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Well, I suppose it depends on the type of genre being read Larry Send a noteboard - 11/12/2011 09:36:16 PM
Tummy Time pads are great for very young children, too, and blocks are great for young children to help them learn motor skills. Reading any book whatsoever is good for younger children to get them hooked on reading. However, when someone starts to grow up, they should challenge themselves a bit as well. By 13 or 14, there's no real benefit from reading that sort of thing.

Note that I don't say that people should never read genre fiction, just like I don't say people should never eat McDonald's. We all have our guilty pleasures.


The type that most associate with "genre" around here (epic, fat fantasies)? Yep, there are few that challenge ideal readers above the seventh grade. If "genre" also means reading Brian Evenson, Ferenc Karinthy, and others of that sort, then I'd say those do provide some challenges for more intellectually and emotionally mature readers.
Illusions fall like the husk of a fruit, one after another, and the fruit is experience. - Narrator, Sylvie

Je suis méchant.
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Aren't the Tolkien comparisons getting a little...old? Dark Knight - 09/12/2011 09:51:39 PM 3223 Views
The comparison bothers me, but not because Tolkien isn't relevant. lord-of-shadow - 09/12/2011 10:05:22 PM 2058 Views
I agree with this. Nate - 09/12/2011 10:21:34 PM 2125 Views
Re: I agree with this. DomA - 10/12/2011 07:09:33 PM 2062 Views
Exactly *NM* ironclad - 12/12/2011 12:09:19 PM 1083 Views
Only when shit works are being compared to him Larry - 09/12/2011 10:22:26 PM 2009 Views
Larry, Macharius - 10/12/2011 01:13:18 AM 2009 Views
Snide dismissal that will be passed off as for his own entertainment. Ghavrel - 10/12/2011 04:55:43 AM 1882 Views
We get a lot of that around here. *NM* lord-of-shadow - 10/12/2011 05:18:01 AM 848 Views
makes me wonder... LadyLorraine - 10/12/2011 04:37:33 PM 1900 Views
Re: makes me wonder... James - 11/12/2011 03:03:15 AM 1855 Views
Well-deserved condescension. Tom - 11/12/2011 03:54:27 AM 2045 Views
You're sure about that? A Deathwatch Guard - 11/12/2011 04:20:26 AM 2300 Views
Re: You're sure about that? James - 11/12/2011 05:25:08 AM 1961 Views
Re: You're sure about that? A Deathwatch Guard - 11/12/2011 06:03:02 AM 1892 Views
i think you shouldn't judge a whole world's school programs on your school LadyLorraine - 11/12/2011 06:42:30 AM 1901 Views
Yeah, I'm limited in my knowledge, lol A Deathwatch Guard - 11/12/2011 08:03:26 AM 1918 Views
My school was...not great. James - 11/12/2011 04:02:36 PM 1926 Views
I'm 24. James - 11/12/2011 03:49:06 PM 1869 Views
If you're arguing that children should be able to read genre fiction, fine. Tom - 11/12/2011 08:52:27 PM 1763 Views
Well, I suppose it depends on the type of genre being read Larry - 11/12/2011 09:36:16 PM 2007 Views
How often do you hear the challenging writers mentioned at this site? Tom - 12/12/2011 02:03:05 PM 1763 Views
Only when you, me, and a couple others write reviews Larry - 12/12/2011 04:21:14 PM 2164 Views
Oh, it was the same as it always is Tom - 12/12/2011 05:23:56 PM 1823 Views
True Larry - 12/12/2011 06:29:10 PM 1948 Views
One note nossy - 13/12/2011 12:17:48 AM 1950 Views
Perhaps Larry - 13/12/2011 12:49:34 AM 1906 Views
*Sighs* Such is the plight of those shining few intelects... Narg - 23/12/2011 01:15:47 AM 1947 Views
