Book Snobbery

There's something that's been really bugging me lately. It's happened around me so many times in the last month that I took the time to sit down and put my thoughts on it into words. I have to say, book snobbery really angers me. There's little that annoys me more.

I don't care what you read, it doesn't make you better than people who read books you don't like. No type of book is inherently better or worse than another, you just like it more or less. Not every book that you didn't enjoy is bad. I will admit there are books out there that may be so poorly written that you may not like them for that reason, but most books weren't bad, they just didn't match your personal tastes. And even when it was writing that turned you off, most of the time it still wasn't bad, it just wasn't a style of writing you enjoy. There are almost 7 billion people on the planet, it's pretty conceited to assume your personal taste is the barometer for quality.

Even if your taste was so amazing that it defined good and bad, there's going to be a variety of quality in any genre. You're going to have a few stellar books, a few stinkers, and a whole lot of stuff in between.

Reading 1-5 books/series in a genre does not make you an expert on the genre. It's not even a good sampling, given how many books are published each year. Do not complain that you read: Harry Potter, Twilight, whatever, and YA sucks. Don't tell me you read one of your mother's romance novels when you were twelve and you're just not into that crap. And for God's sake, don't be one of those people who says I've never read one of those books, but I don't need to. If you haven't read one of those books (no matter which books those refers to), keep your mouth shut, you have nothing to add to the conversation about that genre.

You want the right to talk about it? Look up a list of the best books in the genre and go read at least a dozen, focusing on trying to find ones with stories/writing styles that suit your tastes. If you're not willing to put the time in learning about a genre you haven't earned the right to talk about it derisively. If you do put in the time and after all that reading you still haven't found anything you like, by all means, tell people you're not a fan. Just don't call it crap because it isn't your cup of tea.

YA vs. Adult Literature

So, now that we've gotten through my thoughts on snobby readers, onto my actual thoughts on YA vs. Adult literature.

In the interest of full disclosure, I will admit that I am a 25 year old who reads YA. I'd say about half of my reading is YA. However, I didn't really start reading YA until I was 19-20. When I was in middle school and high school there was very little MG or YA that I was exposed to that I was interested in. I don't even remember the Barnes and Noble I frequented in high school having a YA section, just one that contained picture books and chapter books for younger readers.

I think YA now is a very different beast than it was even ten years ago. And I think a lot of people make assumptions about the genre based on the days of Sweet Valley High. I think those who haven't been exposed to the breadth and depth of the current genre are missing out.

The objection most heard tends to be, I'm not reading that, it was written for kids, as if the person thinks it must be lesser than books for adults. The quality of the genre as a whole is extraordinary. YA is not a dumbed down or watered down read, like some adults expect. Teens are smart. Smarter than a lot of adults give them credit for. And they want robust, well written books just as smart as they are.

The other complaint tends to be, but I want a book about things that matter. YA these days don't shy away from anything. Sex, drugs, and alcohol aren't taboo. Teens will more than likely encounter them and YA reflects that without always turning it into a lesson on how only terrible tings will happen to you if you do them. Which isn't to say that they're glorified in YA, just that they're portrayed realistically.

There are great YA books out there addressing every type of child abuse, rape, addiction, poverty, pregnancy, suicide, loss of a loved one, abusive relationships, stalking, every type of sexuality, etc. There's a book out there for every teen to relate to, no matter what they're going through. And even if they're problems most adults wouldn't consider as severe as those listed above, they still seem like everything to that teen going through it, and they can find books that treat it that way.

Which isn't to say only teens can enjoy these books, because every YA has one commonality at it's center, a coming of age story. And no matter how old you're gotten, we can all still relate to that experience. We all go through it, and it's the core of every YA story.