Despite the popularity of 50 Shades of Grey (or that pervert book, as some people like to think of it), I am saddened at the profound lack of reading that occurs in America.
I work in a bookstore, a large chain bookstore (that actually survived the recession.... for now). And we sold out of 50 Shades as soon as the author started making television appearances.
Now, I haven't read the book, and have only heard from the people in our store who have. The majority of people who came to buy the book a) didn't know what it was about, b) didn't even know the title of the book and/or c) wanted to read it because everyone was talking about it, but otherwise fulfilled both a) and b).
And sure, the book really did get people reading, but is it quality reading? I mean, as long as people are not just obsessing over Snooki's latest antics, isn't it great that we're using our Gray matter, even on 50 Shades of?
I'm at a crossroads with the answer. I was a child who LOVED to read. With every fiber of my being, books were my friends. They took me places I'd never been, taught me how to solve mysteries, introduced me to cultures, and even showed me how to act in certain situations.
Reading Roald Dahl's Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and the lesser known The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More, when I was in third grade opened doors in my mind. These weren't just vapid, vanity tales that left me entertained for the evening. These books left impressions on me that I can recall 20 years later.
There's nothing wrong with reading for entertainment's sake. We read blogs, Ologies, gossip magazines, and books like 50 Shades of Grey, all the time.
But, when do we move past the dessert? When do we get to the meat of our reading, and leave the candy stories alone? Can't we vary our choices so that we get a little of everything? What happens to our brains when we don't challenge them past the next blog on perez hilton?
Working in a bookstore, I've encountered many people who don't like to read, or who only read particular things. I had a gentleman brag to me that he only read non-fiction and business-oriented books. I was shocked that he thought fiction was something to look down upon. I asked him how he could expand his mind, or use his imagination?
Children have been dragged into the bookstore, wailing about how they only want to read the comics, or books that have a lot of pictures. And these are children who are old enough to see the pictures in their minds, without having them on the pages. It saddens me, because I don't know how to impart my love for reading to other people.
I thought the secret to getting people to want to read, was good writing. If a book is good, then people will read it. But that's not always the case. There are gems of books that I've never read, that the average person hasn't heard of, that history has overlooked.
And that's sad. Because what it really takes to get people out of this anti-literate mode, is awesome public relations and word of mouth. At the end of the day, it takes television to sell a book.
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