Would this put you off?

Depends exactly what the offence was

It would depend on the nature of the 'unsavoury'. I don't think it would change my opinion of the books I'd read, but might very possibly stop me reading any more. Never having been in that situation I might react quite differently faced with it in reality.

Probably not but it would depend on the circumstance.

If we were to take exception to the misbehaviour of authors it would drastically reduce the number of books we could read - and wha about those that have done dastardly deeds that we do not know about?

Dickens betrayed his wife wth a mistress, from everything I have heard Roald Dahl was a deeply unpleasant man, as was Ian Fleming, and those are just names that occur to me as I write.

It wouldn't make any difference to me.

Probably not. I don't expect favourite writers to be perfect people.

And Nabokov with ‘Lolita’? Many,many writers had/have unsavoury lives.

nanna8

And Nabokov with ‘Lolita’? Many,many writers had/have unsavoury lives.

Absolutely!
If you don’t want to “associate “ with the author, don’t read his/her books.

Not really no, but I can't help wondering why you are asking. Have you discovered something unsavoury about a particular author.
J.K. Rowling is obviously not an animal lover, judging by her books, but it doesn't stop me admiring her talent or her opinions.
One thing I do wonder about is....do the authors of murder mysteries enjoy wring about the actual act of killing someone? I used to enjoy Wilbur Smith but he seems to enjoy thinking up the most horrible ways to kill people.

No I don’t think it would
I love Paul Gauguin s art but he was a very bad boy but it doesn’t stop me admiring his talent I m sure many of the stars we watch, listen to, look at their art work or read their writings have a bad past that we maybe never know about
I adored Enid Blyton books as a child but she according to her daughters was supposed to be a very divisive character a damaged person who damaged others doesn’t stop me thinking she wrote great stories for young kids

I have never read any Jeffrey Archer because I have strong negative feelings about the man.
Quite possibly I have missed out, but I do not want to put any money in to his bank .

I know of a few friends who will not read Jeffrey Archer books due to negative feelings. It hasn’t stopped me reading and enjoying some of his books.

M0nica

If we were to take exception to the misbehaviour of authors it would drastically reduce the number of books we could read - and wha about those that have done dastardly deeds that we do not know about?

Dickens betrayed his wife wth a mistress, from everything I have heard Roald Dahl was a deeply unpleasant man, as was Ian Fleming, and those are just names that occur to me as I write.

Yes, exactly! I think it is possible to separate the 'art' from the 'artist'. There may well be many well-known authors who weren't exactly the nicest people, but that doesn't necessarily mean that their work doesn't have merit.

Picasso wasn’t very nice,either.

or Mahler

I read once that Enid Blyton played tennis naked. I did reread the Famous Five books despite this revelation.

mum2three

Not really no, but I can't help wondering why you are asking. Have you discovered something unsavoury about a particular author.
J.K. Rowling is obviously not an animal lover, judging by her books, but it doesn't stop me admiring her talent or her opinions.
One thing I do wonder about is....do the authors of murder mysteries enjoy wring about the actual act of killing someone? I used to enjoy Wilbur Smith but he seems to enjoy thinking up the most horrible ways to kill people.

J K Rowling has dogs and a cat.

What on earth made you think she isn’t an animal lover?

It depends, if the author was into something really serious I'd never have anything more to do with them but if it's so-and-so author had an affair, or author got done for speeding then I'd carry on with them!

I have found out something about an author which didn’t change my opinion of the books I had read but made me not wish to read any more that they had written. A living person so won’t identify them or what I found out.

Marmin

I read once that Enid Blyton played tennis naked. I did reread the Famous Five books despite this revelation.

That made me laugh!

And as far as I'm concerned I doubt it would stop me

I quite like Jeffrey Archer's books and I'm happy to carry on reading them.

GrannyGravy13

mum2three

Not really no, but I can't help wondering why you are asking. Have you discovered something unsavoury about a particular author.
J.K. Rowling is obviously not an animal lover, judging by her books, but it doesn't stop me admiring her talent or her opinions.
One thing I do wonder about is....do the authors of murder mysteries enjoy wring about the actual act of killing someone? I used to enjoy Wilbur Smith but he seems to enjoy thinking up the most horrible ways to kill people.

J K Rowling has dogs and a cat.

What on earth made you think she isn’t an animal lover?

Her Harry Potter books include abuse of animals....a spider being tortured, rats being turned into goblets. Surely no-one with a love of animals would even consider such things, especially in a story aimed at children.

I feel as you do Barleyfields.

Along the same lines I used to love listening to Michael Jackson songs. “Thriller” especially. After the revelations about him I can’t listen. I even switch him off if he gets played on a radio station! Daft maybe but there it is.

mum2three

GrannyGravy13

mum2three

Not really no, but I can't help wondering why you are asking. Have you discovered something unsavoury about a particular author.
J.K. Rowling is obviously not an animal lover, judging by her books, but it doesn't stop me admiring her talent or her opinions.
One thing I do wonder about is....do the authors of murder mysteries enjoy wring about the actual act of killing someone? I used to enjoy Wilbur Smith but he seems to enjoy thinking up the most horrible ways to kill people.

J K Rowling has dogs and a cat.

What on earth made you think she isn’t an animal lover?

Her Harry Potter books include abuse of animals....a spider being tortured, rats being turned into goblets. Surely no-one with a love of animals would even consider such things, especially in a story aimed at children.

It’s make believe, most children’s literature and films have an element of scariness, just a few off of the top of my head.

Wizard of Oz/Wicked
Cinderella
Sleeping Beauty
Hansel and Gretel
Aladdin
Black Beauty

Grimms Fairy Tales

Arabian Nights

Jacqueline Wilson’s books contain rather a lot of jeopardy.

I think I'd probably be okay about reading their books - but wouldnt want to buy them (ie putting money into their pockets).

The thing I think is daft is the way some are rejecting books from a different era - because "The past is different...they do things differently there" (if that's the correct wording I'm remembering). Obviously a fiction book written in, say, the 1930s is going to have some very different viewpoints and "language" to many written in the woke 2020's for instance.