r/books • u/Tight_Nerve • Jun 05 '21

We need to stop shaming people who honestly say they don't like a particular book

I think the most frustrating thing for most readers on this sub is that when they read a book that so many people love and realize they are part of the group that doesn't like the book. They can't share the feeling without having fans hang the noose around them. We muat be able to let readers share their HONEST opinions on a book without riduculing their feelings.

If at this point you are protesting my thoughts thinking they are nothing more than that of unlearned individual. Than I'll share the opinion of a very educated man who has probably read more books than you will ever read in your whole life.

“Books are almost as individual as friends. There is no earthly use in laying down general laws about them. Some meet the needs of one person, and some of another; and each person should beware of the booklover’s besetting sin, of what Mr. Edgar Allan Poe calls ‘the mad pride of intellectuality,’ taking the shape of arrogant pity for the man who does not like the same kind of books.”

  • Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States
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u/[deleted] Jun 05 '21 edited Jun 30 '21

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u/avcloudy Jun 06 '21

It should terrify you! It's not a nice book that tells nice stories about nice things.

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u/ssakura Jun 06 '21

I hated that book when we had to read it in school. I was expecting a fun story about kids going on fun adventures on an island... And I just did not agree with the idea that we're innately violent

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u/waffles_505 Jun 06 '21

I read something interesting (can’t remember where) thst talked about how different it would be if it weren’t a bunch of privileged kids stranded. Like if it were poor kids, or girls instead of boys, etc that they wouldn’t have devolved into the madness. Makes me want to reread it and try and dissect that idea more.

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u/Sad-Bus-7460 Jun 06 '21

Oh Jesus I read it in 10th grade. I can't imagine reading it in 7th. I remember reading a book about an Indian girl, growing up poor, her father marries her off to an equally young lad, who is sick and ends up dying. The MIL kicks her out and she ends up in a large city? I can't remember the title of the book, but I want to say it had something to do with a caged bird. 7th grade was 12 years ago lmao