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Books/book club

Would this put you off?

(90 Posts)
Kartush Sun 16-Feb-25 21:59:31

I have a question,
If you have read books by a particular author and really enjoyed them, would finding out something unsavoury about said author
a. Change your opinion of the books you have already read
b. Stop you reading any more of their books.

Chocolatelovinggran Sat 08-Mar-25 11:22:44

Caro41 I posted that I do not read Jeffrey Archer because of my negative feelings about him.
I am delighted to learn that I have not been missing out on great literature: thank you.🙂

Ohmother Sat 08-Mar-25 06:44:37

Is this about David Walliums?

Lovetopaint037 Sat 08-Mar-25 00:28:52

Well Dickens was no angel but that didn’t stop me reading his books and enjoying visiting his house in London.
Tolstoy, it would be seem, was not all that kind to his wife and yet I love his books.
Don’t know much about my modern favourites and don’t wish to enquire as. quite happy to focus on their work.
However, something really nasty like child pornography would leave me burning books.

Caro41 Fri 07-Mar-25 23:19:03

I probably wouldn’t be so censorial, except in a very few cases .
I can think of worse people than Jeffrey Archer , whom someone suggests they would avoid , but not because of his morals or actions but because his books are absolute rubbish.

Allsorts Sat 22-Feb-25 21:48:46

It would depend what it was. Somethings are too bad. Even if I had enjoyed a novel my opinion would be altered if they had done anything like Jimmy Saville did or Rolf Harris it would be thrown.

valdali Sat 22-Feb-25 21:45:20

I would probably still read their books if they were a contemporary author, although it does depend on the genre.
I would certainly still read their books if they were from a different era, as Cariadagain said earlier, it's so difficult to make judgements about past values.
Enid Blyton would probably be just as unpleasant if she was contemporary though - but attitudes to women /men, race, hunting etc have changed so much I cannot blame past authors for not being as enlightened as we now think ourselves (the enlightenment probably still has a way to go yet).

M0nica Sat 22-Feb-25 21:30:23

Everything I have read about Enid Blyton, she was all told a very unpleasant person and happily wallked over and abandoned husband and children if it was to her advantage.

Ilovedogs22 Sat 22-Feb-25 19:46:47

Marmin

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

Oh Marmin!! You reprobate you.🙃

Luminance Thu 20-Feb-25 12:03:18

It rather depends. Books where someone has an opinion outside the books I find distasteful I might buy second hand and would likewise give away any of their books I owned to prevent another buying them. Books penned by a known offender, especially an offender against children, would go on the fire. Everything they ever wrote is corrupt.

Grantanow Thu 20-Feb-25 11:39:17

Authors and artists are complex individuals just like everybody else. I see no good reason to discard their books and art for other reasons. It was reported that Einstein beat his wife but we can't deny his scientific genius and the discoveries he made.

pascal30 Thu 20-Feb-25 11:25:33

I was talking about something changing may mind... ie the Nazi ban made me appreciate him more when I watched Death in Venice

hollysteers Thu 20-Feb-25 01:11:53

pascal30

or Mahler

Do you mean Richard Wagner?

sazz1 Wed 19-Feb-25 23:28:54

I'm reading a book because I enjoy the story. I'm not a friend of the author, so why would that bother me? If it's a great story or series of books, I'd read it. I never ever think of who wrote it, what they are like, what religion they are etc. None of my business.

Stansgran Wed 19-Feb-25 13:24:24

Sorry too slow

Stansgran Wed 19-Feb-25 13:23:56

@Iam64 don’t you mean Eric Gill not A A Gill. The latter was a restaurant critic who got on my nerves for calling his partner the Blonde in his write ups. The former believed I think that incest was his right.
Both of them coloured my opinions of their work.

Iam64 Wed 19-Feb-25 13:21:40

Norah

Boz

A.A.Gill was a journalist - have you got the right man here?

Eric Gill perhaps?

Truly talented. Unsavoury horrible person.

Thanks all you’re correct
I was rushing 😞

Norah Wed 19-Feb-25 12:41:45

Boz

A.A.Gill was a journalist - have you got the right man here?

Eric Gill perhaps?

Truly talented. Unsavoury horrible person.

Barleyfields Wed 19-Feb-25 11:49:41

Just what I was thinking Boz. I think Iam meant Eric Gill?

Boz Wed 19-Feb-25 11:33:16

A.A.Gill was a journalist - have you got the right man here?

Iam64 Wed 19-Feb-25 10:27:10

I never liked Woody Allen so not watching his films after the allegations was no challenge. Same with Michael Jackson, I always thought him a worry, not someone I’d want near children despite his ability to entertain.

AAGill made beautiful art but was an abusive father. His art/pews are in many Churches and I suppose should stay there.
I like jk Rawlings writing and politics. I buy them for children. I enjoyed reading them with my children/grandchildren
I dislike Jeffrey Archer and his politics so don’t read his books

Not a sophisticated approach 😀

Boz Wed 19-Feb-25 10:17:25

JKRowling loves pensioned off greyhounds. A Rescue Centre for greyhounds tells the tale of a lady taking one of their dogs and giving them a cheque for £5000. The generous cheque was signed by JKRowling.

Boz Wed 19-Feb-25 10:12:48

Anne Perry, a London-born author, served time in prison for murder as a teenager. She was inspired by her own experiences to write historical and socially conscious crime fiction.

Goldieoldie15 Wed 19-Feb-25 09:51:38

Would simply not touch anything written by that Archer bloke.

Norah Wed 19-Feb-25 09:35:47

No, wouldn't change my opinion on what I had already read. However, I'd probably not read any more of their books. Rather depends how unsavoury I suppose.

creakingandchronic Wed 19-Feb-25 09:24:25

Most celebs seem to have skeletons in the cupboard have affairs etc. I tend to avoid gossip style media posts magazines etc as I have no interest in the boring lives of the celebs.
the only thing is if they were involved in paedophile activities then no I would no longer want to support them and add to their finances so they could spend more on their sick interests