What is Obscenity?

05 Apr 2012 2 Comments

by Jen in Commentary Tags: , , ,

Obscene.

We’re so quick to throw that word around, but how many of us really know what it means?  Many of the great classics in literature have been banned or challenged for obscenity (think Lolita and Tropic of Cancer), but what actually made people think they were obscene? 

I took a course in publishing law this semester, and it gave me a lot of food for thought.  There is actually a legal definition for obscenity, especially in relation to media.  To be classified as ‘obscene,’ the piece in question has to meet a three-part standard:

  1. The material appeals predominantly to the prurient interest (in layman’s terms, it makes you horny).
  2. It is offensive or morally objectionable to the community standard.
  3. It is utterly without any social or artistic value.

Yup, this really is the standard, and it couldn’t be more vague if it tried.  Who is “the community”?  A town, a religious group, the whole state?  And who sets the standard?  And how do you decide if a book has any social importance or not?  Maybe those anti-porn crusaders think that porn has no social importance, but there are many others who would beg to differ.  And my personal favorite is the “prurient interest” criterion.  Basically, it’s ok for books to talk about sex, but it’s not ok to make people horny.  Huh?!  And there’s nothing in there about violence, so violence is pretty much ok but sex isn’t? 

Obscenity first became a legal issue in the US in the late nineteenth century, an offshoot of the Temperance Movement.  At that time it became illegal to send obscene material through the mail, and specially appointed officers could actually open other people’s mail looking for obscene items.  Think about that the next time you get Playboy or Playgirl in your mailbox!  The three-part standard I mentioned before was implemented in the 1950s and is still more or less applied today, even though it is still contradictory and almost impossible to define.

And for those of you who are thinking that none of this really matters because of the First Amendment, think again.  The First Amendment actually does not protect obscene material.  It also does not protect child pornography (duh) or any speech that incites violence.  So the next time you’re curled up with a good erotic story, try to think about whether it could be technically classified as obscene material and censored or banned.  

Banned Books Week is still six months away, but any time is a good time to appreciate the freedoms and privileges we do have, especially in terms of publishing and speech!

Can We Learn Ancient History from The Hunger Games?

16 Mar 2012 Leave a Comment

by Jen in Commentary

There’s only one week left until the premiere of the first Hunger Games film!  Are you ready?  Even though YA is not my typical genre, I wrote in a previous post about how much I enjoyed the first book.  And now that the movie is coming out, I figured I would read the other two books, since I’m sure they’re going to be adapted into movies as well.

So within the past week, I blasted through Catching Fire and Mockingjay.  While I found them enjoyable, overall I thought the first book was by far the strongest.  But what I really found clever about the whole trilogy was Suzanne Collins’s use of words, names, and ideas influenced by ancient Roman history.  Yup, popular fiction can be entertaining and educational!

The idea of multiple districts under the rule of one capitol is straight out of ancient Rome, with its numerous provinces stretching as far as Africa, Asia, and Great Britain.  Provinces were expected to pay tribute to Rome in the form of taxes, hence the “tribute” idea in The Hunger Games.  The games themselves are an obvious reference to the infamous Roman gladiator matches, designed entertain and supress the peons of the day.  There is even a reference to the “bread and circuses” of ancient Rome made in Catching Fire. 

A lot of the names and terms used in the books are derived from Latin terms or from Greco-Roman names:

  • Flavius (popular surname from Roman history)
  • Plutarch (Greco-Roman historian and philosopher)
  • Octavia (wife of Marc Antony)
  • Pollux (name from Greek mythology, one of the Gemini twins)
  • Cressida (character from Trojan War mythology)
  • Dr. Aurelius (as in emperor Marcus Aurelius)
  • Castor (son of Emperor Tiberius)
  • Avox (‘Vox’ from Latin meaning ‘voice’ and the prefix ‘a’ meaning ‘without’)
  • Tesserae (Actually means ’tiles’ in Latin, so it doesn’t have much to do with grain rations, but whatever)

Collins certainly isn’t the first YA author to be inspired by ancient languages or civilizations. . . I certainly retained more Latin from reading Harry Potter than from a whole semester of Latin in college!  But I love it when authors (in any genre) go the extra step to do research and add some historical flavor to their stories, and then add their own creativity to make those ideas their own.  It adds depth to their books, and makes for much better reading.  Plus if you’re a student, you just might end up learning something without even realizing it!

