tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631240246638798.post2389911367761494067..comments2024-03-18T21:13:12.753-04:00Comments on Jacob Russell's Barking Dog: Chic Lit: Marketing Gimic? Genetic/Existential Divide?Jacob Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07090220157886320148noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631240246638798.post-39207742634509520392008-08-26T15:02:00.000-04:002008-08-26T15:02:00.000-04:00Being a language arts teacher myself, I too have n...Being a language arts teacher myself, I too have noticed the great divide. I teach 13-18 year olds, and I think reading preferences start there. It may come down to something as simple as marketing, as you mentioned in the title of theis blog entry. <BR/><BR/>I laughed out loud when you mentioned you wouldn't pick up a book with barefeet on the cover. This marketing technique has been Jason Kurtzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05671347398990738757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631240246638798.post-31838347316193566632008-05-21T08:29:00.000-04:002008-05-21T08:29:00.000-04:00Chic Lit was not my real concern--it was rather th...Chic Lit was not my real concern--it was rather the larger question of reading preferences for men and women. Chic lit is market exploitation of the LCD. I mentioned Bel Canto because it's <I>not</I> chic lit: is this a book more likely to turn up on woman's reading list? Is there something here beyond market exploitation?Jacob Russellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07090220157886320148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631240246638798.post-74209579043926990892008-05-21T06:36:00.000-04:002008-05-21T06:36:00.000-04:00Found your blog through VerveEarth ... and this is...Found your blog through VerveEarth ... and this is an interesting post. However, I beg to differ that you would classify Bel Canto as chick lit. Chick lit is actually past its prime and no longer sells. Literary fiction, which is what Bel Canto is, is still in demand. Bel Canto happens to be one of the most beautiful, poetic books you can ever read about a group of hostages. That's a far cry fromShawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16038370158284663729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631240246638798.post-55588416709864227442008-05-07T02:22:00.000-04:002008-05-07T02:22:00.000-04:00Here's the link to the Bukiet article:http://www.t...Here's the link to the Bukiet article:<BR/>http://www.theamericanscholar.org/au07/wonder-bukiet.html<BR/>And here is where I discussed it a bit on my blog:<BR/>http://incurablelogophilia.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/chewing-on-some-bread/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631240246638798.post-63860293979303720502008-05-06T10:28:00.000-04:002008-05-06T10:28:00.000-04:00Verbivore,I can't get past the pastel jackets--so ...Verbivore,<BR/><BR/>I can't get past the pastel jackets--so I can't judge by experience. I had in mind something broader (ahem, NPI) than the market trash. <BR/><BR/>Reading habits do seem to differ. My guess is that men who might otherwise balance the Chic Lit readers don't read books. They look for other forms of escape. You can see that in popular magazines, too. There are a hundred aimed at Jacob Russellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07090220157886320148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631240246638798.post-8855070538697171102008-05-06T08:51:00.000-04:002008-05-06T08:51:00.000-04:00I have yet to find anything labeled Chick Lit that...I have yet to find anything labeled Chick Lit that delves into complex emotional problems. I'm not sure if I'm unnecessarily harsh but I don't find any merit in chick lit...but I think your question is valid and one that interests me. I held onto this post and came back today hoping that someone else might have left a comment with an interesting perspective. I think Chick Lit functions as light, Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631240246638798.post-60479288990533040432008-05-04T07:36:00.000-04:002008-05-04T07:36:00.000-04:00Jacob: I found your blog through Princess Haiku an...Jacob: I found your blog through Princess Haiku and I hope to spend some time here now and then. <BR/><BR/>I can see that we are guys of similar tastes -- I love Bach and native flowers, too, and I don't see anything unmasculine about it.<BR/><BR/>As far as chiklit, seems to me the answers that your students gave are a huge wake-up call, to us guys.<BR/><BR/>Books are a window into the mind and Eastcoastdwellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18140530743668908554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631240246638798.post-85241435376299191032008-05-02T17:14:00.000-04:002008-05-02T17:14:00.000-04:00Tough guys killing people scare me. Being a guy, I...Tough guys killing people scare me. Being a guy, I suppose that predisposes me to by not fitting the template, to prefer complex emotional problems... the more so, being myself a complex emotional problem I've not come close to solving. <BR/><BR/>But I still don't read market chick lit... should I? <BR/><BR/>You've written some fine reviews of books I would tend to file in that category. My womenJacob Russellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07090220157886320148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631240246638798.post-83153523146185029002008-05-02T16:57:00.000-04:002008-05-02T16:57:00.000-04:00Ha, funny. Yes I've noticed that women read men's ...Ha, funny. Yes I've noticed that women read men's books but men really don't read that particular brand of women's fiction. That's enough to tell me there is huge asymmetry between the sexes. Men for relaxation seem to like to identify with a tough guy killing people, whereas women tend to consider complex emotional problems. So there you have it. If you ever feel like delving into some emotionalAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631240246638798.post-47987952732786909542008-04-27T23:53:00.000-04:002008-04-27T23:53:00.000-04:00I've missed them too. :)I've missed them too. :)Diane Dehlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13178263734982687383noreply@blogger.com