how to offend a book lover

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Books matter to me.  So, so much.

So when my friend, who is halfway through The Book Thief, asked, “Now, who is Rudy again?” I about died.

Now, I deeply love this friend; she is brilliant and fun and cares so much about people and justice and mercy.  But come on.  Who is RUDY?  WHO IS RUDY STEINER??!  Why are you reading this book if you can’t remember one of the MAIN CHARACTERS?!!!  Where is the RESPECT?

Okay, done ranting.  I think.

I am not this way with all books– but there are certain, choice stories where I am quite literally offended if a friend doesn’t like them, almost as if I were the author.  When my friend Jessica read Narnia for the first time, I was upfront with her: “Please tell me you liked them.  I will actually be offended if you didn’t.”  She did.  Phew.

When my roommate told me that The Fault in Our Stars was “good, but not great,” I didn’t want to throw her off a cliff or anything.  When my sister couldn’t get into The Sky is Everywhere, I didn’t want to disown her.  I don’t have to worry about what I’d do to someone who didn’t like Stargirl because I have never met such a fool.

But The Chronicles of Narnia, The Book Thief, Peace Like a River … do not disrespect these stories.

Or else feel my wrath. 🙂

18 thoughts on “how to offend a book lover”

  1. but literary love is in the heart of the reader. just like music or movies. i liked Book Thief. Peace Like a River was good, but I don’t really care if I ever read The Chronicles of Narnia again. meh. and i work in a library. don’t be hating on personal taste.

    Reply ↓

  5. I feel the same way! “Who is Rudy?” is like asking “What’s your name again?”–for someone to not love (or at least respect) my literary friends and family is basically the equivalent of them not loving me. I know that’s a very, very melodramatic statement, but when I feel so strongly about these characters, they become a part of me. I had a friend who had never heard of “Anne of Green Gables.” Not that she hadn’t read them or hadn’t seen the movies–she’d never even HEARD of them. My heart wept.

    Reply ↓

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