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  • Literary standards

    From ram@ram@zedat.fu-berlin.de (Stefan Ram) to rec.arts.sf.written on Sun Aug 24 11:28:25 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.sf.written

    I do not get literature critics. I have no idea what standards they
    use when they say "That book is good." or "That book is bad."

    But the other day it hit me: a good book has to catch the reader
    off guard somehow.

    That probably goes double for solid sci-fi stories. And it
    also makes sense why people who read a ton don't always line
    up with casual readers. If you do not read much, it is easier
    to get surprised. But if you read a lot, you have seen plenty
    already, and it takes more to throw you off balance.

    It also shows how books are tied to their own time. Something that
    blew people away fifty years ago might not raise an eyebrow today.


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  • From Christian Weisgerber@naddy@mips.inka.de to rec.arts.sf.written on Sun Aug 24 18:31:12 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.sf.written

    On 2025-08-24, Stefan Ram <ram@zedat.fu-berlin.de> wrote:

    That probably goes double for solid sci-fi stories. And it
    also makes sense why people who read a ton don't always line
    up with casual readers. If you do not read much, it is easier
    to get surprised. But if you read a lot, you have seen plenty
    already, and it takes more to throw you off balance.

    That is a very important point about all media criticism (books,
    movies, TV, music, ...) and explains the perceived disconnect between
    critical and popular opinion. If you consume a lot, whether as a
    professional critic or otherwise, you'll view things differently
    than somebody who only occasionally enjoys such media. If you read
    one book per year, Dan Brown might well feel like the best writer
    ever for you. James Nicoll, on the other hand, might differ.
    --
    Christian "naddy" Weisgerber naddy@mips.inka.de
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  • From Titus G@noone@nowhere.com to rec.arts.sf.written on Sat Aug 30 11:21:34 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.sf.written

    On 24/08/25 23:28, Stefan Ram wrote:
    I do not get literature critics. I have no idea what standards they
    use when they say "That book is good." or "That book is bad."

    But the other day it hit me: a good book has to catch the reader
    off guard somehow.

    I have read that a book, for a male, is like a strip tease.

    That probably goes double for solid sci-fi stories. And it
    also makes sense why people who read a ton don't always line
    up with casual readers. If you do not read much, it is easier
    to get surprised. But if you read a lot, you have seen plenty
    already, and it takes more to throw you off balance.

    True for the strip tease as well.

    It also shows how books are tied to their own time. Something that
    blew people away fifty years ago might not raise an eyebrow today.

    Unfortunately also applicable.
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