# Booksnobbery **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 21, 2012, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196 "2012-08-21T19:17:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196/81 "2012-08-27T17:26:20Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > Not to sound like a snob myself, but the last time I watched tv was when I was too sick to sit upright at my computer desk, and too miserable/in pain to fall asleep. Which would be about… 6 months ago? Forums are the poison I’ve picked. 🙂 On this kind of snobbery, I’ve got you beat. I actually bought a TV last fall so I could watch movies while I walked on my treadmill. It still isn’t completely hooked up. But it will be soon. Treadmill time is approaching. I haven’t willingly shared a house with a TV since I graduated from college 25 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196/82 "2012-08-27T18:15:37Z")
Two hundred years ago novels were scorned by snobs. If they anticipated the miracle of drama being beamed into the home, they might consider it a step up for the lower classes. /pedant ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196/83 "2012-08-27T18:45:51Z")
> [@yellowval](#): > > Eh, don’t let him bother you. Obviously he was just here for a one-line threadshit, and had no real point to make. I don’t take how many books you can read a year as a sign of how much a person reads. While I do set goals for myself on Goodreads, I generally start out low (20 or 30 books) because I don’t want to choose books based solely on length so I can meet a goal. Some books take me a month or two to read because of length, difficulty, or lack of time. On a busy week (such as the past one for me), I might only get through 100 pages of a book. It doesn’t mean that I don’t want to read, it means that I can’t. So I can totally relate to what you’re saying. And, for the record, I do think audiobooks count. > > As I said before, it’s hard to set these prejudices aside. As you said, you’re only human and you recognize this fault in yourself and are trying. That’s more than a lot of people can say. I love to read, but it would be absurd to set goals like this for myself nowadays. I’m simply so busy all the time. I mean, back when I was single I could expect to have a good deal of free time in which to spend reading. But now I have a wife and baby so I spend lots of evenings playing with my son and doing housework, and have maybe ten minutes to myself before going to sleep. ---
**Author:** ![InsomniaMama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ad7895/32.png) [@InsomniaMama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InsomniaMama)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196/84 "2012-08-27T22:49:45Z")
> [@tnetennba](#): > > (Correction: I actually haven’t read Henrietta Lacks, and don’t know who she is.) She wasn’t much of a reader, from what I gathered. But her cancer cells changed the scientific world. Good book – recommend. The last book I read strictly because “everyone was reading it” was The Bridges of Madison County. Whoever edited that should have been taken out back and shot. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196/85 "2012-08-27T23:13:52Z")
Googled it. The book does sound interesting. I read about as much nonfiction as fiction. Weird trifecta, though: Asimov, Irving and [biographer of Henrietta Lacks]. Well, maybe it’s a consolation to our thread starter that the first two are among my favorite writers, that I read a lot of nonfiction, and that I also read (and write, and publish) children’s books. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196/86 "2012-08-28T00:02:57Z")
> [@Antigen](#): > > Well, aren’t you helpful and sweet! Instead of so warm and supportive, like the rest of us … > [@amanset](#): > > Jesus, another thread where people get all “aren’t we ace” … > Man, this place irritates me sometimes. Of all the things on this board, supporting _ **reading** _ gets up your nose? > [@carnut](#): > > Instead, we can be happy because you are reading instead of watching TV. 😃 Okay, one more time. NO, the book is NOT alway better than the [the movie!](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0194947/). I read the Horatio Hornblower stories while watching this series; it was the final death knell for books versus film snobbery for me. A good film can get the same point across with as much artistry in one second as a book can in half a page. We are visual as well as verbal. Okay, the book is usually better than the tv show. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196/87 "2012-08-28T01:23:18Z")
Right now, I’m reading a _Star Wars_ novel, but I’m also reading a book about the history of Kosovo. Does that meet the OP’s approval? ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196/88 "2012-08-28T02:29:17Z")
> [@j666](#): > > Okay, one more time. > > NO, the book is NOT alway better than the [the movie!](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0194947/). I read the Horatio Hornblower stories while watching this series; it was the final death knell for books versus film snobbery for me. A good film can get the same point across with as much artistry in one second as a book can in half a page. We are visual as well as verbal. > > Okay, the book is usually better than the tv show. I never said it was. In the case of suspense stories, watch the movie first because the other way around can remove some great suspense scenes. \*The Hunt for Red October \*comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Tblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tblue)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196/89 "2012-08-28T09:58:24Z")
Do you suppose the “non book readers” don’t read them because - due to whatever way their brain processes information - it doesn’t offer them the emotional payback that something else might do, like good food, or something more visual (tv, movie, artwork) might? I believe there are several ways in which the mind is supposed to process information. I know, for example, that I think best in words. Not everyone does. (eg, some folk process their thoughts visually (perhaps painters?), others are spatial thinkers, I cannot articulate their interpretation, as I simply “don’t think that way”, but have talked with friends who do.) The concept of different ways of thinking makes sense to me when “getting” why some folk don’t read (books). I think it comes down to emotional satisfaction. Some folk don’t get it from words. Hope this thought wasn’t too abstract to the point of the thread. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196/90 "2012-08-28T12:32:03Z")
