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August 21, 2007
Keep Your Low Self-Esteem to Yourselves, Thanks
Another tiresome "liberals are smarter than conservatives" story.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Liberals read more books than conservatives. The head of the book publishing industry's trade group says she knows why—and there's little flattering about conservative readers in her explanation.So just before proclaiming herself part of the scary-smart intellectual elite that reads books, she paints an exceedingly cartoonish picture of conservatives."The Karl Roves of the world have built a generation that just wants a couple slogans: 'No, don't raise my taxes, no new taxes,'" Pat Schroeder, president of the American Association of Publishers, said in a recent interview. "It's pretty hard to write a book saying, 'No new taxes, no new taxes, no new taxes' on every page."
Schroeder, who as a Colorado Democrat was once one of Congress' most liberal House members, was responding to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll that found people who consider themselves liberals are more prodigious book readers than conservatives.
She said liberals tend to be policy wonks who "can't say anything in less than paragraphs. We really want the whole picture, want to peel the onion."
Nuance.
I'll admit, my general taste in books doesn't tend toward political polemics. I've read a few, but for the most part tend toward mysteries and alternate history. At the moment, I'm reading three books - "The Perfect Storm" by Sebastian Junger, "Team of Rivals" by Doris Kearns Goodwin and "Freedom" by William Safire.
And while I just hate to disagree with Ms. Schroeder, in the past month I've read at least a dozen books, most of them one or two day fun reads. A sample of what I've read:
"The Concrete Blonde," "Lost Light," "The Narrows," "The Closers," "A Darkness More than Light," "Angels Flight" and "Void Moon" by Michael Connelly.
"Ruled Britannia" and "Settling Accounts: In at the Death" by Harry Turtledove.
"Under the Banner of Heaven" by Jon Krakauer.
"The Ruins" by Scott Smith.
"Primal Fear" by William Diehl.
Like I said, nothing really profound in there, but these are all books I'd recommend if you're looking for a good read. I especially enjoyed re-reading the Connelly books. He's the best writer of police procedurals in the business right now.
Generally, I read books that I enjoy. I don't feel the need to read books that do nothing but reinforce what I already believe. If Ms. Schroeder does, more power to her.
Posted by slublog at August 21, 2007 11:02 PM
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Comments
Love my industry (insert sound of eyes rolling here).
_Team of Rivals_ is a great book.
Posted by: Anwyn at August 22, 2007 12:53 AM
You read 15 books on Nixon alone when we were in college and they weren't even assigned!
Posted by: Dunkle at August 22, 2007 01:43 PM
Hey, it was my Nixon phase. Some people do drugs in college, others read everything they can get their hands on about Watergate.
Posted by: Slublog at August 22, 2007 01:52 PM
In an ironic way, you've confirmed Ms. Schroeder's thesis. Had Ms. Schroeder written that conservatives--especially Slublog--don't read as much as liberals, your argument might have some merit.
Posted by: JadeGold at August 23, 2007 02:43 PM
Uh,huh...
Posted by: Slublog at August 23, 2007 03:00 PM