A.’s Comments (group member since Nov 03, 2008)

A.’s comments from the Runs with scissors group.

unfortunately, in today's world of political correctness, society has no one to for which to sling prejudicial comments upon except the "fatties" and the "Fags". And sadly, no one blinks when such comments are made as it is socially acceptable to poke fun at these two groups EVEN when the majority of the people in this country are considered to be obese and the gays are just an "abomination" in the eyes of God.
I think people are prejudiced by nature and they need some sort of outlet for their angst so they pick on the groups that aren't protected against discrimination.

Phyllis Curott & Christopher Penczak

Egypt

I send greetings and wish everyone a happy and SAFE National run with scissors day!

I loved "Hitchhiker's Guide." It was a light read and very funny. I never could get the hang of Thursday.

When I have access to books, I usually have two or three going at a time. [The library system here is awful:] Usually in a different genre. One at home, one for work and one in the bathroom,

I think this is an excellent idea. I don't have a suggestion at this time but will think on it.

The only book that I have read that made me wish i hadn't was "Cujo" by Stephen King. I stayed up ALL NIGHT reading that book waiting for it to get good. Guess what? It didn't. and WTF...the kid dies!?!?Gimme a break.

I think books and literature do and have influenced our way of not only talking but thinking...that's why they burn so many.
keep in mind, books have been around a whole lot longer that T.V. has.
And yes...I am laughing....Gotta love those dingle nuts!

I say don't read the book. It is unlikely the authors writing style is going to change simply because they are aiming for a different audience. As to that teenage verbal pugilist (Good Gravy!! How I enjoy that turn of phrase!)I feel a new product from the makers of Seal-A-Squeal (tm), Demean-A-Teen (tm) and Demean-A-Tween (tm)!(I can hear ya laughin', Kim)

I haven't noticed a pattern such as you have mentioned, although I, too, seemed to have moved from my horror phase. That may be due to the fact that I no longer have access to my mother's friend's library of books as I never really activly sought out horror to read with the exception of Stephen King and the last few books of his I read were really strange and I din't really care for them as much as I did his earlier works. As far as rereading something, I will backtrack and reread a series if it had been a long delay between installments. Otherwise, I will reread a book as I feel the urge to do so.
I haven't really changed my preferred genres as I have aged as I just adore Sci/Fi, Fantasy and supernatural type books.

I haven't read "Twilight" as yet either. But you shouldn't be beaten up verbally because you disagree with someone. However passionate a pre-teen is about it. If we all liked the same thing there would be a resounding lack of reading material as we would all be reading "The life and times of the period a t the end of the sentence." WOW!!!! Sounds like a good one to me!
At least you were willing to give the ENTIRE series a go before you passed judgment, Kim, not many would.

It is my opinion that I will cease to read anything that doesn't catch me. Period. I don't OWE anything to an author. If I don't like their style, I don't like it. I am not going to waste my time reading something that I have to force myself to read. I have better things to do than wait for a bad book to "get better". Done it too many times. I have put books down, never to touch again, that have failed to get me with in the first 50 pages.
I have read books, by favorite authors, that I didn't like and am willing to give it a chance.
Kim, I am pretty certain that after four books, if you don't like it stop reading it. It's so not worth the effort.
In a series sometimes the first book is a little slow and I am willing to give the benefit of the doubt, but once i get into the next book, the author had better have gotten me involved in the lives of the characters, because if I don't get a vested interest...then who cares what happens to the characters...close the book and move on.

What's worse is when you stay up all night reading a book in the hope that it will get good and you get to the last page and it hasn't.
It is then that I cry!

What I would like to know is who has given authority to ban something to anyone? If it offends you, don't read it. No one is forcing anyone to read anything. Let me make up my mind if I wish to read something. Granted, some material isn't appropriate for every age, but the child's parents should make that decision not a law making body or the government.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot, I agree with you Kim, if it's a "bad" thing, I am more likely to take notice and read it than if they had just kept their gums still about it. Case in point, "The DaVinci Code"

There have been instances where I have seen a movie that I didn't know was a book and it has prompted me to read the book. Sometimes, for me, movie adaptations leave me disappointed due to the fact that certain story lines are left out or characterizations don't mesh with the author's intentions. Case in point, "Jurassic Park". Loved the book and, kinda, looked forward to seeing it on a big screen, love those dinos, but the characters of John Hammond and Ian Malcolm were SOOOOO not what they were in the book,let alone the "relationship" between Ellie and Alan, that the movie didn't live up to my expectations even though the movie was fairly well done.

Generally, I prefer the written word far better than a cinematic presentation as I have a HYPERactive imagination that suits me well when it comes to painting a mental picture. I don't like to have thse visions spoonfed to me and I like to see how close to my mental images as they can get. Generally, If I loved the book, I tend to be disappointed with the movies. Case in point, the Bourne series. Loved the books, love Matt Damon, disliked the movies. The movies were entertaining, don't get me wrong, and if I had never read the books I might have liked them as they were pretty good as an action/adventure, but Matt Damon is no Jason Bourne. Jason Bourne is described as ordinary in appearance in every way, you forget him the moment you meet him. That feature is what makes his art of disguise so great. Matt Damon is NOT ordinary in appearance in any way. He is "rememberable." I feel that the second and third Harry movies weren't as good simply because the directors of those two films simply didn't get it as well as Chris Columbus did and while Hogwarts is a magical place, they seemed to disregard all of Columbus' vision and redesigned the school and the characters. I can not comment on "Twilight" as I haven't yet read the books. I understand that, sometimes, plot lines, minor and major both, get left out simply because of time constraints in a movie. However, I feel sometimes that these omissions can do a great disservice to the story as well.
Sometimes a movie will get me to read something that is under my radar, something I might not think about reading, but for the general populace, I don't think it works out that way as our society is terribly self centered and in need of instant gratification an a movie fulfills that need. For most people, the skill (Yes, I said SKILL) of reading takes up too much time in their hectic lives. Seeing something like Magrathea or Middle Earth done with the aid of today's modern graphic design, is breathtaking, especially when the director "gets it". When my vision of a world matches up with the director's, THEN I am blown away. For example, the final battle in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" had me wanting to pick up a sword and fight right alongside of Aslan.

I think classic status is achieved primarily through longevity...will it reach and touch current as well as FUTURE readers? I think contraversy is a key factor for some books...as a lot of the books now considered classic were once thought of as "Dirty" or as "heresy".

I, too, like a wide variety in my books although I also tend to stick to Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi and Fantasy. I like historical fiction as well as mystery and intrigue, especially, as Kim pointed out, if I cannot figure out "whodunit" until the last pages. Romance is ok as long as it is well written and not some formulaic cookie cutter story.
I like characters who go against the grain of the norm...who go and have adventures because yheir heart pulls them in that direction and not as society dictates. (This comment is for all those who have ever hear the words 'girls can't do that'.)
I find it difficult to read a book where the author does not grab my attention in the first 50 pages or so...I need to feel that "what will happen next" feeling. I do need to establish some sort of rapport with the character, else I won't continue to read. It becomes a "who cares" situation.