> [@j666](#): > > Of all the things on this board, supporting _ **reading** _ gets up your nose? No, the attitude that we are somehow better than the unwashed masses because we do (and the implication that they don’t). It is elitism in a forum that doesn’t deserve it. I have always hated the “aren’t we so special” mentality here. Quite simply, we are not. The other thread that I mentioned: > **[Do people look at you askance because you like to read books?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=662835)** > > Inspired by the book snob thread on the other side of the coin what negative reactions or just lack of understanding have people who are regular book readers come across? I tend to have a book close to hand and have a quick read during any downtime,... ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196/91 "2012-08-28T13:52:44Z")
Sounds like typical ivory tower “we’re not all that special” elitism to me. ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196/92 "2012-08-28T14:00:02Z")
Speak for yourselves. I personally am quite special. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196/93 "2012-08-28T14:06:21Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > Sounds like typical ivory tower “we’re not all that special” elitism to me. Sorry to be ignorant, butI don’t understand this 😕 Are you mocking **amanset** for mocking this thread, or are you agreeing with him? ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196/94 "2012-08-28T14:33:35Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > Sounds like typical ivory tower “we’re not all that special” elitism to me. Well, there’s no way to win that one. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196/95 "2012-08-28T17:24:04Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Sorry to be ignorant, butI don’t understand this 😕 Are you mocking **amanset** for mocking this thread, or are you agreeing with him? Well if you have to ask… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196/96 "2012-08-28T23:46:26Z")
> [@carnut](#): > > I never said it was. > > In the case of suspense stories, watch the movie first because the other way around can remove some great suspense scenes. \*The Hunt for Red October \*comes to mind. No, you didn’t, that’s true. It’s one of my special snobberies. That’s not true. I really love books - I don’t even own a Kindle - but that doesn’t blind me to the beauty & effectiveness of a good film. I get very annoyed when people like me say “the book is always better.” > [@amanset](#): > > No, the attitude that we are somehow better than the unwashed masses because we do (and the implication that they don’t). It is elitism in a forum that doesn’t deserve it. I have always hated the “aren’t we so special” mentality here. Quite simply, we are not. Back in my day, we were. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196/97 "2012-08-29T04:21:44Z")
> [@jabiru](#): > > I think I’m a bit of a booksnob myself, although I have nothing to be snobby about, having just admitted to enjoying crime fiction. I used to love SF but can’t really find anything I like these days. Most of what sits in the SF shelf now is more fantasy which I don’t like at all. > > Can’t bring myself to read YA but I do have a hankering to reread some Trixie Belden. :o I love Trixie Belden! (Especially the original six books by Julie Campbell.) Have you read any of the Judy Bolton books, by Margaret Sutton? I’ll read just about anything. Last two books I finished were kids’ books, the 1965 and 1977 winners of the Carnegie Medal; the last two books before those were _1632_ and _1633_ (both rereads), by Eric Flint. Other recent books include the latest mystery by Donna Andrews, SF by Stirling, Clarke and Piper, and a book about mediaeval Europe. Overall, my favourites in fiction are SF (Heinlein, Anderson, Norton, Piper, Chandler, Stirling, McCaffrey, &c)\* and mysteries (Davis, Andrews, Stout, Shannon, Tapply, &c). But anything goes. And I have no problems with reading YA (loved _The Hunger Games_ and the first sequel, but haven’t read the third one yet) or even children’s books (Arthur Ransome is still one of my favourite authors). In fact, for me the literary version of “comfort food” is going back to reread books I first read when I was a kid - Ransome, Marshall, Enright, Cleary, Boston… - Asimov is okay, but I really prefer his non-fiction to his fiction. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196/98 "2012-08-29T07:38:00Z")
Harry Potter? Asimov? John Irving? Chick-lit? Euh, I hate to bring this to you, but by my old english teachers standard you are illiterate.😛 ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196/99 "2012-08-29T08:40:12Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > I love Trixie Belden! (Especially the original six books by Julie Campbell.) Have you read any of the Judy Bolton books, by Margaret Sutton? > > I’ll read just about anything. Last two books I finished were kids’ books, the 1965 and 1977 winners of the Carnegie Medal; the last two books before those were _1632_ and _1633_ (both rereads), by Eric Flint. Other recent books include the latest mystery by Donna Andrews, SF by Stirling, Clarke and Piper, and a book about mediaeval Europe. > > Overall, my favourites in fiction are SF (Heinlein, Anderson, Norton, Piper, Chandler, Stirling, McCaffrey, &c)\* and mysteries (Davis, Andrews, Stout, Shannon, Tapply, &c). But anything goes. And I have no problems with reading YA (loved _The Hunger Games_ and the first sequel, but haven’t read the third one yet) or even children’s books (Arthur Ransome is still one of my favourite authors). In fact, for me the literary version of “comfort food” is going back to reread books I first read when I was a kid - Ransome, Marshall, Enright, Cleary, Boston… > > - Asimov is okay, but I really prefer his non-fiction to his fiction. I don’t even remember who wrote the Trixie Belden books; I only know that I really wanted to be her! I’ve not read the other authors but I was a voracious Enid Blyton reader (Famous Five, Secret Seven) reader as a child. I really like Asimov’s non[-fiction as well and I do like alternate universe SF (Conquistador for instance), just get so disappointed at all the Fantasy which is on the SF shelves lately. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196/100 "2012-08-29T14:44:44Z")
> [@j666](#): > > Back in my day, we were. Judging by your “joined date”, I’ve been here three years longer than you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/booksnobbery/632196.md?page=6)