Much of the actual "Classics", that is, Greek and Latin originals, kids would eat up. Dan - 12/12/2011 03:13:03 AM 1780 Views
Try teaching Apuleius in schools... *NM* Tom - 12/12/2011 04:12:49 AM 961 Views
Plato is exciting, brutal and scandalous? Legolas - 12/12/2011 09:59:13 PM 1859 Views
You're upfront and honest about it; he isn't. The difference matters to me. *NM* Ghavrel - 11/12/2011 05:18:42 AM 1019 Views
Uhh...uh... Larry - 11/12/2011 05:34:23 AM 1861 Views
this is a bit off topic, but out of curiousity... LadyLorraine - 11/12/2011 06:28:35 AM 1989 Views
I've discussed this dozens of times at this site. Perhaps you've missed all of the posts. Tom - 11/12/2011 08:57:44 PM 1989 Views
mk I'll go look. I probably did miss it (or at least don't remember it!) LadyLorraine - 11/12/2011 09:08:02 PM 1878 Views
I have a successful career that was inspired by the video games I played as a child. *NM* lord-of-shadow - 11/12/2011 05:52:21 PM 1039 Views
Now let's get all the people who just pissed their lives away with video games and see the %. Tom - 11/12/2011 08:58:42 PM 2009 Views
The majority of players neither waste their lives nor make a career out of it. lord-of-shadow - 11/12/2011 11:29:29 PM 1923 Views
Yeah, sorry, I don't think you could say that with a straight face in real life. *NM* Tom - 12/12/2011 04:13:52 AM 1013 Views
Then you have a closed mind on the subject. Ironic, considering your stance on edification. *NM* lord-of-shadow - 12/12/2011 05:47:50 AM 928 Views
No, just with respect to you. *NM* Tom - 12/12/2011 02:00:15 PM 985 Views
Tom, you pulled the "Say that to my face!" line. You lost the right to talk about respect. *NM* lord-of-shadow - 12/12/2011 03:20:15 PM 1026 Views
Once again, I really don't care what you think. *NM* Tom - 12/12/2011 03:37:40 PM 982 Views
Did I imply that you did? My apologies. I'd hate to insinuate that you'd stoop that low. *NM* lord-of-shadow - 12/12/2011 04:13:25 PM 938 Views
As well read as you seem to be, you think you'd be smart enough... MonCul - 11/12/2011 06:20:06 PM 1859 Views
I thought I have made it clear that I don't care if people don't like me here. Tom - 11/12/2011 08:44:58 PM 1762 Views
Re: I thought I have made it clear that I don't care if people don't like me here. Macharius - 12/12/2011 04:04:37 PM 1821 Views
That statement has just confused me. Tom - 12/12/2011 04:06:53 PM 1770 Views
Re: That statement has just confused me. Macharius - 12/12/2011 04:14:27 PM 1817 Views
I never learned Hittite. I had a book on pre-order for a long time but never ended up getting it. Tom - 12/12/2011 05:41:03 PM 1730 Views
What you have made clear, I think, is the fact that you deal in generalizations and stereotypes. MonCul - 12/12/2011 10:12:12 PM 1954 Views
There's an unintentional irony in what you say, alas Larry - 13/12/2011 12:44:26 AM 1844 Views
Tom, Dick, or Larry...you may use your true first name, but you're still an anonymous entity to most MonCul - 13/12/2011 04:49:35 AM 2075 Views
With such comeback skills, you must have ruled the playgrounds as a kid, no? Larry - 13/12/2011 05:21:42 AM 2022 Views
I thought it was a pretty good comeback. MonCul - 13/12/2011 12:37:15 PM 1967 Views
Think again, Skippy Larry - 13/12/2011 01:34:41 PM 1872 Views
There are no special snowflakes, are there? Larry - 11/12/2011 09:39:21 PM 1785 Views
There are many way of widening one's horizons and broadening one's mind. Legolas - 11/12/2011 10:08:24 PM 1545 Views
