I admit it. Out of nothing but pure curiosity about the writing, I bought the first book in the Fifty Shades trilogy. I can tell you that I bought it, but don’t let me let YOU see ME READING it. Oh no!
I’d read a couple of articles about these books and what E.L. James has proven a million times over (pun!) with her Fifty Shade trilogy is that if the story is good enough, the writing doesn’t have to be stellar. (we’ve heard this before, yes we have) You can read yet another article on the concept of a good story vs good writing here: http://www.wiredforstory.com/fifty-shades-of-story-vs-%E2%80%9Cwell-written%E2%80%9D/
In all honesty, I haven’t read the book yet. Currently I’m into “Killing Lincoln” but that’s taking me a while because I’m so tired at night, I can only get through three to four pages before I fall asleep. I also have a couple other books I want to read before I devote my time to it. Why? I guess because after flipping through some of the pages at random, I wasn’t sure I was going to be hooked and the other books, well, I already know I’m excited about them. Of course I didn’t get to any of the “steamy” parts although I did spot some random things that made me say in the words of the protagonist, “Holy cow!” as I scanned the pages. But, I stuck it back on my dresser and there it has been for about a month. I’ll be curious to see if after reading the first one, I find that I must have the second and third.
But back to the other conversation that has swirled around these books. It is rather interesting no one wants anyone to know when they are reading them. (gotta love an e-Reader for that). I suppose if I think about riding on public transportation, or being anywhere like a park, airport, or sitting on a bench in the mall, maybe I wouldn’t want folks to know I was reading erotica either. It would be no different than a man or woman sitting in plain view of everyone with a porn magazine. I guess.
But go to a party, or just about anywhere and strike up a conversation about reading and people will tell you they are reading it. How is that different from seeing them read it? Everyone seems to act as if it will mean that you are wondering or thinking about what part they may be at and the slightest move, twitch, swallow, flip of a page means they are at one of those parts in the book.
Funny. Everyone who is reading Fifty Shades 1, 2, or 3 will tell you they are, but no one wants anyone to see them reading it.
I haven’t read it. There are like 70 people on the library’s waiting list. Of course i could buy it. Before I graduated to Playboy, I remember hiding Henry Miller’s Tropic of … under my pillow. LoL. I don’t remember if it made me horny but talk about screwing your mind up 🙂
The link in the post might be the one that had the comment about some bookstore somewhere that has a sign that says…”Shhhh….we won’t tell.” But if not, I did read about that when I was deciding what to post on this week.
I think the only book I remember hiding was “The Exorcist” which I read when I was 13…but we all know a lot of that content was pretty rough/graphic.
This really is the strangest set of reading circumstances, isn’t it? It seems like everyone is reading it, but you absolutely never (or hardly ever) see anyone reading this book.
Having said that, I saw a woman reading it RIGHT OUT IN THE OPEN in the United Airlines lounge in Rome last week. Her husband was sitting next to her, and he sure looked happy.
LOL! He’s probably already been given a sneak preview and wished she’d hurry up and finish the whole trilogy!
It is totally strange to me…I don’t get someone telling me they are reading it, yet would die FIFTY deaths if someone caught them. And I say hear hear!! to the woman in the UA lounge in Rome.
Seriously. Her husband looked happyhappyhappy. Good for them! My husband was probably secretly wishing I would read it. Just not in public. Ha!
mine too…!