. There are books that I consider good romances - that is, formulaic but a nice version of the formula. And there are many many romances published every year (every month!) that are of less value than a tissue - not even worth using (reading) once. I've been reading romances for at least 15 years; I have maybe 10 good-books-published-as-romances and probably a hundred or so good-romances. (And lots that I haven't read yet, and some I've tried and couldn't read and (for some reason) decided to keep.)

I read a lot of SF and mysteries too - but there are at least as many books in those genres that I will _not_ read as ones that I do. Sometimes I can dismiss an entire author's work, but sometimes it gets frustrating when there's _one_ good book and then I try more and find them awful...John Ringo is an example of that for me. I very much like him with David Weber - the Prince Roger series. Other than that, I've liked the first book of each of his series and then they go _sharply_ downhill. But for those genres, and animal stories, and many others, I decide individually, not en mass. It's the book or author I won't read, not the genre.

Oh, and those who dislike poetry - if you don't like the stuff with no rhymes and DEEP MEANING in every line, try some Kipling or Robert Service. Great stories, which happen to be rhymed and/or told in rhythm. That's what I like best. I can read some of the other stuff, but it's generally not very interesting.

Irritating ole Ian McEwan.