it's hard to deny your knee-jerk response that there's something slightly distasteful and pedophilic about an adult reading stories aimed at people under the age of 18
WTF? 1. I love rereading some of the books that I fell in love with as a child or young teenager, that are considered to be YA now. 2. I've picked up some of my kids books on occasion and enjoyed them.
I think she isn't saying that she thinks that adults shouldn't read young adult books, but that she's afraid that other people will start thinking it's weird for adults to read YA books and vice versa.
I don't know if she's overexaggerating, but it's her fear apparently. To which she brings the solution to not name young adult books young adult books, since there isn't a reason for it. She says the YA books don't differ in themes, or even in age of the main characters that much. (Since there are "adult" books with teenage main characters too)
She just objects against the artificial divide between books that keep people who care about what other people think away from the books that have been decided by some unknown reason to not belong to their age group.
At least, that's how I read her story ^^, maybe I read wrong.
I think I managed to break the spine of my library's copies when I was a kid. When they were reprinted a couple of years back I snatched them up right quick, along with the new ones.
Isn't she saying that young adult books aren't bad or differently written, but are just labeled differently? I thought the writer of this piece was just objecting against this labeling as it suggests that adult readers shouldn't read YA books and she thinks it's a shame, because adult could enjoy those too? And especially that young people shouldn't be steered away from "adult" science fiction, since those could be just as fun for them to read as so-called young adult books.
Anyway, that's what I think, I think. But since we don't have a young adult section in our science fiction section, maybe I just can't understand the problem. In fact, we don't even have a science fiction section in most libraries or bookstores. It's usually in the broad fiction category, or in the fantasy/sci-fi section of the English section, if we're lucky this is like one bookcase in a big store. *sighs* Dutch people just don't write much science fiction apparently. But we have some pretty good children's book writers! I still love re-reading those. (and I'm not a pedophile ;) )
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Ah, I also have a totally unrelated question... How do you pronounce the name Isaac Asimov?
I have always pronounced it like I would a Dutch name. Since I first heard about Asimov from my dad, who always read the Dutch translations of Asimov's books and it was before I could speak or read English myself.
I make the "A"'s in his name long, not like you pronounce the English "A" in the alphabeth for example.
(The English "A" sounds like the Dutch "E". The English "E" sounds like the Dutch "I" and the English "I" sounds like the Dutch "AAI". *grins* It's really confusing trying to spell something in English when the sounds have shifted like this)
Ah, I also have a totally unrelated question... How do you pronounce the name Isaac Asimov?
Taking the easiest question and ignoring the rest... ;p I've always pronouced his name AYE-zack ah-ZI-moff with a long "I" in his first name. Of course I had the advantage of hearing his name pronouced by english speakers.
When I get home I'll check out YouTube for any clips of him speaking or of him being introduced by someone and post them for you.
Wow, cool! I didn't know they had interviews with Isaac Asimov on youtube! Though I should have ^^;
Anyway, he didn't use his own name in the video you linked, or did I miss it? But it's ok! I've been browsing through the videos by him and about his stories and found a link to someone doing a book review (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WksjR6BBPGw) and of course he mentioned the name ^^ So now I know how you pronounce it. And it is indeed different from how I've always pronounced it.
Oh, btw, one of the videos was a play based on a short story by Asimov (The son of the Physist, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEI-DC6sGc0). The clue is that a scientist and a soldier needed the insight of an a-technical and a-strategic mother to solve a communication problem between the Earth and Pluto ^^ Do you know the story?
You won't be able to understand the video though, it's in Belgium/Dutch, which is Dutch, but a different accent/dialect from what I speak. I can understand it, but I pronounce the words real different. It's a bit like the difference between North and South American, maybe a bit bigger.
Oh, btw, one of the videos was a play based on a short story by Asimov (The son of the Physist, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEI-DC6sGc0). The clue is that a scientist and a soldier needed the insight of an a-technical and a-strategic mother to solve a communication problem between the Earth and Pluto ^^ Do you know the story?
I'm not familiar with that one. I'll have to watch it and check it out. Thanks!
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2008-09-23 09:06 pm (UTC)WTF? 1. I love rereading some of the books that I fell in love with as a child or young teenager, that are considered to be YA now.
2. I've picked up some of my kids books on occasion and enjoyed them.
That person has serious issues.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-29 08:32 am (UTC)I don't know if she's overexaggerating, but it's her fear apparently. To which she brings the solution to not name young adult books young adult books, since there isn't a reason for it. She says the YA books don't differ in themes, or even in age of the main characters that much. (Since there are "adult" books with teenage main characters too)
She just objects against the artificial divide between books that keep people who care about what other people think away from the books that have been decided by some unknown reason to not belong to their age group.
At least, that's how I read her story ^^, maybe I read wrong.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-23 09:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-24 03:00 am (UTC)I thought I was the only person on the planet who knew about the Strange Monster of Strawberry Lake....
no subject
Date: 2008-09-24 07:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-24 05:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-24 12:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-24 05:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-24 05:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-29 08:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-24 05:45 am (UTC)-- C.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-29 07:43 am (UTC)Anyway, that's what I think, I think. But since we don't have a young adult section in our science fiction section, maybe I just can't understand the problem. In fact, we don't even have a science fiction section in most libraries or bookstores. It's usually in the broad fiction category, or in the fantasy/sci-fi section of the English section, if we're lucky this is like one bookcase in a big store. *sighs* Dutch people just don't write much science fiction apparently.
But we have some pretty good children's book writers! I still love re-reading those. (and I'm not a pedophile ;) )
-----------------
Ah, I also have a totally unrelated question... How do you pronounce the name Isaac Asimov?
I have always pronounced it like I would a Dutch name. Since I first heard about Asimov from my dad, who always read the Dutch translations of Asimov's books and it was before I could speak or read English myself.
I make the "A"'s in his name long, not like you pronounce the English "A" in the alphabeth for example.
(The English "A" sounds like the Dutch "E". The English "E" sounds like the Dutch "I" and the English "I" sounds like the Dutch "AAI". *grins* It's really confusing trying to spell something in English when the sounds have shifted like this)
no subject
Date: 2008-09-29 12:38 pm (UTC)Taking the easiest question and ignoring the rest... ;p I've always pronouced his name AYE-zack ah-ZI-moff with a long "I" in his first name. Of course I had the advantage of hearing his name pronouced by english speakers.
When I get home I'll check out YouTube for any clips of him speaking or of him being introduced by someone and post them for you.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-29 05:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-29 11:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-03 07:49 pm (UTC)Anyway, he didn't use his own name in the video you linked, or did I miss it? But it's ok! I've been browsing through the videos by him and about his stories and found a link to someone doing a book review (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WksjR6BBPGw) and of course he mentioned the name ^^ So now I know how you pronounce it. And it is indeed different from how I've always pronounced it.
Oh, btw, one of the videos was a play based on a short story by Asimov (The son of the Physist, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEI-DC6sGc0). The clue is that a scientist and a soldier needed the insight of an a-technical and a-strategic mother to solve a communication problem between the Earth and Pluto ^^ Do you know the story?
You won't be able to understand the video though, it's in Belgium/Dutch, which is Dutch, but a different accent/dialect from what I speak. I can understand it, but I pronounce the words real different. It's a bit like the difference between North and South American, maybe a bit bigger.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-05 09:08 am (UTC)I'm not familiar with that one. I'll have to watch it and check it out. Thanks!