The book you're most ashamed to admit?

1000th Sun · Jan 20, 2011

Some books people tend to look down on. If you said you loved the book some people would give you a few odd looks. I was wondering what the Water Cooler's secret books are?

For me Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov is my secret book. I though it was brilliant, sheer brilliance yet you sort of can't admit it since everyone thinks it contains graphic details of child molestation.

alleycat · Jan 20, 2011

I don't remember the title, but one day I was at my mother's house and, looking for something to read, started on one of her romance novels (one of those that's a cross between Jane Austen and Nora Roberts). I ended up reading the darn thing.

There sure is a lot of description of clothes in those types of novels. Every time a character walked into a room their entire outfit was described in detail, even down to the type of fabric.

PattiTheWicked · Jan 20, 2011

Forever Amber, by Kathleen Winsor. I first read it when I was about 12, and it had every element of the classic bodice-ripper --- you know, the sort of book you don't want your friends to see you reading.

But it's just. so. goood.

DeleyanLee · Jan 20, 2011

Oh, I adore bodice rippers. I wish they were still available. I don't care who sees me reading them.

For me, it's a little known book called Sadie Sapiro's Knitting Book. Everyone looks at me weird when I pull it out and reread it again, but I think it's the greatest brain candy ever written.

Izz · Jan 20, 2011

When i was 13 i came across The Valley of Horses by Jean M. Auel in the school library. I flicked open to a random page: sex scene (Jondalar's throbbing purple member was really a character in its own right, i soon learned). It quickly became a game: whether i could open to a random page that wasn't a sex scene, and if so, how many pages before there was a sex scene. I don't think it was ever more than 3 pages.

I can't actually remember if the book had a plot or not.

alleycat · Jan 20, 2011

I did try reading Fanny Hill one time. I think I got about a third of the way through it.

thothguard51 · Jan 20, 2011

Jenna Jamesons, "How to Make Love Like a Porn Star."

It was given to me in a box of other books. By the fifth or sixth chapter I wanted to write to her and apologize for being a male. But by the end of the book I understood she was not writing a feel sorry for me type of book... It really was a rather interesting book.

scarletpeaches · Jan 21, 2011

I see nothing wrong with Lolita (which I have yet to read, but I have a copy here) or Forever Amber, which I've read three times.

1000th Sun · Jan 21, 2011

scarletpeaches said:
I see nothing wrong with Lolita (which I have yet to read, but I have a copy here) or Forever Amber, which I've read three times.

There is nothing wrong with it but the reason why you don't tell other people is because they have the wrong impression of the book.

scarletpeaches · Jan 21, 2011

1000th Sun said:
There is nothing wrong with it but the reason why you don't tell other people is because they have the wrong impression of the book.

They won't get the right impression by you not telling them.

Cyia · Jan 21, 2011

*peeks into thread*

*reads posts*

..... Perverts!

*runs out*

scarletpeaches · Jan 21, 2011

I honestly can't say I've met anyone who thought Lolita was a manual for child abuse. They've all known it's a novel by Nabokov about a child abuser. Whether it's to their taste or not is a matter for them, but I can't say I've ever witnessed someone being judged for reading or loving it.

(Libbie, Libbie, Libbie - I promise I'll read it soon. Honest).

regdog · Jan 21, 2011

Cyia said:
*peeks into thread*

*reads posts*

..... Perverts!

*runs out*

It has been noted that you didn't list your ashamed book.

I owned a copy of Scarlet. I was never being able to stomach reading more than three chapters of that tripe. I'm still embarrassed that I even tried to read it.

Cyia · Jan 21, 2011

scarletpeaches said:
I honestly can't say I've met anyone who thought Lolita was a manual for child abuse. They've all known it's a novel by Nabokov about a child abuser. Whether it's to their taste or not is a matter for them, but I can't say I've ever witnessed someone being judged for reading or loving it.

It's a fairly common assumption around here, but I don't think it's because of the book. It's because of Amy Fisher. Back in the early 90's (IIRC), after she shot her much older BF's wife in the face, she was tagged as the "Long Island Lolita".

Based on that, people (who for the most part had never heard of a book called Lolita) have associated the story with something other than its actual content.

alleycat · Jan 21, 2011

I think I stopped reading Fanny Hill not so much because of the subject matter, but because I just couldn't take any more of a penis being called a "fearful sword, weapon of love, thrusting manhood" and whatever else it was called in the book.

CaroGirl · Jan 21, 2011

I had great fun reading Shopaholic.

scarletpeaches · Jan 21, 2011

alleycat said:
I think I stopped reading Fanny Hill not so much because of the subject matter, but because I just couldn't take any more of a penis being called a "fearful sword, weapon of love, thrusting manhood" and whatever else it was called in the book.

Better not read any of my books, then.

*Tipp-Exes out double-action purple-headed bollock-yoghurt shotgun chapter*

Ken · Jan 21, 2011

... any novel actually. Where I live reading is frowned on. People who read outside of school are weird and strange. "Watching sports on television is the proper pastime." It's not as bad as all that, but it comes pretty darned close at times.

Alpha Echo · Jan 21, 2011

Ken said:
... any novel actually. Where I live reading is frowned on. People who read outside of school are weird and strange. "Watching sports on television is the proper pastime." It's not as bad as all that, but it comes pretty darned close at times.

That's sad. I come from a long line of readers, and my stepdaughter loves to read/be read to. I hope she one day reads the over 300 and counting books I have.

I'm not sure I'm embarrassed to have read and liked anything.

Okay, not true. I admit that when I read Dan Brown's Angels and Demons, I enjoyed it.

Then, I read the other big hit (why is the name elluding me now?) by him and couldn't stand his writing but still enjoyed the story.

But the general public seems to love him. It's only us snotty writers that frown upon him. :tongue

Marlys · Jan 21, 2011

I can't think of any type of fiction I'd be ashamed to admit to. I mean, I wouldn't read hardcore porn in public, but I don't whack off in public so the situation is unlikely to occur.

But one kind of book does make me feel icky. I get real perverse pleasure in scaring myself shitless with true crime, the gorier the better. I try to justify it by saying a writer has to try to understand even the darkest human impulses, but the truth is I love/hate it the way I love/hate big nasty roller coasters. Except I'll ride the coasters in public.

Priene · Jan 21, 2011

scarletpeaches said:
I can't say I've ever witnessed someone being judged for reading or loving it.

There was a BBC Documentary on this very subject.

Pistol Whipped Bee · Jan 21, 2011

I've been poked fun of before for recommending the book Jonathon Livingston Seagul.

I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it. It's brilliant!

scarletpeaches · Jan 21, 2011

Priene said:
There was a BBC Documentary on this very subject.

Bugger, and I missed it.

Thanks for the link though; I'll keep my eyes open for a repeat. I'd have loved to have seen that.

seun · Jan 21, 2011

Nowt wrong with Lolita. If people have the wrong idea about it, that's their problem.

milly · Jan 21, 2011

1000th Sun said:
Some books people tend to look down on. If you said you loved the book some people would give you a few odd looks. I was wondering what the Water Cooler's secret books are?

For me Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov is my secret book. I though it was brilliant, sheer brilliance yet you sort of can't admit it since everyone thinks it contains graphic details of child molestation.

you have NOTHING to be ashamed of by liking Lolita...at least not in my mind

it was brililant...

The book you're most ashamed to admit?

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