What do you think?  Can you think of any books you’ve read with a subtle historical influence?  Let me know!

What Makes a Good Self-Help Book?

10 Oct 2011 1 Comment

by Jen in Commentary Tags: , , , ,

I don’t usually read many self-help or advice books, but I find it interesting when women write advice books specifically for other women.  This doesn’t mean of course that women couldn’t benefit from books written by men, but sometimes there are issues more pertinent to women which a female author can better relate to, and a feeling of sisterhood that comes from reading a book written by a woman for other women.  So since this blog is called Chicks Dig Books, I’d like to take a look at two radically different self-help books written just for the ladies! 
 
Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman & Kim Barnouin (2005)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
My trainer recently loaned me this book to read.  I had heard of it of course, but never really knew too much about it.  Frankly I was surprised and more than a little put off by this book.  What purports to be a diet and wellness book is foul-mouthed propaganda for veganism containing theories disguised to look like facts. 
 
For me, what was most offensive about this book was the tone.  The co-authors (a former model and modeling agent, so no duh they’re skinny!) frankly are bullies.  By the time I finished the first chapter I had already been called a gluttonous pig, lazy, and a pussy, among other things.  Way to motivate, girls!  The entire book is filled with a level of profanity I would expect from a Tarantino film, not an advice book.  And the chapter entitled “Pooping” is just disgusting.  I get the whole “tough love” angle they were going for, but instead of appearing knowledgeable and helpful, Freedman and Barnouin come off as just plain, well, bitches.  Which is clearly because they don’t eat. 
 
Just as egregious is the way Skinny Bitch makes nearly impossible promises to its readers.  The authors state over and over again ”you will be skinny” if you eat what they eat.  I find this to be more than a little irresponsible, since one particular diet is not right for everyone, and not everyone loses weight at the same rate.  All in all, I can’t understand the appeal of this book.   
 
Knowing Your Value by Mika Brzezinski (2011)
 
Knowing Your Value: Women, Money and Getting What You're Worth (... Cover Art
 
Knowing Your Value is a book written about another common problem many women face: being underpaid and undervalued in the workplace.  Author Mika Brzezinski, co-host of the news program Morning Joe, describes her personal experiences with inequality in her career and offers practical advice on how women can be taken more seriously at work.  Brzezinski tells her readers how to go about negotiating for a raise, asking for a promotion, and getting noticed in meetings.
 
What was most interesting about this book was the author’s analysis of some reasons why women sometimes find it harder to succeed in business.  She points out how women are socialized to be passive and accommodating, and thus may not pursue a raise or a promotion the way some men would.  She also makes some interesting commentary on how sometimes women can manipulate each other in the workplace, and how sometimes a woman’s worst enemy is herself.  I think that any woman can benefit from reading this book, even if she is already happy with her career.
 
My Analysis
 
Reading these two books back-to-back was an interesting experience.  Both books were intended to inspire women to make positive changes in their lives, yet one book chose to rant and rave at the audience and the other book is calm and personable.  In nonfiction books (especially in advice books), the tone is paramount.  If readers are offended or confused by an author’s tone, the author’s intentions will be lost on them. 
 
Just as radically different is the information contained in both of these books.  Skinny Bitch offers a lot of opinion on the virtues of a vegan diet and less-than-subtle lists of organic food brands the authors endorse.  The authors quote a lot of studies and still sometimes manage to get the facts wrong.  For example, they state that stevia (a sugar substitute) is illegal in the United States when it is legal but can only be purchased as a dietary supplement as opposed to a food product.  My favorite “fact” was the claim that the only cattle-owning tribe in Africa is also the only tribe whose members suffer from osteoporosis.  Must be the dairy.  Couldn’t possibly be anything else.  This book is all correlation and no causality!
 
Knowing Your Value cites several university studies on gender bias, but also relies on interviews and personal experiences to support its points.  What I like most about this book is that Brzezinski doesn’t promise her readers success and wealth if they follow her advice.  Instead she offers practical tips based on studies and real-world experiences.  It’s ultimately up to the readers to decide how they will put those tips into practice.  There’s no bullying or name-calling, just a woman trying to help other women.
 
