Comments on: The Wrong Sort of Books http://upperfortstewart.com/ideas-about-reading/the-wrong-sort-of-books/ Somewhat Amusing Ideas About Reading Books Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:45:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Ian Stewart http://upperfortstewart.com/ideas-about-reading/the-wrong-sort-of-books/#comment-954 Ian Stewart Wed, 08 Aug 2007 13:25:56 +0000 http://upperfortstewart.com/2007/08/08/the-wrong-sort-of-books/#comment-954 And I'll be coming back to this topic in the future I'm sure — so stick around. And I’ll be coming back to this topic in the future I’m sure — so stick around.

]]> By: Ian Stewart http://upperfortstewart.com/ideas-about-reading/the-wrong-sort-of-books/#comment-953 Ian Stewart Wed, 08 Aug 2007 13:24:53 +0000 http://upperfortstewart.com/2007/08/08/the-wrong-sort-of-books/#comment-953 Actually, Brad, your placing "the wrong sort" in the context of good-evil was well considered. I almost perma-drafted this post because <em>I'd</em> never considered it. But you're not going to get me on violent movies! :) Actually, Brad, your placing “the wrong sort” in the context of good-evil was well considered. I almost perma-drafted this post because I’d never considered it.

But you’re not going to get me on violent movies! :)

]]> By: Brad K. http://upperfortstewart.com/ideas-about-reading/the-wrong-sort-of-books/#comment-952 Brad K. Wed, 08 Aug 2007 13:17:20 +0000 http://upperfortstewart.com/2007/08/08/the-wrong-sort-of-books/#comment-952 I misunderstood! I thought 'the wrong sort of book' had to do with injury to the spirit. Instead I find that, here, the wrong sort of book is a waste of time. Laughter as a judge of value must be examined. A friend pointed out to me a few years ago, that there is no *humor* without pain. After some thought, I chose to seek joy, and not to value humor (pain) very much at all. I still tell jokes, and look at cartoons. But I also consider the pain and harm that humor does. Joy is the emotional response to beauty, the basic part of enjoyment when nothing is harmed or damaged. I enjoy watching a sunset, a child's smile, seeing a loved one. I enjoy working metal and wood, reading a good book. So I cannot think simply laughing would determine whether a book is the wrong sort. Also, finding a book to be tedious means that I am not interested in a book - at that time. Perhaps I am tired, perhaps the material has emotional or other connotations that distract me. Perhaps I need preparation, from study of a language to mastery of related material such as gardening or mathematics. Perhaps need to grow my world view, or perhaps reading another book or three, or seeing a particular event or movie, or having a particular conversation or experience will prepare me to enjoy a particular book, fiction or not. I have several books I was not interested in reading when I got to them, only to find they seemed more attractive at a later date, and turned out to be quite good reads. I guess I interpreted the topic of 'wrong sorts of books' in the sense of good and evil. I can easily envision a quite harmful book being a good read - entertaining, humorous, but causing harmful personal changes in some readers. Hint: Go see the 'Bourne Ultimatum' at the theater. Then notice your speedometer and driving reflexes for the first several blocks as you leave the theater. If 'we are what we eat', we are also the friends we keep, the movies and events we see, and what we read. I misunderstood! I thought ‘the wrong sort of book’ had to do with injury to the spirit. Instead I find that, here, the wrong sort of book is a waste of time.

Laughter as a judge of value must be examined. A friend pointed out to me a few years ago, that there is no *humor* without pain. After some thought, I chose to seek joy, and not to value humor (pain) very much at all. I still tell jokes, and look at cartoons. But I also consider the pain and harm that humor does. Joy is the emotional response to beauty, the basic part of enjoyment when nothing is harmed or damaged. I enjoy watching a sunset, a child’s smile, seeing a loved one. I enjoy working metal and wood, reading a good book.

So I cannot think simply laughing would determine whether a book is the wrong sort. Also, finding a book to be tedious means that I am not interested in a book - at that time. Perhaps I am tired, perhaps the material has emotional or other connotations that distract me. Perhaps I need preparation, from study of a language to mastery of related material such as gardening or mathematics. Perhaps need to grow my world view, or perhaps reading another book or three, or seeing a particular event or movie, or having a particular conversation or experience will prepare me to enjoy a particular book, fiction or not. I have several books I was not interested in reading when I got to them, only to find they seemed more attractive at a later date, and turned out to be quite good reads.

I guess I interpreted the topic of ‘wrong sorts of books’ in the sense of good and evil. I can easily envision a quite harmful book being a good read - entertaining, humorous, but causing harmful personal changes in some readers. Hint: Go see the ‘Bourne Ultimatum’ at the theater. Then notice your speedometer and driving reflexes for the first several blocks as you leave the theater. If ‘we are what we eat’, we are also the friends we keep, the movies and events we see, and what we read.

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