This post is coming to you live from my iPad so please forgive any wonky formatting or weird autocorrects that I might have missed in my lazy proofreading. This is also why there is no picture.
A few weeks ago, while browsing Gretchen Rubin’s blog, I came across a post detailing the 10 Rights of a Reader (first published by Daniel Pennac in 1992). I liked the list and agreed with all of it but I thought it needed some addendums so why not go ahead and write those?
So I did.
And they go something like this:
As a reader, any type of reader, no matter how frequent or infrequent, and regardless of your genre of choice, you have:
- The right to hate a popular book or love an unpopular one.
- The right to prefer the company of books to the company of people.
- The right to read late into the night.
- The right to always prefer the book to the movie (4a. The right to point out all the differences. 4b. The right to refuse a book with the movie poster as the cover)
- The right to have all the surfaces of your house covered with books.
- The right to a neverending TBR list.
- The right to own not having read all the books you’re told you “should” read.
- The right to read the end first.
- The right to appreciate book covers like others appreciate paintings or photographs.
- The right to have your life changed by a book.
Did I miss anything not also mentioned on the original list?
Yes! Especially 1 and 7, I hate that people have expectations of what real readers should have read.
Kelli recently posted…Don’t Mess With The Bull
oh, all of these! you nailed it. for the most part, i didn’t like any of the “popular books” ie. harry potter, girl on the train, gone girl etc — i tried to read them but they did nothing for me so they got drop kicked.
kathy @ more coffee, less talky recently posted…the one where my planner made me limp
#1 is definitely so true. For instance the Martian was NOT a love for me in spite of all the love it has gotten. Didn’t hate it, but I just didn’t get the hype either. And while I did feel bad. I think that’s ok.
Yes to so many of these! I’m a sucker for reading the end first… I can’t help myself!!! hahahahaha And who WOULDN’T prefer books over people???? 🙂
Amanda recently posted…MON-yay?!
Number 4!!! Especially 4a and 4b. I HATE when they use the movie imagery for the book cover. Especially when the movie is drastically different, or the book has been around for forever and the movie is new. I, Robot has a picture of Will Smith on it, but the book was a set of short stories, none of which followed the plot the movie did!!! (Oh, and pointing out the book differences is half the fun of watching the movie.)
Jenn @ Optimization Actually recently posted…Dating – an Astrological Overview
Totally agree! A lot of the books that people are all “You have to read this OMGEEEEEE!” I just don’t care to read, and that’s ok! Reading is my “me time” so I’m going to read what I like!
Julia @ Grace Makes New recently posted…Confession Session
Yes to all of these!!!!!! Except I don’t have books everywhere because I hate clutter and try to keep them contained and read a lot of ebooks. I hate buying a book with the movie poster as the cover…give me the regular cover every time! Sometimes I feel bad for not liking books that are classics or that everyone loves, but then I remember that it is perfectly acceptable as the same happens with movies and tv shows. And books can totally change your life.
Nadine recently posted…What’s Your Sign
NUMBER 1 for the win. I hate when people act like they are such special snowflakes for loving what others hate and hating what others love. No. You’re not. It just did (or didn’t) get you like that.
SMD @ Life According to Steph recently posted…Shit MFD Said Vol 21
I could never get into Harry Potter and obviously those books are popular. People are always like, “WHAT? How can you not like Harry Potter?” I just don’t.
Amber recently posted…Hey, It’s Okay Tuesday!
hahahaha yes to 4a and 4b. i do own copies of p&p with the movie tie in covers, but i refuse to buy any other books with the movie covers. ew.
and seriously, preach to #7. i went through my TBR list recently and removed over 100 books that are on all those ‘should read’ lists that i didn’t actually want to read.
kristen recently posted…30 things about KC
Oh, YES! I read #1 and was mentally drafting my comment that would be all YASSS #1 but then I read the rest and I was basically like YASSS to all of it. I love this list!
alyssa recently posted…#NowPlaying
I gotta say, I agreed with more of yours than what was on Gretchen’s post. (except 8 – I never read the end first). But all the others, I agree whole-heartedly.
*Forgive my “wonky” spelling, punctuation, and grammar because I’m too lazy to correct it.
Erin of TexErin-in-SydneyLand recently posted…A post only a cat mother could love
YES to the first one because lately, I’ve have not liked the “popular” books like Girl on the Train and You. And YES, I do judge books by their cover. How else I am supposed to know if I want to read it or not ;).
lisacng @ expandng.com recently posted…His & Her beer reviews: Old Bust Head English Pale Ale
Number 6 is my life, always an ever growing list with not enough time to read. The first one is really good too, I tend to be disappointed by books that everyone likes.
Kerry recently posted…Friday Favorites | Bring on the Weekend!!
Yes, yes, and yes! #3, #5, and #6 are especially true for me these days. I agree with pretty much all of these, though.
I will admit, however, that sometimes I think the movie is just as good (or better) than the book. This is rare, but it does happen. The best example I can think of right now is Interview with the Vampire. The book just seemed to drag on and on. The movie was my favorite from age 10 (and yes, I was probably too young to be watching it) until sometime in college when I started watching more movies. I still like it, but I don’t watch it all the time anymore.
Kristen recently posted…I Don’t Always Love Classic Literature, But I Love These 5 Amazing Novels
I agree that there are some movie adaptations that are just as good as the book. Especially lately.