It was fascinating to see the differences in these two books.  I think the best advice books are those which do not make outrageous promises and do not have an agenda.  Women have a lot of options when if comes to finding the right advice book, and I think a realistic, personable book will make a greater impact on a female reader than a book which relies on sensationalist tactics and foul language to motivate its readers.  Freedman and Barnouin can learn a lot from Brzezinski about how to be persuasive and classy at the same time. 

It’s National Banned Books Week!

29 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment

by Jen in Commentary

September 24 through October 1 is National Banned Books Week, a celebration of our freedom of speech and our freedom to read whatever we choose.  It really is amazing to think how far we’ve come in terms of book censorship.  All this week, The American Library Associated is hosting a virtual read-out for anyone who wants to participate!  

Banned Books Week Read-Out

Everyone can think of at least a few well-known banned or challenged books.  You probably read some in school.  I can still remember my dad buying Brave New World and Catcher in the Rye for me and insisting I read them, even though they weren’t in my school’s English curriculum.  I also remember finishing Catcher in the Rye and wondering what all the controversy was about.  But if I re-read it today as an adult, I’m sure that I would have a different understanding of it than I did when I was a young teen.

That being said, I’d like to encourage you all to revisit an old banned or challenged book you read when you were younger and find out if you have a new appreciation for it.  MSNBC has a shortlist of the most popular challenged titles.  My selection is going to be Slaughterhouse Five.  I remember reading my dad’s old, tattered copy and not really understanding it.  Some time later though I read The Sirens of Titan and loved it.  So being as I’m taking a five-hour road trip to Massachusetts tomorrow with my husband (he’s driving, I’m “navigating”), I figured that would be the ideal time to relax with my Kindle and rediscover Vonnegut. 

Enjoy the rest of National Banned Books Week.  Please feel free to comment or tweet me @ChicksDigBooks and let me know what banned book you’re reading!

National “I Don’t Give a Shit” Day

20 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment

by Jen in Commentary, New Release Reviews Tags: , , ,

June 21, 2011 is National “I Don’t Give a Shit” Day…or at least it is according to Facebook.  So in honor of this makeshift holiday, here is a book which embodies the spirit of not giving a shit.

F**k It: The Ultimate Spiritual Way by John C. Parkin (2010)

If you look past the novelty of the title, you’ll find this book has some interesting things to say.  First published in the United Kingdom, F**k It is a Western perspective on Eastern philosophy.  Parkin breaks down some of the basic tenets of Buddhism and Taoism, such as self-acceptance, letting go, and living in the moment.  According to him, this kind of spirituality can be attained by simply saying “f**k it” to your problems.

“F**k it is a most profane way of saying the most profound thing: that when we relax and give in to the simple flow of life, we will experience the ultimate freedom.”

In this book Parkin advises his readers to say “f**k it” to dieting, relationships, illness, money, jobs, parenting, plans and goals, and self-control and discipline.  According to him if we can learn to stop trying to control these things we will ultimately end up happier and less depressed if things don’t go our way.

I’ve never been 100% sold on the idea of self-help books.  To quote the late great George Carlin, “If you did it yourself, you wouldn’t need help.  If you buy a book to help you, that’s not self-help, that’s help!”  But Parkin’s humorous spin on Eastern spirituality makes this book an interesting read.  I agree with some of the ideas outlined in the book, but Parkin’s advice wouldn’t necessarily work for everyone.  For example he asserts that if we say “f**k it” to controling our diet we’ll be more likely to eat healthier food because we feel like it, and thus end up losing weight.  For someone with a food addiction this is easier said than done.

F**k It is a unique book that’s worth checking out, but you may want to take it with a grain of salt.  If offers some interesting ideas and some good basic principles, but don’t expect it to relate to every aspect of your own life.

