Ashamed of what you are reading

[jackokent]

I was shocked to hear at my reading group last night that Harry Potter books have 2 covers, an adult cover and a childrens cover. Apparantly many adults who come into the bookshops are quite adamant that they have the adult covers. I can only assume this is becuase they do not want to be seen reading a children's book.

I am astounded. Are people really that ashamed to be seen reading a book. I suppose it if were porn or something maybe but surely not a popluar YA fantasy. And even if you are ashamed, the adult cover is still for the same book... I mean why bother. Who are you trying to fool.

As an aside, the bookstore worker also said that some people expected the adult Harry Potter to be different from the children's one in that it had some "adult" content. I thought that was hilarious.

[nixie]

I've never been ashamed of what I read.If I want to read a childrens book I will, don't care who sees me.I even been seen to read David Eddings in public If what I read makes people look down their nose at me,tough thats their problem not mine.

[dwndrgn]

Originally Posted by nixie

I've never been ashamed of what I read.If I want to read a childrens book I will, don't care who sees me.I even been seen to read David Eddings in public If what I read makes people look down their nose at me,tough thats their problem not mine.

Ditto!! (well, except about the Eddings - I only read one and since I don't read them I can't read them in public).

[jackokent]

Well I'm the same. I really can't understand people needing an adult book cover.

I guess however, thinking about it, there are some books I might be embarrassed to read in public, Mills and Boon springs to mind.

[Paige Turner]

I make my own fake covers for books I know I'm going to be reading on the bus. Fun titles like Satanism for Dummies and Teach Yourself Taxidermy get lots of furtive looks from fellow travelers. Life is too short to pass up chances for a bit of fun.

[Teresa Edgerton]

We had a conversation about this subject before, only it was confined to adults reading YA (so no mention of David Eddings). For anyone interested in the comments there:

http://www.chronicles-network.com/fo...-an-adult.html

[Crisspin]

Originally Posted by Paige Turner

I make my own fake covers for books I know I'm going to be reading on the bus. Fun titles like Satanism for Dummies and Teach Yourself Taxidermy get lots of furtive looks from fellow travelers. Life is too short to pass up chances for a bit of fun.

Too funny

[Cloud]

I could care less what people think.

I do hide my porn from my grandchildren, though.

[Paige Turner]

Originally Posted by Cloud

I do hide my porn from my grandchildren, though.

The mark of true aristocracy.

[steve12553]

Originally Posted by Cloud

I could care less what people think.

If they care what your reading, they probably don't think.

[Loner]

Originally Posted by jackokent

there are some books I might be embarrassed to read in public, Mills and Boon springs to mind.

That is the only thing I might be embarrassed to be seen reading in public. I like the idea of fake covers though Paige!

"Improve your Telekinesis"
"Home Enemas"
"How to mind your own business on public transport"
"Basic Obedience for Dragons"

I'm sure I can come up with more.

[Paige Turner]

Originally Posted by Loner

"Home Enemas"

I can see using that one for one of the For Dummies covers. Nice. Subtitling it will be a gas. So to speak.

[Loner]

Originally Posted by Paige Turner

Subtitling it will be a gas. So to speak.

Oh god! What a PUNishment!

[Nesacat]

Tend to read what I want, where I want to. Does not matter if it's a book aimed at children. I don't get the whole business with the covers either unless some people have a tremendous fondness for black and some kind of uniform colour scheme for their book shelves and have to buy the 'adult' Harry Potter books.

I have however had some funny experiences with this. When I worked as an editor with the New Straits Times, I used to only start working at about 7pm. So, I had a day job at a rental bookstore and the bulk of the books were romances. We had everything from Mills & Boon right up to the novels and for whatever reason, a large percentage of the renters were men.

They wanted to read the books but they did not want to be 'seen' reading the books, which resulted in some pretty quirky situations. I would get a call and the caller, a man, would speak in a hushed whisper. If anyone can tell me who exactly was listening in, I'd be grateful.

I'd be asked to select the required number of books, the preference here seemed to be for the books with helpless heroines. I'd have to wrap each book in plain brown paper, which I always thought was equivalent to waving a red flag announcing that you might be reading something not quite right as it were. I'd then have to wrap all the books in pages from a newspaper and put the package into a non see through bag.

And then, I'd have to do this little run around the corner and hand it to the man who'd be waiting inside his car. There'd be this quick winding down of the glass and a hurried thank you with money being exchanged for books and then he'd drive off. It was one of the most entertaining jobs ever given all the illicit activities not to mention the fact that I ended up reading a whole load of romances.

[Paige Turner]

Nesa, I never heard of such a thing! That's great. Newspaper? Clearly, not quite secure in their masculinity. Did they say they were picking the books up "for a friend?"