Comments on: Categorizing Race in the Bookstore

By: Cynthia Wood

Cynthia Wood — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 05:48:26 +0000

in my opinion, no one should be writing science fiction novels… but that’s a different story).

Hey! I resemble that remark!

I second Lauren’s request. As someone working on an SF novel, and an avid reader of both SF and fantasy, I’d like to know what it is about the genre you don’t like. Among other things, which SF books might appeal to you would depend heavily on what your objections actually are. There are some wonderful SF books that just aren’t for some readers. There are also some truly horrific ones out there, but that’s true of any genre.

I personally loathe romance novels with a deep and abiding hatred, so I can understand the repulsion for a genre. It doesn’t mean there aren’t one or two that I haven’t liked (very rare), mostly just that romance is the last place I look when I’m after a good read.

By: Shannon W.

Shannon W. — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 02:31:59 +0000

But, I agree that merit is problematic because it’s so subjective, but the display I saw definitely seemed to rely heavily on books that wouldn’t exactly shed any new light on the black experience. If I write a bad book about how I live in the big city and can’t get a man and like to go shopping, it’s still a bad “chick lit” book like a million others and just because it was written by a black woman doesn’t give it any more literary or cultural weight.

Ah, I see you now. You think maybe it’d be better to have a black lit section(i.e. only books with actual redeeming value) But on the other hand, simply because something is not a very good or interesting version of the black experience doesn’t mean that bookstores can’t make cash hand over fist selling it(ok, it’s also a representation, and one consumed by many even if it’s not especially good), and the people who buy Zane all go to the AA interest section, not fiction or..well..I’m not sure if many bookstores have a ‘porn’ section…

By: Joe

Joe — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 19:33:16 +0000

Emory… school library

Ack! Flashback of Beowulf research! Pain!

By: renee perry

renee perry — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 18:13:01 +0000

The "not-White" section seems to kick in when there's something resembling a critical mass. There are fledgling Latino/a sections, but African American sections are pretty much venerable at this point. I see the point of clumping in small public libraries like the one down the street from my house. People are generally browsing, not sure of what they want, but happy to have had some of the winnowing done for them. I suppose the principle is the same in the chain bookstores. They're serving a readership that comes from all over the map wrt to interest, understanding, desire, you name it. I don't like it and Black History Month just aggravates the situaation, but I see a need, I guess. If you're going to read one Heinlein, skip Starship Troopers and read The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Skip Farnham's Freehold at all costs.

By: Mary

Mary — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 16:53:46 +0000

All I know is that there’s something wrong when I can go into Borders and, within 5 minutes of generalized browsing, immediately divide the fiction section into the “literature” section–Great Books Written By White People, in other words–and the “African-American Interest” section.

If I go into a section, and it’s labelled “literature,” I by god expect to see The Invisible Man shelved in there under ‘E.’

By: Hershele Ostropoler

Hershele Ostropoler — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 16:45:18 +0000

My girlfriend and I were in a Barnes & Noble Saturday, and there was a table of books by black writers. I said “look, honey, it must be February.”

By: Samantha Vimes

Samantha Vimes — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 16:40:55 +0000

If the fiction works were classified as black studies, is it because *they were on reading lists for black studies classes*? Because that would make sense. If a work of fiction is good enough to help put points and perspectives to the reader that might be lost in a dry text, they could very well be required or recommended reading for a local class, and be located to help students find it.

And randomliberal… roll for inititative! I have boots of speed on,t hough, so I’ve got an advantage. ;)

By: Hestia

Hestia — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 16:31:43 +0000

I have a suggestion. If you want to read something written by a black person, ask for recommendations, from friends or the bookstore clerk or even online acquaintances. It’s a much better technique than just walking over to a “Written By Someone Who Is Not White” section and pulling a book randomly from the shelf.

Bookstores should arrange books by content, not author. There’s a lot of room for interpretation within the text itself without making the author’s identity an issue.

By: Laurie

Laurie — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 16:31:32 +0000

Jill, I just have to ask: what is your beef with Science Fiction? Sure, there’s a lot of crap out there under that heading. But then again, there’s just a lot of crappy writing out there getting published!

Seriously, what do you have against the genre as a whole? I ask that out of respect instead of just hurling author names at you (although I am a big fan of Mr. Heinlein myself), knowing how little time you probably have for extracurricular reading just now. And I’m curious — people have different reasons for not liking specific genres of novels. I’d like to hear yours.

By: Aja

Aja — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 16:30:48 +0000

I’m not an “outsider” (by which I assume you mean “not black”) and I still find the whole thing kind of odd. I think that the idea of a common black viewpoint is what gets me. I grew up in a place where my family was only one of five black families in town, and learned early on that people without any knowledge of black culture see all black people as similar and having the same experiences. There is something that is different and special, I agree, and I do seek out black authors and love seeing myself represented in the media, but what I don’t like is the assumption that everything written by a black author is worthy of being representative of the black experience. I think my issue is more of quality than anything else. I don’t know why someone would “Celebrate Black History!” by reading Confessions of a Video Vixen.

But, I agree that merit is problematic because it’s so subjective, but the display I saw definitely seemed to rely heavily on books that wouldn’t exactly shed any new light on the black experience. If I write a bad book about how I live in the big city and can’t get a man and like to go shopping, it’s still a bad “chick lit” book like a million others and just because it was written by a black woman doesn’t give it any more literary or cultural weight.