Originally Posted by
mono
Personally, I try to do my homework on anything I read. Indeed, I raise an eyebrow at anything that seems to spread like a wildfire and sells like sweets on candyshelves. We can say a lot about the individuals reading a book; as pretentious as it sounds, I do get influenced whether to read a blockbuster book based upon its readers. I never wanted to read Twilight, but I have a negative connotation with it, due to the obsessed children and preteens with their soccer moms creating a fiasco out of my favorite bookstore; the same thing occurred with the Harry Potter series, anything by Dan Brown, and, as much as I hate to type this, Jane Austen. Austen lived from 1775 to 1817, and I felt as though crudely impaled by a dagger when I overheard two women talking at the bookstore, and one of them said "I wonder if Jane Austen will ever write any sequels." Ouch! Luckily, I have never cared a whole lot for J.R.R. Tolkein, so when the obsession of the Lord of the Rings trilogy re-emerged, I shrugged my shoulders; similarly with C.S. Lewis. When Bridge to Terabithia regained popularity with its film, however, a book that I cherished in childhood, that hurt a lot! I still have not seen the movie.
A few exceptions have existed; for example, I read many works by James Redfield (neither of which I would recommend), Joseph Campbell (very impressive work!), and even flipped through a bit of work by Ayn Rand (yuck!). Otherwise, I have read Jeffrey Eugenides, Gabriel García Márquez, Toni Morrison, John Steinbeck, and Leo Tolstoy regardless of Oprah Winfrey; I think it fantastic that she has started a revolution in reading classical literature in her immense population of fans, but I would not call myself a fan of her show.
To answer your question, higley, yes and no. Unfortunately the raving fans of certain books have ruined any minute desire to read that certain book, if applicable, but popularity itself does not influence my decision greatly. I have discovered a few writers that way, but even fewer that I ended up enjoying.