Suggested by JM:

I was looking through books yesterday at the shops and saw all the Twilight books, which I know basically nothing about. What I do know is that I’m beginning to feel like I’m the *only* person who knows nothing about them.

Despite being almost broke and trying to save money, I almost bought the expensive book (Australian book prices are often completely nutty) just because I felt the need to be ‘up’ on what everyone else was reading.

Have you ever felt pressured to read something because ‘everyone else’ was reading it? Have you ever given in and read the book(s) in question or do you resist? If you are a reviewer, etc, do you feel it’s your duty to keep up on current trends?

Well, I realize that I already posted a BTT in anticipation of not being on line while on vacation… and I had every intention of not logging in today (my husband is golfing and my great task today is simply reading The Story of Edgar Sawtelle — which I am loving…).  However, our hotel in Colorado Springs just happens to have wonderful internet access and since my hubby is not here to say, “Blogging again?” I thought I would join in the BTT party!

I love this topic, especially since the questioner used the Twilight series as her example.  I recently read Twilight simply to find out what the buzz was about and enjoyed it.  However, I do not plan to read the rest of the series.  Which is how I approached Harry Potter years ago — I read the first three, enjoyed them, but didn’t continue on to the end.  I have also read a couple of Picoult‘s books, and would happily pick up another if stranded in an airport.

I definitely read works out of curiosity — I love to find out what is grabbing and holding our attention as readers.  And then I love to think about why certain authors are so popular.  I also feel a responsibility as a lit blogger to do so.  But, life is so short, and there are so many great books to read, that I usually just get a taste of what’s hot, and then move on.

On the other end of the spectrum (if we hypothetically place popular and critical tastes on opposite ends), I also love to read what the critics are excited about.  Like my current read — Edgar Sawtelle.  While I am loving this novel, I do not always agree with the critics, especially when they review “hip” choices written by my generation (Then We Came to the End comes to mind).  I don’t like self-consciously smart or snarky writing, unless it is done really really well for a greater purpose than proving the writer’s intelligence or hipness.  (However, that comment seemed a bit snarky, didn’t it!?).  However, I have yet to read a Pulitzer prize winner that I didn’t enjoy as well as respect.

Now, here’s my question for you — why wouldn’t you read what everyone else is talking about?  Feel free to leave me a comment and distract me from my reading until my husband returns and notices the laptop is on… again… 

Welcome back!