tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068873.post1118287386606236494..comments2024-03-20T19:40:58.078-05:00Comments on The OF Blog: VanderMeer on the "Language of Defeat"Larry Nolenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001420558511460998noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068873.post-23508391015470481562007-11-09T02:00:00.000-06:002007-11-09T02:00:00.000-06:00Interesting and thought-provoking post. I always h...Interesting and thought-provoking post. <BR/><BR/>I always had some problems with seeing "genre" like "science fiction" or "fantasy" as a quality sign and not simply as a description of the content. I don't really think that genre itself matters more than telling a story that baffles, surprises or entertains people. What kind of story you prefer, though, depends on your taste and what you are looking for in a story.<BR/><BR/>I have found out that it is possible to interest people in genres they would probably not touch on their own, when you know what kind of story they like and what book tells this kind of story, but in a slightly different dress than they are used to. (I hope I could express clearly, what I wanted to say.)<BR/><BR/>One of my proudest achievements of the last years, in regard to book recommendation, was inciting a friend to reading Terry Pratchett as someone who retells old tales and raises interesting points about our world. She, like you, does not read books for escapism, but for making her think more about the world.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068873.post-47248623093235395482007-11-06T00:51:00.000-06:002007-11-06T00:51:00.000-06:00Very good post. I will argue a point though.While...Very good post. I will argue a point though.<BR/>While genre fiction is clearly more accepted socially than literary fiction--since it sells more not only in stores, but there are more shows/movies/etc. on genre than on literary fiction--the literary academia is still fighting hard against it. Why is that important? Because I want to pursue the study of science fiction as my major and I can't because there are maybe 10 schools in the world that actually teach the subject and I cannot afford the tuition to any of them. So, right now, I'm actually in a college that will provide me with no opportunities to study the literature that is most interesting to me and most important, but if I want to ever be able to study it I have to keep studying stuff I don't care about. So, I have written on my blog a lot of things about this particular issue because, despite society being in love with science fiction and fantasy, the academic world is far from accepting. The first day of my literary interpretation class for my first quarter here at UC Santa Cruz basically began with why science fiction is not real literature and how it is comparable to harlequin romances in complexity and value. So, while I am happy and glad that genre is eating up sales and making its mark, I'm disgusted that the literary academia is still pushing to keep it out of the canon, to keep it out of classes, etc. In my first year here at UCSC I will have zero opportunities to study what I want to. The closest I can get is studying old age classics that are intentionally called literary fiction rather than what they really are (Frankenstein is SF, Dracula is dark fantasy/horror). But I want to study modern science fiction: Asimov, Heinlein, etc. But in a classroom setting. I know I can study these subjects on my own, and I do by reading a lot and doing what I can to find trends and the like, but I want to really study it. I want my degree to say B.A. in Literature with a focus in science fiction. But I'll instead have a B.A. in Literature with Moder Studies or some such...<BR/><BR/>On another note, I readily accept books like The Road, etc. as SF and Literary Fiction because I don't see what the problem is with crossing lines. Why can't something be both at the same time? It doesn't matter to me if it's very literary in nature. It's genre, and it's good. That's what I think everyone should think when they read any literature. It doesn't necessarily matter what genre it is because all literature should be looked under the same lens. There is just as much crappy literary fiction as straight SF or F.<BR/><BR/>I'm probably rambling though. I just want to see my genre accepted in the academia :(.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13571452656553970472noreply@blogger.com