Teenage Wasteland: A Response to the WSJ

09 Jun 2011 2 Comments

by Jen in Commentary

Today I read this article from the Wall Street Journal criticizing modern YA literature:

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2TyTg6/online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303657404576357622592697038.html

Journalist Meghan Cox Gurdon writes of her displeasure with the trends in today’s YA novels, noting that teen fiction is darker today than it was when our parents were young.  She paints YA books as a cesspool of violence, sexual deviance, and self-harm, with a lot of vampires thrown in.  For her even the so-called “banned books” from decades ago like Go Ask Alice were not as bad as today’s teen books.  She goes on to imply that if society cares at all about what goes on inside young people’s minds, then it should matter to us what they read.  Her most odious comment however was that “entertainment does not merely gratify taste, but creates it.”

I admit that I’m no expert in a lot of YA fiction, but I defend its right to publish the kind of stories that it does.  Gurdon finds stories about teens who were molested or are depressed distasteful.  I find actual child molestation distasteful.  She worries that teens who read these kinds of books are surrounding themselves with ugly images instead of beautiful ones.  I think most teen readers are smart enough to know the difference between reality and fiction, and know enough about the world to understand it isn’t beautiful all the time.  Gurdon wants to imagine that teen-oriented literature is so much more disturbing than it was decades ago, but think about the books we had to read in grade school and high school.  My sixth grade class was assigned Romeo and Juliet.  You know, the one where the teenagers commit suicide at the end.  Then it was To Kill a Mockingbird, where the black man was accused of raping the white woman.  In grade school I also had to read Of Mice and Men, where the guy gets shot at the end.  Then in high school it was Oedipus Rex, so I got a two-for of murder and incest.  Sorry, Ms. Gurdon, but teens have been reading depressing stories for a long time.

Gurdon also insists that the predominance of certain themes in YA fiction will only serve to normalize them in the minds of its readers, and may encourage teens to imitate the acts depicted in the books.  I think that for any decent person out there, all the books in the world could never “normalize” a thing like molestation, suicide, or any kind of abuse.  I read Trainspotting and most of Irvine Welsh’s other books when I was 16 and I certainly didn’t think that drug abuse was normal afterwards.  Ask a teenager who’s a victim of abuse who may have sought solace in a YA story about depression or abuse if they think a book will make abuse acceptable.  Seeking out a form of entertainment that one can identify with can be extremely cathartic.  And for those lucky teens who do not have to deal with these issues, these books can just be entertainment for its own sake.  And as for teens imitating acts they read in books, give them some credit.  For most of them, a book is just a book, and anyone who imitates a violent act they read in a book is likely suffering from an emotional problem in the first place.

Much as I hate to admit it, I was a teenager once.  I knew other teens who led normal happy lives, and some others who were alcoholics, depressed, experimenting with sex and struggling with their sexual orientation.  We all sought out entertainment that we could relate to, and sometimes we sought out entertainment that was so dark we couldn’t relate to it.  And guess what, we turned out ok.  It should matter to us what young people read, but it should matter more that they understand what they read.  That they understand the difference between fantasy and reality, that they know how to question what they read, and most importantly, that they understand that they are not wrong or perverted or deviant for reading a book with a dark theme.

 

Surviving BEA

25 May 2011 3 Comments

by Jen in Commentary

Yesterday I went to Book Expo America for the first time.  For anyone who may not know, BEA is a week-long annual publishing trade show held in Manhattan.  Publishers, authors, agents, distributors, librarians, teachers, booksellers and bloggers from all over the country go to BEA to make new contacts and attend the various conferences that go on all week.  You have to be in “the biz” to get in of course, but you don’t necessarily need to work for a publisher to attend.  Book bloggers, members of the press, and people who work for bookstores are eligible to get in.  I had an amazing time at BEA, and I wanted to share my experiences and tips with you in case you want to go or know somebody who wants to go.

Tip #1: It Isn’t Cheap

As a blogger, my badge cost $80 just for one day, and that was the “early bird” price.  Some badges cost more than that, others cost less.  Add in transportation (I took two trains to get to NYC from southeastern PA) and overpriced lunch (but that $8.50 gyro was delicious!) and you end up with an expensive day.  Be prepared. 

Tip #2: Book Online, and Book Early!

Not only do you save money if you get the early bird price, but if you book online you get a confirmation letter with a barcode which allows you to enter the express line at the event.  Once I got into the convention center I was able to get my badge in just minutes, instead of having to wait in the long line of people who did not pre-register.

