OT In Defense of Ripping Bodices (was Semi-Colons & John Grisham)

[Ebony Elizabeth]

No: HPFGUIDX 2086

--- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, Amanda Lewanski <editor at t...> wrote:
> Joywitch wrote:
> 
> > Sorry to go off on a rant here, but I hate snobbery, and
> > yes I sometimes read books with clearly questionable literary 
merit,
> > and other times I even read biographies.
> 
> Heck, some of my best friends read bodice-rippers......

--Amanda, who wishes she had the time anymore

I wish I did too, but then I'd have to unsub from AOL.  Priorities 
are priorities, eh?

My bodice-rippers are all by two authors:  Virginia Henley 
(specializes in Plantagenet intrigue) and Beverly Jenkins 
(specializes in African-American historicals).  They're stacked 
neatly on a shelf of their own right under the Gary Jennings/Orson 
Scott Card/Ursula LeGuin shelf (where my extra HP copies also reside) 
and right above the paperback editions of my classics.

I learned more history from my friends' "romance novel trading club" 
in middle school and ninth grade than I did in any history class 
until AP American.  Some are pointless, but some of these women do 
more research in their chosen period than many field experts.  The 
fact that they *are* women causes their work to sometimes be devalued 
and unfairly pidgeonholed.  For instance, Jennings' "Aztec" is 
historical romance IMO, but he is not categorized as such.  Then 
again, his unusual pairings (you name the "alternative" sexuality--
it's in his books--my belief is that he does this for the shock 
value) and exotic cultural settings may be the reason for this.

My AP English teacher put it best.  I was afraid of my mind 
being "poisoned" by reading books that were not good literature at 
the time, and felt that this would affect my AP test scores.  To 
which she laughed and said, "Read *everything*.  Sometimes you need 
peas and carrots, sometimes you need a hot fudge sundae."  I've kept 
that in mind as I build my collection.  My reading preferences are 
Christian theology, African-American lit, and kidlit, but I read in 
every category without regarding genre or critical esteem.

To date, neither Card nor Austen nor Tolstoy have objected to the 
company.  All of the books in my personal library are great friends 
with one another.  :-)

--Ebony (whose favorite Card by far is *Pastwatch:  The Redemption of 
Christopher Columbus*.  Whoever thought a sci-fi author could make me 
cry?  ;))