The Reader's Bill of Rights
Oct. 6th, 2006 11:36 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
zalenaThe Reader's Bill of Rights
1. The right to not read.
2. The right to skip pages.
3. The right to not finish.
4. The right to reread.
5. The right to read anything.
6. The right to escapism.
7. The right to read anywhere.
8. The right to browse.
9. The right to read out loud.
10. The right not to defend your tastes.
—Pennac, Daniel, Better Than Life, Coach House Press, 1996.
Someone sent this to me today. I was surprised I hadn't seen it before. These are all things I'm telling people. The one I have a problem with is #10, usually in regard to disliking certain authors. People almost never say "I can't believe you read that crap," (maybe they should, that much Barbara Michaels can't be good for anyone, and I do read an awful lot of YA about issues that should no longer concern me) but they are almost always wondering WHY I don't like author XYZ and then trying to convert me.
1. The right to not read.
2. The right to skip pages.
3. The right to not finish.
4. The right to reread.
5. The right to read anything.
6. The right to escapism.
7. The right to read anywhere.
8. The right to browse.
9. The right to read out loud.
10. The right not to defend your tastes.
—Pennac, Daniel, Better Than Life, Coach House Press, 1996.
Someone sent this to me today. I was surprised I hadn't seen it before. These are all things I'm telling people. The one I have a problem with is #10, usually in regard to disliking certain authors. People almost never say "I can't believe you read that crap," (maybe they should, that much Barbara Michaels can't be good for anyone, and I do read an awful lot of YA about issues that should no longer concern me) but they are almost always wondering WHY I don't like author XYZ and then trying to convert me.
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no subject
Date: 2006-10-06 08:24 pm (UTC)RE #10
Whose taste is not being defended? I am confused. Is the reader absolved of defending others' tastes or defending his own? I suppose it has to be the latter, because the former just doesn't make sense.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-06 09:06 pm (UTC)Admittedly, most of the "rights" are ambiguously worded, but it isn't a legal document, it's a way of suggesting alternate ways of reading and people the freedom to enjoy it.
People often tell me I should be a teacher, but I'm less interested in teaching :how: to read than how to love reading. I'm still uncertain it can be taught, but this list contains a lot of ways I try to help people enjoy it.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-09 07:17 pm (UTC)Incidentally, I think #10 really isn’t applicable to trying to convert others – that would be a right to share your tastes. As a slightly defensive Fantasy reader, I am very appreciative of this right.