Tip #3: If You Can, Go With a Friend  

BEA is simply overwhelming.  There are hundreds of booths and thousands of people and if you don’t know what you’re looking for you may not find it.  I tried to take a few pictures of the crowd:

Part of the main exhibit floor

 
 
 
 

There were 28 individual autograph tables

 

It's easy to get lost

 
 
Luckily I was fortunate enough to go with a friend who had been to BEA before, and she helped me decide what to see and helped me navigate the event.
 
Tip #4: Bring a Suitcase for all Your Swag
 
I picked up a ridiculous amount of free galleys.  Even if I wasn’t sure what the book was about, I grabbed it just because it was there.  Bring a suitcase to carry all your stuff home.  Suitcases aren’t allowed on the main exhibit floor, but you can check them for just $3.
 
Tip #5: Not All Authors are at the Autograph Tables
 
Only the bigger name authors are at the autograph area in the back of the building.  The really big ones are ticketed and if you’re not there at 7am to get a ticket you’re out of luck.  My friend and I wanted to meet R.L. Stine but unfortunately we couldn’t get a ticket.  But if you take the time to walk around the booths for a while, you can also meet authors there.  I was able to meet a few authors who seemed really cool and took the time to talk to me about their books.  I can’t wait to read their books and talk about them on this blog!  
 
Tip #6: Expect the Unexpected
 
It is New York, after all!  I saw two men in dress kilts, a man dressed as Michael Jackson, and an elderly woman with pink hair.  The craziest encounter of the day was the “pirate party.”  At one of the booths a rep from one of the publishers came up to me and my friend and asked us if we wanted to go to a pirate party.  Naturally we said yes, and the guy took our picture with his associate who happened to be dressed like a pirate.  He said the picture would appear on their website.  Then they started to tell us about the books they were promoting, a line of seemingly old-fashioned children’s adventure stories (hence the pirate party).  Well when we saw that the books were written by L. Ron Hubbard, we quietly slipped away, not wanted to stick around to potentially be converted to Scientology.  Of course now somewhere on the Internet is a picture of me standing next to a pirate.  I hope Tom Cruise doesn’t read this blog.     
 
Tip #7: Bring Business Cards
 
I did not do this, but I wish I had.  One author I met seemed interested in this blog, and asked if I had a business card so we could keep in touch.  When I go back next year I will definitely have business cards printed up, because who knows who I’ll get to meet!
 
Tip #8: BEA is NOT a Job Fair!
 
You might be saying “duh” right now, but I was surprised to see someone at BEA who clearly did not know any better.  When I was perusing the Image Comics booth, there was a middle-aged guy next to me trying to get the rep to read what I assumed was a sample of his writing, even though it looked like a wrinked scrap of paper.  It took the rep a few tries to get this guy to understand that she wasn’t going to take his submission.  He only ended up looking like an idiot and annoying the rep.  Later my friend saw the same guy trying the same thing at another booth.  Don’t do what this guy did.  As much as I was itching to go to my favorite publisher’s booth, get down on my knees and say “hire me!”,  BEA is not the place to do that.  The reps who go to BEA are not HR people.  Talk to people and make contacts, but don’t bring your resume. 
 
Tip #9: Have Fun!
 
Check out your favorite publishers, but also check out some that you may not be familiar with.  If I had been there by myself I probably would have avoided the children’s and YA booths, but my friend really likes YA publishers, and because I stuck with her I got to meet Melissa De La Cruz, and picked up a few YA books I may actually enjoy.  
 

And I got to see this "Wimpy Kid" display. Sorry this picture is so dark, stupid BlackBerry.

 
 
For me, BEA was worth the time, the money, and getting up at 5am.  Check out www.bookexpoamerica.com for more details on the event!  And look for me at BEA 2012!

Do Authors Ever Become Irrelevant?

12 May 2011 Leave a Comment

by Jen in Commentary

If there’s ever an example of an author who was unappreciated in his own time, it is H.P. Lovecraft.  A classic “tortured artist,” Lovecraft was raised by two spinster aunts, lived in poverty, ended up divorced, and died in near obscurity.  Now more than 50 years after his death, his stories are continuously reprinted, and countless games, toys, and graphic novels have been made based on his writing.  I myself have a plush Cthulhu suction-cupped on my car window. 

