Book reviewer quits over 'increasing sexist violence' - CrimeSpace2024-03-28T22:49:57Zhttps://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/book-reviewer-quits-over?id=537324%3ATopic%3A217708&feed=yes&xn_auth=noRight on every count, Donna.…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-11-01:537324:Comment:2184522009-11-01T02:15:10.650ZMike Dennishttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MikeDennis
Right on every count, Donna. Write it the way you see it, and let the cards fall where they may.
Right on every count, Donna. Write it the way you see it, and let the cards fall where they may. I'm with you, Joe. I can best…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-10-31:537324:Comment:2182682009-10-31T00:37:56.411ZDonna Carrickhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/DonnaCarrick
I'm with you, Joe. I can best describe my view using movies. When the world, my own friends and family included, were wild about Pulp Fiction because it was such a "trend setter", I watched it, but it made me feel like a bath was in order.<br />
<br />
Like I.J. I am against censorship. I do agree, though, there is room to set a more tasteful trend. After all, the literary world belongs to us at this moment. We can shape it as we will.<br />
<br />
If graphic elements are necessary to the story, I will employ them.…
I'm with you, Joe. I can best describe my view using movies. When the world, my own friends and family included, were wild about Pulp Fiction because it was such a "trend setter", I watched it, but it made me feel like a bath was in order.<br />
<br />
Like I.J. I am against censorship. I do agree, though, there is room to set a more tasteful trend. After all, the literary world belongs to us at this moment. We can shape it as we will.<br />
<br />
If graphic elements are necessary to the story, I will employ them. I'll try to do so fearlessly, because I believe a good writer is a fearless one. Others may not like it, but that's the way I'll do it.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, if they are merely gratuitous, I will continue to leave them out as I always have. I'm much more interested in l…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-10-30:537324:Comment:2181572009-10-30T15:30:52.781ZJoe Baronehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JoeBarone
I'm much more interested in less violent books with interesting characters than in the kind of books so many are nowadays--carried forward, not by character, but by violence.
I'm much more interested in less violent books with interesting characters than in the kind of books so many are nowadays--carried forward, not by character, but by violence. Well, my answer is "zero," bu…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-10-30:537324:Comment:2181472009-10-30T13:57:25.210ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
Well, my answer is "zero," but you may enlighten me about the G.K. Chesterton model.
Well, my answer is "zero," but you may enlighten me about the G.K. Chesterton model. How many serial killer books…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-10-29:537324:Comment:2180402009-10-29T21:36:36.673ZJon Loomishttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JonLoomis
<i>How many serial killer books that are bestsellers are actually "good" books and not just "good reads"?</i><br />
<br />
Depends on your understanding of what makes a "good book." If you're on board with the G.K. Chesterton model, as I am, then the correct answer would be "zero."
<i>How many serial killer books that are bestsellers are actually "good" books and not just "good reads"?</i><br />
<br />
Depends on your understanding of what makes a "good book." If you're on board with the G.K. Chesterton model, as I am, then the correct answer would be "zero." Oh, God yes--of course she ha…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-10-29:537324:Comment:2180392009-10-29T21:34:31.964ZJon Loomishttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JonLoomis
Oh, God yes--of course she has a right not to review them. In fact she ought to have the right to eviscerate them--but I'm guessing that given the commercial symbiosis between publishers and big-time book reviews, that may be not an option her editor would find acceptable. A book reviewer should always tell the truth, even if the truth is "I advise you not to touch this piece of shit with a ten foot pole."
Oh, God yes--of course she has a right not to review them. In fact she ought to have the right to eviscerate them--but I'm guessing that given the commercial symbiosis between publishers and big-time book reviews, that may be not an option her editor would find acceptable. A book reviewer should always tell the truth, even if the truth is "I advise you not to touch this piece of shit with a ten foot pole." Unfortunately a lot of people…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-10-29:537324:Comment:2180372009-10-29T20:42:33.973ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
Unfortunately a lot of people want to read it and therefore the writer who writes this stuff finds a publisher who promotes him. It may not be that he wants to write this stuff. It may be that he writes it because it makes money. We have always had such writers. They come and they go. They work for the quick buck.<br />
Of course, he has a right to write what he wants, but we don't need to admire him as a writer because he sells a lot of books.
Unfortunately a lot of people want to read it and therefore the writer who writes this stuff finds a publisher who promotes him. It may not be that he wants to write this stuff. It may be that he writes it because it makes money. We have always had such writers. They come and they go. They work for the quick buck.<br />
Of course, he has a right to write what he wants, but we don't need to admire him as a writer because he sells a lot of books. IJ, the answer is yes, it is…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-10-29:537324:Comment:2180292009-10-29T19:50:32.689ZMike Dennishttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MikeDennis
IJ, the answer is yes, it is truly necessary to the novel to dwell on multiple rape-mutilations and all other types of distasteful, ugly actions, if that's what the writer wants. As I said before, the reading public naturally has every right to reject this trash, which they have consistently done since the first time anyone tried to write about it.<br />
<br />
And with the serial killer books, who's going to define "good". Answer: the reader, or even more to the point, the potential reader, before he or…
IJ, the answer is yes, it is truly necessary to the novel to dwell on multiple rape-mutilations and all other types of distasteful, ugly actions, if that's what the writer wants. As I said before, the reading public naturally has every right to reject this trash, which they have consistently done since the first time anyone tried to write about it.<br />
<br />
And with the serial killer books, who's going to define "good". Answer: the reader, or even more to the point, the potential reader, before he or she buys the book. No one is disagreeing with you that a lot of serial killer stuff is sleaze, and that the really graphic stuff is just plain awful. But if someone wants to write that stuff, there's nothing anyone can do about it.<br />
<br />
Of course, if no one wants to read it, there's nothing the writer can do about that, either. Okay. Let's get this out of t…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-10-29:537324:Comment:2180092009-10-29T13:57:14.334ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
Okay. Let's get this out of the way: I'm against censorship.<br />
<br />
Now let's consider self-censorship. Is it truly necessary to the novel to dwell on extreme violence against men, women, children, cats, and dogs? Must we have have multiple rape-mutilations to make our point? How many live burnings of dogs and cats must be described to deal with a dangerous youth gang? And, finally: Are we choosing the subject and the graphic descriptions purely to ratchett up sales?<br />
<br />
How many serial killer books…
Okay. Let's get this out of the way: I'm against censorship.<br />
<br />
Now let's consider self-censorship. Is it truly necessary to the novel to dwell on extreme violence against men, women, children, cats, and dogs? Must we have have multiple rape-mutilations to make our point? How many live burnings of dogs and cats must be described to deal with a dangerous youth gang? And, finally: Are we choosing the subject and the graphic descriptions purely to ratchett up sales?<br />
<br />
How many serial killer books that are bestsellers are actually "good" books and not just "good reads"?<br />
<br />
My feeling is that most of those books are just sleaze. Ah, no. Women are more obviou…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-10-29:537324:Comment:2180072009-10-29T13:48:19.131ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
Ah, no. Women are more obvious targets. There may also be a perverse pleasure among female readers to fantasize about rapes.<br />
<br />
But the most horrific scenes of violence I witnessed were what was done to men in Val McDermid's book.
Ah, no. Women are more obvious targets. There may also be a perverse pleasure among female readers to fantasize about rapes.<br />
<br />
But the most horrific scenes of violence I witnessed were what was done to men in Val McDermid's book.