Fair warning: I’m on my soapbox this afternoon.
In today’s Washington Post (8/6/16) (here), Sophie McManus came out, guns drawn, against readers of “beach reads.” In no uncertain terms, she paints the readers as sexist and vapid. Through three-quarters of the column, she screeches about the unsuitability of their choices, because “these women” are a monolith. If one reads to the end, she raises the lack of diversity among editorial staffs and the importance of reading among African-American women. Now, having never heard of Ms. McManus, I felt obligated to do a little research before questioning her conclusion.
According to Ron Charles of The Washington Post, in reviewing her novel The Unfortunates on June 16, 2016, Ms. McManus graduated from Vassar and Sarah Lawrence and is the daughter of the editor in chief of Time Warner. Her novel, reviewed in all the “right” places, is about the ultra-rich and apparently is, in part, a social satire. I only wish her Book World piece was satire.
As a reader, professional book group facilitator, and blogger, much of my time is spent talking with people about what they read and why. Just like the teacher you wish you or your child had, I wouldn’t dream of criticizing someone’s choice of book or genre because they are reading. Reading is the enemy of ignorance.
When I speak with readers I try to erase the notion of “guilty pleasures” in reading. Who is anyone to criticize a social worker who deals with abused children from choosing to read fantasy for escape? And the person who spends day after day caring for a chronically ill relative may choose a “beach read” since there is no vacation on the horizon. Or, it could be the friend who called the article to my attention – a parent, leading volunteer in her community, and a practicing audiologist with a doctorate. People read for many reasons: to escape, to armchair travel, to learn an unfamiliar topic, to be entertained, to be part of a reading community. There are many reasons and they may change with one’s age and stage of life.
The women on that beach may be attorneys or wait staff, Uber drivers or teachers just looking to carve out that rare time away. These same women may be in the book group Ms. McManus wishes would read her book but the group may choose narrative nonfiction, memoirs, classics or even other literary fiction. Let them read what they want when they want!
Isn’t there far too much divisiveness everywhere we turn? What is the upside to criticizing what writers write and readers buy? The assumption that all women who may read a “beach read” are so foolish they can’t see it isn’t real life nor anything one should aspire to is condescending. It would be tempting to say, given Ms. McManus’s background and comments, that maybe she should get a better sense of how the other 99% live and read. And if she hasn’t anything useful to say, maybe she’d best say nothing.
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