What I find interesting as a Lovecraft fan though, is that for as brilliant as many of his stories are, there’s a lot in them to make a 21st century person cringe.  If he were alive today, he’d certainly be sent to court-ordered sensitivity training.  He probably wouldn’t be thrilled to see his Cthulhu become a caricature, either.  And if you were hoping for an interesting female character in any of his stories, you’re out of luck.  The only female character in Lovecraft I can even think of right now is the woman from “The Dunwich Horror,” and she ended up giving birth to a demon.  Clearly someone had issues.

Still I remain a Lovecraft fan, because many of his stories are simply brilliant in their simplicity.  His concepts of dream worlds and otherworldly beings are enough to fill an entire philosophy course, and his influence extends well into today’s horror writings.  For this I’m willing to forgive the racial insensitivity and lack of female perspective.  For me Lovecraft will always be old-fashioned, but never irrelevant.

What do you think?  Are there any authors that you consider to be irrelevant today?  Do you still enjoy any writings that are thought to be outdated?

E-Readers v. “Old School” Books

06 May 2011 1 Comment

by Jen in Commentary

I used to consider myself quite a book snob.  For me there was nothing better than carrying around a book everywhere I went, showing the world what I was reading.  And the more esoteric, the better!  If it was something obscure, it would only serve to show those around me how smart I am.  Double points if it was a book by a foreign author. 

Recently however, much to the chagrin of my inner book snob, I’ve become quite hooked on the Kindle.  After starting grad school I met a few people who were in love with theirs, and I figured it was just a matter of time before I would get one too.  Still I hesitated, thinking that I would miss the feel of a printed book, and that the bookshelves in my living room would start to look incomplete.  But when my husband bought me one for my birthday this year, I realized what I had been missing.

E-readers are here to stay.  Their ease of use and cheap production costs for e-books have revolutionized the publishing industry.  Free public domain books and half-price new releases make a wealth of information available to new audiences.  Still, watch out for price increases!  We all know what happened when Apple got everyone hooked on iTunes.  They raised the price of their music.  So I won’t be surprised if soon we start to see higher prices on newly released e-books.  Although the amount of amazing books that are available to me either for free or for only $0.99 make it worth it in my opinion.

So am I sad to see no recent additions to my bookshelves at home?  Yes and no.  Maybe I don’t feel the need to show off my books as much as I used to.  And the portability of my Kindle is just amazing.  I only wish I had it when I was reading the unabridged version of The Stand.

So which do you prefer and why?

Keep Reading!

Welcome to the Madness!

05 May 2011 Leave a Comment

by Jen in Commentary

I was originally going to call this blog “Girls Who Read” but when I tried to register the domain name all I could see was the ‘whore’ in “girlswhoread.com,”  so I figured it would be best to pick a new name.

This is a blog about books, old and new, written by a girl who’s trying to break into the publishing industry.  I’m a grad student who’s always loved to read, and hopefully after I get my Masters, I’ll be working as an editor.  To give you a taste of the kind of books I’ll write about, here are just a few of my favorite authors:

  • Chuck Palahniuk
  • Irvine Welsh
  • Jeff Lindsay
  • H.P. Lovecraft
  • Neil Gaiman
  • Richelle Mead
  • Stephen King
  • Clive Barker
  • John Ajvide Lindqvist

You can pretty much see what my tastes are.  I’m a nerd.  And I know that there are tons of nerdy girls out there who love horror, science fiction, and anything interesting as much as I do!  I also read graphic novels, because girls like comics too!  I’m a huge fan of The Walking Dead, Scalped, Preacher, and the Buffy Season 8 series.  If it’s weird, controversial, or just plain “out there,” I’ll read it and write about it here.  I’m always open to suggestions on any books to read, either new releases or old classics.  What you will not find on here is fluff.  If someone suggests a YA book or a romance book to me I may read it, as long as it has a real story and dynamic characters.  Sorry, Twilight fans, this is not for you.

I’ll also write about the publishing industry, about new trends in books, about e-readers, and just about anything that has to do with the printed word.  Girls should be excited about reading, and have other options out there besides fluff.

Keep Reading!

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