Book Shame

We've all done it; hidden what we're reading from others. Maybe you leave a different book than the one you're reading out in your living room when you've got company visiting. Maybe you slip your book into a cover or another book when you're on the train on the way to work. Maybe you just flat-out lie when someone asks what you've been reading recently. Don't feel too bad about it, because truly, I think we've all been there at some time.

But why? What has led us to believe that some books are more "worthy" than others? Reading is good, no matter what it is. It's exercising your brain, teaching you about other cultures, and making you an all around better person. Or at least, it should be. And yet, there are those people out there who feel that their status as "bookworm" makes them superior somehow, and that sucks.

I recently left a book group on Facebook after discovering that it was filled with such people. It started with a post (from a group admin, no less) discussing the current hit book, Girl Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis.

The poster was wondering: "Am I the only one that as soon as non-reading type people start posting up a picture of a newly popular book and screaming "OMG IT'S SO OOOOOO GOOD YOU HAVE TO READ IT" I immediately put it on my "that book is probably trash" pile???"

Now, in my mind, the post itself is bad enough, but then it got 42 comments of people saying basically the same thing. It really disgusted me, because that's such a terrible attitude to have. I haven't read this book, but it is on my list, partly because I have seen it hyped up all over social media. Some of the people recommending are not huge readers, it's true, but that doesn't invalidate their opinion that it's good. The original poster even mentions later on that this attitude kept her from Twilight, which she ended up loving, but apparently doesn't understand the irony of that.

My real issue with this is the implied shame put on so-called "non-readers." If someone joined this group who maybe doesn't read much and was looking for a place to read a book a month and join in some discussion on his/her own time, I would think this would completely turn them off and scare them away. Which is a shame, because we should be encouraging people to read as much as they're able, and in general, book social media is such a great place! Look, everyone isn't going to like the same books, and that's okay. You can dislike a book without utterly trashing it and putting down the people who do like it. You especially shouldn't be doing that for a book you haven't even read. So here's the moral of the story peeps: don't be a jerk, and don't worry about what other people are reading. Just encourage people to read! We need that now more than ever!