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Monday, April 28, 2008

Watch Out For Those Nutters

Shelfari.com has a feature that allows members to start discussions about any book listed in the Shelfari system. It is also possible to add replies to posted comments. I've seldom used this feature; I'm usually too busy doing other things. But today one of the comments (featured on my home page which is becoming more and more cluttered with stuff Shelfari thinks will be of interest to me) caught my eye. It was about Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini.

I've read Kite Runner, and while I thought it was worthwhile reading, I did not understand all the hype surrounding it. Frankly I learned as much about Afghanistan from reading Charlie Wilson's War as I did by reading Kite Runner. Nor did I agree with statements indicating that this book is "great literature". It's my opinion that this book is supposed to give people an idea of Afghani culture, and the author believes the best way to do that is to tell his story through children growing up and learning their station in life. Hosseini accomplishes that, but it's my view that he has not written great literature.

A comment was posted in the Kite Runner discussion comments from someone who expressed the same sentiments I had. She too did not see this book as worthy of all the extravagant praise surrounding it, and she said as much. Her comments were fair, to the point, and certainly not offensive. Essentially she said she didn't like the book for the same reasons I found it lacking, but she added that the descriptions of Afghani culture were interesting.

I responded to her comment, and so did someone else. Here's what he had to say about her comment:
"Well... you obviously dont understand great literature. who cares if you saw the "unspeakable event" a mile away. it was very emotion and great. you ma'am is an unedcumacated bitch fucker."
I have a friend named Cliff who once remarked when faced with unexplainable behavior during a tennis tournament, "Sometimes you just gotta shake your head and wonder." Cliff, if you're reading this, I'm definitely shaking my head, but I'm not wondering. We really need to be careful out there because if we're not, those blasted inmates WILL end up running the asylum.

2 comments:

Katherine said...

Holy Sh!t! And here was me thinking that Shelfari was such a civilized place. Its absolutely unconscionable that someone would say something like that. We're all entitled to our opinions, and what that guy said was completely out of line.

What is wrong with people these days?

Anonymous said...

I am freaked out - that's the first truly ugly thing I have seen on there - although I haven't been there only 5 months. Good grief! I work in a high school, so I see that we are turning out rude people who have no respect for other people's opinions. It still distresses me. I can't decide if I want you to let him have it - as you are one of the more articluate people I have befriended on Shelfari - or ignore him so as not to stoop to his level.......
LauraB from Shelfari