At eighteen I got engaged to a college guy* who had piles and piles of books. He had more than a dozen paperback John Steinbecks, and I read every one of them. Just ate 'em up. But after I worked my way through the pile I never bought or read any more Steinbeck.
About five years after that, I discovered Agatha Christie and snapped up every book I could find. When I got to the one (somebody remind me of the title, please) where the narrator--the narrator, for heaven's sake--turns out to be the murderer, I was cured of my addiction.
If anyone's up for sharing, it might be interesting to hear what authors or genres you once thought you'd never tire of but finally have. What were you reading and what caused your infatuation to fade?
*Thirty years later, he's still my main squeeze.
6 comments:
Stephen King. Oh my goodness, he was it for me my sophomore year in highschool. A friend of mine loaned me Tommy Knockers and from then on I read everything I could get my hands on. Luckily, or unluckily as some might say, my Aunt was a fan and had every book he'd ever written. I went through them all in like 3 months and then just stopped. And though he's come out with others since then, (that's been like 15 or 16 years ago) I just haven't read any.
Also V.C. Andrews. I don't remember what drew me to her writing. But I began reading Flowers in the Attic in 9th or 10th grade, and I sped through the entire series in a month and a half. Then I picked up the Angel series, or heaven series,..don't remember the last name. I was almost through with that when I read somewhere that V.C Andrews had passed on. So I tried to grab everything up that was in print by her. Even now, more books by her come out. So I have no idea what the death thing was all about, but I became disillusioned and haven't read another thing.
Oh, and in jr High I was enthralled with Jannette Oke. Love Comes Softly, Loves Enduring Promise,...etc etc. I read them all as well.
Hmm seems I have an affinity for series LOL
well now you really got me thinking about what I used to read LOL Aren't you sorry you asked? heh
Stephen King has an amazing talent and is a master craftsman with words. Too bad I don't like the stuff he writes about. If he ever switches genres, I'll get in line to buy his books.
Jeanette Oke. I know, I know--she was the trailblazer for inspirational romance. But I've never read her because I've never been interested in historical romances.
Thanks for commenting, Jolene.
JRR Tolkien and fantasy. I would have never believed I would grow tired of it, especially since I have written a Tolkienesque novel. But the subject dulls me. I am also very tired of all these high adrenaline mystery/FBI/CIA thrillers. Gimme a break!
A "Tolkienesque novel"? Wow. You must have one fantastic imagination!
Great topic, Brenda. Let me see...authors I once loved and no longer read:
1. Stephen King. I can still remember reading IT and being scared out of my wits. The guy I was dating was so annoyed that he screamed,"It's a book for goodness sake. If it's scaring you, put it down!" But I couldn't. Now I wonder how I had time to ponder 1,000 plus pages of a maniacal clown. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm way too scary for such things. THE STAND was good though.
2. Danielle Steel. It's been years, but I recall taking those out of the library in stakes. They ALWAYS made me cry. So deep, aren't I? It was really confusing for the librarian too. I always had classics mixed in.
3. Sidney Sheldon. I vividly remember reading BLOODLINE and never reading another. It was like twenty years ago, I thought I'd liked it, but something went wrong. I can still remember the plot though, so I guess that says something.
4. VC Andrews. Okay, I'm only admitting this because somebody else did. Another teen fascination. I was totally into them until the brother and sister started digging each other. I know they lived in a closet for years, but yuck...
I think that's enough. I also went on a binge for Janette Oke and Grace Livingston Hill a while back (five or six years?). Haven't read anymore, but I think I read them all.
Marilynn Griffith
I'm glad I wasn't the only one with a Stephen King and VC Andrews obsession - I think I started and stopped reading them both at about the same time. I was also a really big fan of Mercedes Lackey's Heralds of Valedemar books. Great Fantasy Adventure, I read about 12 of them before they started feeling formulaic to me. One good "Tolkienesque" trilogy is the Deed of Pakesennarion by Elizabeth Moon - she writes mostly Sci Fi now, but the Deed is a great adventure story with all the right kinds of characters.
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