There was a really good article on Oprah's promotion of Faulkner in the Nation. Among the points is that we readers should not disdain the masses reading challenging books like As I Lay Dying, but should be excited. On the social side, it is certainly heartening to see people turning to such entertainment. On the selfish side, if Oprah is successful in driving the hoi polloi to the good stuff, then publishers may take more risks on literary fiction.
Another point mentioned is that Oprah should be roundly applauded for her now defunct book club in addition to her current more high brow one. Has any public figure in our day done more to promote reading? Isn't this a good thing for both the community and ourselves? There is a wierd elitism that reminds me of certain friends who stopped listening to Metallica after they got a little too popular.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
It's so easy to hate, it's takes guts to be gentle and kind
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8 comments:
A gentle tease only nbk. You must admit the spread btw popular and suck-ass was about 6 years (And Justice to Loaded)
T
and i loved thhem up THRU the black album!!
But you were already complaining about the uncool people digging it, much like you did when you heard people singing Suedehead.
c'mon man. my pretentiousness has only recently blossomed. . . as evinced by my only listening to bands that no more than 45 people have ever heard of.
bands with lyrics in made up languages and with homemade instruments. i'm going to collect only music played on the kazoo next.
nbk
It has always been latent dude, but it has truly blossomed. Maybe after the bad call of At the Drive-In being the next nirvana you had to go hiding into the Yorktown, VA music scene.
Did someone say ATD??!
Cut away, cut away
Send transmission from
The one armed scissor
/nods head thrice
I'm the only person I know who was unmoved by ATDI. I should add them on Launch or get them on iTunes I suppose.
Nope, just went and listened to a sample on Amazon, still don't like it. Not sure why, as I like loud screaming heavy rock, but there you go.
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