Thursday, August 07, 2008

Reading, blogger glitch and stuff...

First of all, the blogger glitch: In my last post, the comments stopped working a few days ago. Please know that I did get them on email... but they didn't show on the site. For some reason, they simply don't show up. Since I can't reply to them, I'll just have to thank everyone in a more generic sense.

And for some reason, perhaps because I haven't been feeling well, I have no patience with petty problems so I'm not pursuing a solution.

I feel rather done in by all of it - and everything.

But on another topic entirely....

Last night, I began reading a book that was just great! I was thoroughly enjoying it, then came upon a conversation that was a subtle put-down of the very people the book is about and promoting something I don't like so I put the book down.

I've been trying to finish it... but am finding that I no longer trust the author. I feel deceived. A detective story is not supposed to be a venue for political propaganda.

Have any of you ever been reading a book and the author writes something that is so subtle, so deceptive, so tricky, to promote a worldview that you can no longer continue reading the book?

~*

8 comments:

Sorrow said...

Oh yes, I find that so aggravating.
personal bias is one thing, but propaganda anywhere is just so not necessary!

Hope you are feeling better soon!

Anonymous said...

Ummmm...Yup!
"A New Earth" ...started referencing Jesus too much.
I couldn't finish the book.

we_be_toys said...

Not that I can think of, but I suppose there's a first time for everything!
Hope you're improving - it's no fun to be ill.

Anonymous said...

As much as I don't like to be deceived but if an author could write so well that I wouldn't know that I've been tricked till the last few pages of the book, that's something to be applauded for, shouldn't it?

Anonymous said...

Yes, I've sometimes felt like that, and about the oddest things. I got twitchetty about the dog vs cat thing in Dean Koontz... there was a woman in one of the books who liked cats and this was put forward in a negative fashion, whereas to like dogs was a breath of fresh air and love, almost spiritual. I didn't stop reading, but it tarnished the main character for me a bit... that she could be so narrow-minded as to feel that way!

heartinsanfrancisco said...

I can't remember specific instances, but I no longer feel obliged to finish a book if it doesn't hold my attention or feels disagreeable. There are too many others that will to waste time hoping something will get better.

Jen said...

Yes, it's certainly happened. My main problem is that sometimes I get so caught up in a story that it doesn't hit until later.

painted maypole said...

i can' think of any titles off hand, but I've read a few "religious" books that I've thrown away because they were so bad I didn't want to donate them somewhere and have someone else read that crap (is that censorship? I hope not. I wasn't burning them or anything, or advocating they not be sold, I just refused to prepetuate the message)