“What are your literary pet peeves?”, asks today’s question on Booking Through Thursdays (a meme about reading and books, which is hosted here every week!)
I think I have ranted enough on this blog about coffee stains (worse, stains of inexplicable origins) and dog-eared pages, and bent covers and broken spines; novels with too much dialogue, plays with too many descriptions, teen-talk and slang and such things. Here are bookish habits (that people have) that I have managed not to complain about. Some of my people-related literary pet peeves:
1. Nosy librarians – I know, that they are there to help. But when that librarian tells me that that book is not for my level (which she wouldn’t really know) it is sort of irritating. I don’t particularly enjoy it, when a librarian tells me that I shouldn’t read that book because I wouldn’t like it, or that Kafka can be confusing, or gives me her opinions on the book that I have chosen, in a slightly condescending, know-it-all kind of tone. So, while I do know, that they are there to help, I do wish they’d wait for me to ask them for help before offering free advice.
2. Book bragging – “Have you read that book, because I have.” (And I have also read and have an opinion – which I am going to voice – on every book that you are going to mention in the rest of the conversation) Don’t you hate it when people do that? Boast. You know, I hate conversations that go “I read blah, blah and blah and now I am going to read blah and your Goodreads update says that you read blah recently, and I have read blah too and I liked it.” I love books, but it’s not the only thing I love in the whole world. I get it; you love reading. Guess what? I do too. Let’s move on, it’s not a “Who reads more?” contest. I would like a nice conversation about literature, or about something mentioned in one of your favourite books, but not how many books you read per week.
(Excuse me for that rant there.)
3. People who give out spoilers: That includes reviewers, who can’t seem to write good reviews without a ‘spoiler alert’, if you know it might spoil the book for someone, why even write it? I am one of those people who doesn’t mind knowing the rest of the story, or that twist ending, but I do mind people who actually enjoy spoiling the fun for others! Knowing how things turn out doesn’t affect my reading experience, really; but it is still annoying when someone derives some sort of pleasure out of telling me what happens next in the book that I have specifically said I am reading. I mean, really, are we kids? Haven’t you guessed that people might like to keep it a suspense?
4. People who misspell the book title/author’s name – “The Fountain Head ROCKS!!” Really? I would have thought someone who loved that book so much, would have known it was The Fountainhead and not a book about a fountain head, whatever that is. Oh, and you love Stephanie Meyers, is it? Well, good for you.
So, do you have any bookish pet peeves (you know, people-related) or am I just too judgmental!?
Tabula Rasa 
Ohhhh, I HATE it when people misspell a book title! That's basically the one thing you've gotta get right with books, cause everything else is subjective!
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Haha, I had to laugh at some of your pet peeves. I get why you are peeved though. I really don't like when people give spoilers. I often spoil books for myself by reading the back of the book but I hate when I read what is supposed to be a review but is really a summary of EVERYTHING that happens and why. At the end I wonder if the reviewer just did that. It is such a confusing thing. Why do that?
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I found this post very entertaining. I hate when people give away important parts of books and spoil it for me. I love to talk books- but I do my best not to give anything away. I don't like when book titles or authors are spelled wrong, but I know I have probably done it before and not realized it- even if I Ioved a book. Sometimes your own typing just looks right.
I am new to your blog- and can't wait to read more!
~Jess
thesecretdmsfilesoffairdaymorrow.blogspot.com/
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That is so true, what you've written; it IS the only thing that isn't subjective!
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I used to find it hard to write a summary though. I mean, how much do you disclose without disclosing too much? But I've gotten much better at it now! I never read the back of the book; but sometimes if the suspense gets too much and too distracting, I just run on to Wikipedia and read the whole plot instead!
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Oh I am not talking about accidental spelling mistakes; I have to read all my posts twice after publishing them, to make sure there are no typing errors. But I've seen reviewers you misspell the author's name or the book name throughout the review. It's funny; how could you get the main thing wrong?!
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