As a general rule, if something is wildly popular, I have no interest in it. Top 40 radio is a great example of this. My general feeling is that if something was designed to appeal to everyone, it rarely resonates deeply or meaningfully with anyone. I want to be challenged and made to think, not mindlessly entertained and pandered to. Give me Beirut over The Black Eyed Peas and Dead Souls over The Da Vinci Code.
Having said all this, I am perfectly aware that I'm a snob about books, but I'm also realizing that I've missed out on some great books. I'm a hardcore book nerd and I only read the Harry Potter books a year ago. Like everything else, I just assumed it wasn't worth my time because everyone liked it. Between J.K. Rowling and Suzanne Collins, I'm definitely having to reconsider a lot of my previous ideas.
What literary behemoths from the last 15 years or so do you think actually lived up to the hype?
Having said all this, I am perfectly aware that I'm a snob about books, but I'm also realizing that I've missed out on some great books. I'm a hardcore book nerd and I only read the Harry Potter books a year ago. Like everything else, I just assumed it wasn't worth my time because everyone liked it. Between J.K. Rowling and Suzanne Collins, I'm definitely having to reconsider a lot of my previous ideas.
What literary behemoths from the last 15 years or so do you think actually lived up to the hype?