Thursday's Thread of Thought

[burendasan4]

So I go from reading a book where the main character loses her virginity quite casually to one of her random guys to reading a book where the main character doesn't let her fiancee do as much as touch her before their wedding and finally loses her virginity in a long, drawn-out scene.

The first one was "Hypocrite in a Pouffy White Dress" by Susan Gilman, a very entertaining story which many women who grew up in the 80s and 90s can probably relate to. The second one is "Love in the Time of Cholera" the new classic by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I got a copy of the book for free at my former workplace (it was on a pile of donated books that were going to be sold anyway) about two years ago, but hadn't gotten around to reading it (grad school, anyone?) until now. Of course NOW that I begin to read it, Oprah goes and makes it part of the "official" book club list. Now people are going to think I'm reading the book because it was named as Oprah's Book Club latest pick.
I just don't get how a book becomes a bestseller simply because of the endorsement of someone like Oprah (just goes to show how much power she has over the public). Why would someone go out of their way to read a book just because a celebrity tells them to?
Now, to be fair (the altruistic librarian side of me coming out now), Oprah's Book Club is a good thing because it actually gets people to read and *gasp* actually go to the library. Yes, one of the big requests I got at the WPL was the complete list of books on Oprah's Book Club list. So yeah, I guess my previous statement made me sound like a complete snob and contradictory to my profession...and even I sometimes look to other people and other sources for recommendations in music, food, etc. It's just that the impression I get with Oprah's Book Club is that people don't even try to figure out what the book is about or think about whether they will like the book or not. They will read the book simply because it's on the list and therefore some sort of status symbol. This is why people looking for a book they will like should take advantage of a public library's reader's advisory services (woohoo!).
Anywayz, this entry got a LOT longer than I had intended it to, which goes to show one of the things that I get excited/worked up about.

One more day till Glorious Friday!

PS-It was raining just a little while ago, which was making me dread going out to wait for the bus, but it seems to have slowed down or stopped altogether. YAY!

Comments

[laetha.livejournal.com]

This is how I feel about music. Just because I hear a song on (insert popular radio station here), I'm not going to OMG must get that! In fact, I tend to avoid "normal" music even if it doesn't sound half bad because I don't want to have the radio control me.
Or anything else.. say I like something and then it becomes popular, I feel the need to tell everyone that I didn't just jump on the band wagon (do bands really travel in wagons?).

[intothebluagain.livejournal.com]

Good points both of you... I've HAD it with mainstream music. All of it I actually like gets overkilled on the radio anyway. This is why I also listen to stuff on the extremes... the very old (anything from the good ole 50s... 1450s that is) to the very new/futuristic. I think I need to move to Europe or something, but I'd prolly get sick of the music there too ;) It sucks to be a picky culture snob, but I guess you guys can commiserate ;)
Oh and B, can I use you as my personal reader's advisory service? ;) I'd love to hear what kind of books you'd suggest to me!

[burendasan4.livejournal.com]

What gets to me about the "mainstream" music industry is how much they charge for albums that only have maybe one catchy song worth listening to (if that!). I'd rather get the song somewhere else for free, thankyouverymuch! Another thing that gets to me is how iTunes has nearly monopolized the digital music market, in spite of the fact that they sell pricey songs that can be played only on THEIR digital music players!

I refuse to be controlled by the mainstream music industry's high prices and prohibitive practices, so I'd rather look elsewhere instead, whether it's the library or Emusic (http://www.emusic.com), where I can often find music that's cheaper and can decide for myself what music I want to listen to.
In the past few years, I've pretty much stopped listening to regular radio because the music was sounding sucky-er and half the time they play commercials. However, I recently discovered a public radio station that plays excellent music of all genres and gives exposure to talented bands and artists that are usually more obscure. So that's become another way for me to "discover" music.

[slashtacular.livejournal.com]

Another thing that gets to me is how iTunes has nearly monopolized the digital music market, in spite of the fact that they sell pricey songs that can be played only on THEIR digital music players!

Considering that I am now totally uninterested in one of their digital music players, this is why I still buy CDs (although also because I tend to like albums that are intended to function as a single work of art - A Perfect Circle / Tool / Porcupine Tree / Dream Theater anyone?). To be fair, iTunes is selling some songs without DRM at all, but it's a very, very small selection of its library. Out of the 130 songs that I bought off iTunes, only FOUR are offered in non-DRM format. And the way that the pay structure is set up with the non-DRM thing is weird too - when they first offered it, it was $1.29 per song, or 30 cents to upgrade an existing song. But now it's just 99 cents to buy a new song without DRM - but you STILL have to pay the 30 cents to upgrade an existing song! I really don't know which one pisses me off more - the sheer Draconian nature of the first is nicely balanced by the maddening inconsistency of the second.

But I think it's awesome that you've found an actual real live radio station that plays music that you like! Who could imagine! I've resorted to NPR just to avoid the dreadfulness that is modern corporate rock.