There's literature, and then there's.... - Page 7

LuvKisselle · #43 07-02-2004

Yay!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so happy I found this book club! I've been longing to join a book club. I actually thought that I was the only person who was getting tired of the same ol' hood stories and can actually differentiate between literature and "stuff to read." Its sad that the most popular books in the black community are books that I could have either edited or written myself and I'm not even in college yet. It really frustrates me to read a book that has mispelled words or quotes with out ending quotation marks so you don't know whose speaking. It kind of reminds me of white professors going easy on their black students. I think that some of the gangster novel writers today need to be pushed a little harder. But, of course, I don't want to complain too much because Shannon Holmes was in jail and now he just wrote his second novel. These books are helping our community a great deal. We're supporting our black writers and they are giving the us something to read. I'm just glad that everyone is reading!

Muzikal203 · #44 07-19-2004

I think something that we need to consider in this thread is the fact that people don't always write for the joy of writing, or to send out some profound message to the masses. They write to put food on their table. Looking at today's society, how many people are going to want to read actual "literature" when it's not for a school assignment? Now a days, if it takes too much thought, it's not going to get done. People are getting progressively lazier.

When you see today's younger people, the way they dress, the way they talk, even the music that they listen to. So why should we expect them to want to actually LEARN outside of their classes and read just to gain knowledge? So they keep on reveling in their pseudo-intelligence, and society continues to fall. It harder now for the Toni Morrison's and Ralph Ellison's to get published, much less acknowledged and read by their own race.

This is not to down EJD, Carl Weber, E. Lynn Harris, Brenda Jackson, and other authors, their books are good in their own rights. But the words are so simple, and the books are arranged in such an elementary style, that I could have just as easily read and understood them long before I was even in high school. So they are good for entertainment value, but if you actually want to LEARN, then you need to go to the Toni Morrison's and Zora Neale Hurston's.

HamptonBeauty_08 · #45 07-19-2004

Wow, how did I miss this?

Okay, here is my view. From a person who is not that "into" most of the Black authors out right now (my favorite authors are Kurt Vonnegut, Salman Rushdie, George Orwell, and Toni Morrison), I feel that on some levels, it is wrong to say just because someone writes about sex, drugs, violence, and the hood that they cannot write altogether. However, I do believe that the whole genre has been beat to death a million times. I was in Barnes and Nobles yesterday, and I couldn't find any interesting looking books by African-Americans that I have not already read. I've read most of EJD, ELH, and OT, and of course Sistah Souljah... some were good, some weren't. But their style of writing is just that... their style of writing. Toni Morrison has her style and Sistah Souljah has hers. Maybe Sister Souljah can't write like Toni Morrison, but I'm willing to believe Toni Morrison can't write like Sistah Souljah. Does that mean Toni Morrison is a "bullshyt" writer too? I think not. Therefore, it is wrong to make rash judgements on someone's art. I'm a writer also, and in the words of my girl Badu... I'm sensitive about my shyt. I would hate for someone to discard my writing just because it isn't "SMART" enough for their liking. Everything has a place... we as black people just need to broaden our horizons, so to speak... do not only read hip hop stories, but at the same time, do not only read powerful "black" literature. I hope no one takes offense to what I just said.
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LuvKisselle · #46 07-27-2004

I actually read all kinds of books. Right now I'm reading The Autobiography of Angela Davis---it's a black radical kind of book. But after this, I'll probably read Pipe Dreams---a book about a drug addict. And I'm glad that you mentioned George Orwell----Animal Farm is one of my favorite books and I now remember that I was supposed to buy it for my collection. I would never consider myself too smart for a book. But no matter what kind of plot the book has, shouldn't it be well-written?

strawberryz04 · #47 07-30-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by HamptonBeauty_08

Wow, how did I miss this?

Okay, here is my view. From a person who is not that "into" most of the Black authors out right now (my favorite authors are Kurt Vonnegut, Salman Rushdie, George Orwell, and Toni Morrison), I feel that on some levels, it is wrong to say just because someone writes about sex, drugs, violence, and the hood that they cannot write altogether. However, I do believe that the whole genre has been beat to death a million times. I was in Barnes and Nobles yesterday, and I couldn't find any interesting looking books by African-Americans that I have not already read. I've read most of EJD, ELH, and OT, and of course Sistah Souljah... some were good, some weren't. But their style of writing is just that... their style of writing. Toni Morrison has her style and Sistah Souljah has hers. Maybe Sister Souljah can't write like Toni Morrison, but I'm willing to believe Toni Morrison can't write like Sistah Souljah. Does that mean Toni Morrison is a "bullshyt" writer too? I think not. Therefore, it is wrong to make rash judgements on someone's art. I'm a writer also, and in the words of my girl Badu... I'm sensitive about my shyt. I would hate for someone to discard my writing just because it isn't "SMART" enough for their liking. Everything has a place... we as black people just need to broaden our horizons, so to speak... do not only read hip hop stories, but at the same time, do not only read powerful "black" literature. I hope no one takes offense to what I just said.
:arrow:

COSIGNS. I definitely feel you on this. I don't think novels should be discarded simply because it isn't a genre of their likeing. and i definitely don't understand why black authors are always getting compared to white authors. Or in any category. Why does it have to be well "white" authors do this better. we are two totally different cultures, writing about different experiences. some of these "whites" don't have to write to put food on their table so they devote as much time as they can. I feel that some authors are just trying to reach out to the people who usually don't read. Maybe they will be inspired to pick up a different kind of book. I'm about to start African American Lit this semester and i'm so ready to begin studying Toni Morrison. You critics of this so called "bullshyt" literature should open up your minds, because I'm sure Toni Morrison would have respected them.