(no subject)

[charliesmum]

Dear Oprah:

Why, oh why can't you pick a cheerful book for once? I mean, yes, Faulkner, good writer, stood the test of time, classic, blah blah blah, but you know what? There are plenty of good books out there that aren't about depressed people doing depressing things, and you are doing a disservice to literature as a whole when you keep spreading the belief that depressing=classic. There are a lot of impressionable people out there, Oprah, who believe everything you say, as evidenced by the fact that people are buying Faulkner books right now. Why not use this influence to market the books that are well written and thoughtful and actually have humor and a happy ending?

I have read a few books that you've pushed in the past, Oprah, and while I won't deny their literary qualifications I found many of them to be heavy-handed with the whole 'life kind of sucks' symbolism.

So stop it. It's annoying.

Comments

[snarkypants.livejournal.com]

Amen! I've read only two Oprah books, and was seized by the desire to open an artery after both (The Deep End of the Ocean and I Know This Much Is True, incidentally). So much angst for the sake of angst.

[charliesmum.livejournal.com]

So much angst for the sake of angst.

Yes! That's it! That's what bothers me. Thank you.

[lietya.livejournal.com]

Not just "life kind of sucks," either, but "life sucks in a tearjerky picking on women kind of way." Sheesh. I get tired of the chick flick in book form, y'know?

[october31st.livejournal.com]

And you know she only picked Faulkner because Toni Morrison, her BFF 4EVA, is so crazy about him. Or maybe that's just my assumption.

Have not read any of her picks, or at lest none of those mentioned.

[motherdragon.livejournal.com]

I hate it when people of influance sujest things for others to read, I know it helps out the author's and all but I just think that it would be better if they kept there opion's to themselves sometimes! We should start our own and call it the Happy read books!

Re: Have not read any of her picks, or at lest none of those mentioned.

[charliesmum.livejournal.com]

Yeah! Good idea! We'll read happy books with fluffy endings!

[deviantauthor.livejournal.com]

At the risk of sounding like a total bitch, I'm leaving a comment. *g*

Imnsho, she's annoying. She's certainly out of touch with reality and has certainly forgotten where she's come from.

Examples are listed. *g*

She hasn't done shite to help promote literacy or done anything to see any sort of action taken to improve the schools in her home state.

She has also talked about going to see her hairdresser every day. Please. I don't know of any women in her home state--of any color--who can afford to do that, much less ever have, even if they could afford it. To say that white women just 'do not get it' is rather ugly, because there actually are some who would 'get it' on the hair issue.

As for the writing? Can she move beyond the so-called classics and give other, newer authors a try? Or is she constantly choosing such reading materials to make herself appear to be more intellectual? *g*

[charliesmum.livejournal.com]

Bitch away!

Totally agree with you. I like Oprah in general, but I do think she's one of those people who wants to look well read, rather than someone who enjoys reading.

[deviantauthor.livejournal.com]

Exactly. *g*

Thanks. *g*