Why All Types of Reading Matter: Part 2
- thebookshelfe
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Last time I posted, I talked about how all different formats of reading matter: from audiobook to graphic novel, to ebook and physical book. This time around I am going to talk about why all the genres matter, and what genre even is.
As a librarian, I have to categorize books when I am cataloging them. However, this can be annoying and tricky. Just a few of the conundrums I face:
What about a mystery book that romance is a strong part of, would that go in mystery or romance?
Where does magical realism go? In fantasy? In fiction?
What about the classics, should they be in their own section or mixed with the rest of the books?
What about a book that has a mystery in it, but no detective, does that go in mystery or fiction?
Some of the problems this can create for a book browser:
A person who thinks they only enjoy fantasy may never wander out of the fantasy section of the bookstore, library, or online collection--missing so many gems that fit into multiple genres but didn't get put into fantasy specifically (magical realism anyone?).
A mystery lover is looking for a specific author and can't find them because whoever organized the books didn't consider those books "true" mysteries because they didn't have a detective (I'm looking at you Freida McFadden).
An author's works being separated because they write in different genres, so a person looking for their novels will not find them all in one section.
A lot of libraries are moving toward having everything just in "fiction" now, eliminating the genrefying troubling scenarios. However, this creates it's own problem because then a person looking for a specific genre has to either ask for some options or research, they can't just go to that section and find it. That's why Shelf/e can be super helpful. I can find you your book based on more than just genre: maybe you like stories with good character development, a specific style of writing, a great location, or something else, I'm here for it!
That brings us to my point of the day: all types of books matter.
I don't care if it is fantasy, romantascy, spice, literary, nonfiction, sci-fi, young adult, middle grade, manga, or any other genre you can think of. As the American Library Association upholds from Ranganathan's classic book Five Laws of Library Science (1931): "Every Reader His/Her Book" and "Every Book Its Reader" Ever since I got my Masters in Library and Information Science, this has been at the forefront of my mind.
Even if you do not enjoy a style of book, remember that it may have done something profound for someone else who was in a different state of mind or phase of life than you. Books can be life-saving. They can help you feel less alone and they can create empathy in you for someone from a different background, culture or religion.
An example of a book that I think has value, but people throw under the bus is Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer. I read it first as a teenager and it captivated me in such a memorable way. There is nothing quite like the magic of being so enthralled by a book that 20 years later I still remember the feeling. I think I especially liked it because I was an awkward and introverted teenager, I really related to Bella, she gave me hope and made me feel less alone.
If a book helps an awkward teenager feel less alone, isn't that worthwhile? If it awakens a joy for reading, isn't that phenomenal? It doesn't have to be Moby Dick for it to be of import.
There are so many books that I have read that I don't like, but that doesn't mean they don't have value. If it makes just one person smile or think, isn't that enough? If it helped the author work through something in their life, isn't that important?
In fact, some of my best book conversations have been over books I hated. One of my fondest memories with a friend was a discussion over a book we disdained. We wouldn't have discovered that we adored reading books together and talking about them without that book. So thank you to that book, even though you were not my cup of tea.
So, next time you see someone reading a genre you dislike, or a book you think is worthless, remember that other people are having a completely different experience with it than you; it may be just what they need. "Every reader his/her book, every book its reader."
I will never judge you for your taste in books and would love to help you find more of them. If you don't even know what your taste in books is, let me help, sign up for Shelf/e and get personalized book recommendations from a real person who asks the questions and does the research.
If you are interested in an in-depth discussion on Twilight, Natalie Wynn has an excellent video essay. I highly recommend it, it's informative and entertaining (warning: it is three hours long).
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