Chick-Lit?

We call what we're doing here a "book challenge", and the second word is as much a part of it as the first.  James, Joe and yours truly could all stay in our safe, warm comfort zones and basically read the same 25 books every year, but if you did that, you'd never make it to 25, you'd quit of boredom before you got close. It's why we give each other assignments, take suggestions from people, join book clubs.  If variety is the spice of life, sometimes you have to take the bite that you know is going to set fire in your throat and bring tears to your eyes.



After I said that "The Master Butcher's Singing Club" was the best book I read last year, I was needled a bit for picking, in Joe's words, "a chick flick book".  Which, of course, brought a measured and proper response from me.  I told Joe he was an unfeeling robot who wouldn't understand these things called human emotions, because how can you break down feelings into code for his mechanized brain?

The row of Romance books in Barnes and Noble is long, and right across from the biography section, a section I know well, and yet, this is the first time I've ever actually noticed the placement.  It's amazing what information your head filters in and out, because now I can't look away from the rows and rows of inviting passions and guilty affairs.  It stares at me, not shyly, but defiantly, the Romance section knows why I'm here.  "Come on Dave, can't turn back now, it's too late, indulge yourself of me."  Joe is busy looking for the covers, giddy, trying to find the right one, the picture that's going to embarass me when I bring it to the counter.  His mission statement: "I'm going to find the cover man that most looks like a pirate."

When I decided, a few weeks ago, to actually read a romance novel, just to see the attraction, and maybe a nagging curiosity, I figured I should find the best one possible, or as I put it, the "Citizen Kane" of romance books.  I didn't actually think I'd find a title that qualifies, but if you type in "Best Romance Novels" to google, you get more than a few lists, and, shockingly, there seems to be a consensus number one; Jane Gabaldon's Outlander.  So I had my book, except, upon further thought, can you always take a snapshot of a genre by looking at the best example?  Citizen Kane is a great choice to introduce someone to great movies, but if you want to show an example of old hollywood....Citizen Kane is a terrible choice, because it's like no other movie from that time period.  Other than the fact that it's in black and white, Kane is ahead of it's time, and has very little in common with other cinema in the 40's.

Did I need another book?  Am I really talking myself into a second one?  Is this some twisted way to ensure I will be reading these books on Valentine's Day so I can pretend to myself that I have a date, even if it's in my head, as the young stablehand trying to seduce the Countess?

Yes, Yes, and good god, that's disturbing.  But yes.

At some point, Joe makes an executive decision. 'I need something with scoundrel in the title." Which sounds terrific, but doesn't exactly narrow down the selection all that much.  Also, while most of the shelves are filled with historical romance, as you'd expect, there would seem to be a large and disturbing trend towards vampire and werewolf romance books.  I hope you're happy, Stephanie Meyer. Who's going to keep writing about the comely immigrant lass and her struggle to deal with the feelings stirring inside her towards the handsome gentlemen from the southern lands....You know, I could probably write some of these books....never mind.   

Finally he choose the book above.  A couple of days later, I will look up Mrs. Rogers on wikipedia.  She is one of the founding authors of historical romance, and a huge influence on today's writers, even though she's never won a RITA* award, for what I can only assume is politics.  Also, there was this:

 Her novels are often full of violence, and the heroine is usually raped one or more times, sometimes by the hero, and sometimes by other men.

 Uh........

*= Romance Novel of the Year Award