I said as much in my comment Larry - 11/12/2011 10:20:03 PM 1762 Views
What I don't like- rebelaessedai - 12/12/2011 04:28:55 AM 1904 Views
Why don't you name something, then? Tom - 12/12/2011 04:40:29 AM 1849 Views
Sure. rebelaessedai - 13/12/2011 07:30:56 AM 1685 Views
Mentioning Ender's Game pretty much shot your argument in the foot. Tom - 13/12/2011 02:02:59 PM 1793 Views
You dismiss the entire video game medium because many games lack value. lord-of-shadow - 13/12/2011 03:59:11 PM 1924 Views
You're like the McDonald's paid advocate trying to say Big Macs are actually healthy. Tom - 13/12/2011 05:46:37 PM 1692 Views
McDonalds food is inherently unhealthy. lord-of-shadow - 13/12/2011 06:02:18 PM 1921 Views
For the sake of argument ... Nate - 13/12/2011 04:09:51 PM 1870 Views
Stephenson is not literature, that's for damn sure. Tom - 13/12/2011 05:49:24 PM 1717 Views
Thank you, The Voice of Lews Therin. *NM* Vivien - 16/12/2011 05:14:42 AM 1042 Views
I'll leave it up to others to define as they wish against their self-conceptions of me Larry - 10/12/2011 10:52:54 AM 1929 Views
that's alright. I really have no desire to stroke your twit-ego. *NM* LadyLorraine - 10/12/2011 04:36:56 PM 813 Views
Considering the firestorm I appear to have touched off, that may be best. Macharius - 12/12/2011 12:57:49 PM 1846 Views
I know, John Larry - 12/12/2011 04:27:04 PM 1758 Views
Re: I know, John Macharius - 12/12/2011 05:06:26 PM 1888 Views
As I've said in the past, I'd be scared if anyone agreed with me anywhere approaching 100% Larry - 12/12/2011 06:33:52 PM 1756 Views
Re: As I've said in the past, I'd be scared if anyone agreed with me anywhere approaching 100% Macharius - 12/12/2011 07:13:37 PM 1826 Views
Same guy Larry - 12/12/2011 07:26:13 PM 1881 Views
Ha! Excellent point. *NM* Tom - 11/12/2011 03:44:52 AM 958 Views
Blurbs are not generally very original in their comparisons - would kind of defeat their purpose. Legolas - 09/12/2011 10:42:17 PM 1874 Views
I have to agree. ? - 09/12/2011 10:54:06 PM 1854 Views
They're there for marketing A Deathwatch Guard - 10/12/2011 12:20:17 AM 1866 Views
Most of those comparisons are like that anyway DomA - 10/12/2011 05:32:45 PM 2040 Views
Maybe if so much of the genre weren't crap derivative works it wouldn't be so common. *NM* Tom - 11/12/2011 03:44:24 AM 965 Views
To be fair, a lot of it isn't. rebelaessedai - 11/12/2011 04:06:07 AM 1841 Views
I suspect that if it really isn't derivative it's not being compared to Tolkien in the first place. Tom - 11/12/2011 04:18:57 AM 1759 Views
That's true. rebelaessedai - 11/12/2011 11:08:01 AM 1729 Views
But see, that's where things start to get referred back to Tolkien. Tom - 12/12/2011 04:30:12 AM 1910 Views
Maybe they mean something else by using his name. Cannoli - 11/12/2011 03:50:15 AM 1890 Views
When they don't work, yes. nossy - 11/12/2011 03:18:44 PM 1846 Views
The Tolkien fanaticism gets old. And yes, for me it is unreadable. everynametaken - 11/12/2011 11:37:53 PM 1781 Views
No, because the movies are very contemporary and relevant, thus he will remain so for quite a while. Dan - 12/12/2011 03:14:53 AM 1871 Views
Disagree all you want, but LotR is still the touchstone when it comes to works of fantasy. Vodalus - 12/12/2011 03:48:20 AM 1761 Views
Yes *NM* Hieshyn - 22/12/2011 07:08:38 PM 1086 Views
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