Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly social blog hop between book bloggers. There are two hosts: Parajunkee and Alison of Alison Can Read. If you want to join in, click on either of their blogs to get the details. The FF question of the day is:
Q: Which book genre do you avoid at all costs and why?
I think that I probably avoid certain sub-genres. For example, I like certain works of historical non-fiction, but I'm not interested in historical military non-fiction. I'm also typically not interested in spiritual or self-help books. What else? Humor! I dislike joke books and works by comedians. In terms of fiction, I'll read any genre. I'm sure there must be an exception to that rule, but I can't think of it. I also dislike books that are meant to be hip or ironic. In other words, if it's being sold at Urban Outfitters, I will probably dislike it. Finally, I'm not interested in books about sports.
Just for fun, I compiled a top ten list of books that exemplify the sub-genres I'm not interested in. I've highlighted in blue the ones that I have read. If you put a gun to my head, I could read each of these without vomiting, but short of violent threats, I'm going to steer clear:
1. ME TALK PRETTY ONE DAY by David Sedaris.2. ARE YOU THERE, VODKA? IT'S ME, CHELSEA by Chelsea Handler
3. SEINLANGUAGE by Jerry Seinfeld
4. IN MY TIME: A POLITICAL AND PERSONAL MEMOIR by Dick Cheney
5. SAVED BY THE BELL GUIDE TO LIFE by Running Press
6. DOMO IN THE WORLD by Kate T. Anderson
7. ESPN: THE MIGHT BOOK OF SPORTS KNOWLEDGE by Steve Wulf
8. THE GREATEST MOMENTS IN SPORTS by Len Berman
9. REINVENTING THE BODY, RESURRECTING THE SOUL: HOW TO CREATE A NEW YOU by Deepak Chopra
10. THE SECRET by Rhonda ByrneP.S. I'm always open to changing my mind, so if anyone has read any of the above and loved it, let me know!
I haven't read the books from the list but I don't really enjoy historical or military non-fiction too! A new follower! :)
ReplyDeleteCeline @ Forget-me-not
Here is my FF
Hi Celine! Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteHopping through. I'm not into books by comedians either, but I do love David Sedaris. Especially Holidays on Ice.
ReplyDeleteMy Hop
I don't know what it is about Sedaris, but I just can't get into him. I know lots of people love him. Maybe I should check out his sister's books!
DeleteI haven't read any of those books on your list! And I don't like historical non-fiction, self-help, sport, spiritual.. Well, any non-fiction, really :)
ReplyDeleteNew follower! :)
Monaliz @ Mind Reading?
Yeah, I probably read one work of non-fiction for every 100 novels I read. Thanks for being my 60th follower ;)
DeleteYou had the right idea by listing sub-genres. I like certain parts of genres like you, whereas other aspects, like military books, aren't my thing. And I love that you mentioned 'hip' books. I have that same mentality too.
ReplyDeleteNew follower
Kristan @ Lost Amongst the Shelves
My FF
Thanks! It's too bad that I hate the whole ironic/hipster element of books that are sold at places like Urban Outfitters, because some of them could actually be good books. But I dislike it so much that I won't explore to find the gems!
DeleteI like that you listed sub genres . New follower http://totallybookedsolid.blogspot.com/2012/01/follow-friday_27.html
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading!
DeleteHi! I'm a new follower!!! I can't wait to read more on your blog!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteHistorical non-fiction of really any kind not being my cup of tea. What can I say; I'm a fiction fan! :)
http://jbkantt.blogspot.com/2012/01/follow-me-friday-my-first-one.html
Yeah, I find historical non-fiction so tedious. Reading that genre is something I feel like I should do because it will be good for me, like flossing.But I just don't want to!
ReplyDeleteI always find that written works by comedians are not half as funny as they ought to be. Stick to your day job, I say!
ReplyDeleteIt interesting that you put David Sedaris on your list of works you wouldn't touch. Pretty much everyone I come across loves his writing. I've heard so much praise about his work that I decided to purchase one of his books to see what all the commotion was about. I could think of about 100 ways I would have rather spent my $15 though. I ended up being hugely disappointed!
Yes, that was exactly my experience with Sedaris. After reading one book and not liking it, I'm not going to pick up another by him.
DeleteI think comediennes are funny because they're performing, and interacting with people in some way. Like in a sitcom, there are other characters, and in a live show, there's the audience. That energy can't be captured on the page.
I'd actually like to try David Sedaris but I was disappointed by Chelsea's book - she wasn't funny, just mean!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Book'd Out earlier!
Shelleyrae @ Book'd Out
Yeah, she seems like she'd be mean. Another reason to avoid that book! I tried Sedaris because I'd heard such great things, but the book just didn't connect with me.
Delete