100 Opinions One Must Express Before One Dies!

[extrapenguin]

All those lists of "100 must-reads" are less about the quality of the books (or movies, or museums, or nature parks, or whatever) and more about getting to access a set of in-group markers. Book X might be very good – but it might also be a rec that completely misses the mark for the target, either for the moment or for the reader's entire life. The Canon(TM) (of "literature", of sci-fi, of romance, of whatever) is more about establishing a shared culture than about anything else.

I think I had other opinions as well? Oh, yes, now I remember! Exchanges! For swrarepairs I have an outline and some words; it's looking to be a bit long, but I've identified a spot in the middle where I could wrap it up if I run out of time. It would be better with the latter bits, but done is the aim. My yuletide letter is in good condition – I could just copypaste 2.5 sections from prior letters (and filled in the fandom that was slightly lacking in prompt breadth). Now I just need to write prompts for one more fandom.

Writing Rainbow: Black had author reveals. I wrote one thing: Thought (Jet Black and Clawed). KOTOR 2, Talia/Vaklu.

It is finally dark outside and I love it – we've seen a few faint aurorae recently, and I can see stars here! It's also finally possible to get some sleep! \o/

Comments

[trobadora]

The Canon(TM) (of "literature", of sci-fi, of romance, of whatever) is more about establishing a shared culture than about anything else.

Yes, absolutely! And there's value in that shared frame of reference, as well as the obvious problems. But discussions of quality really are missing the point.

[extrapenguin]

Being included in The Canon is some sort of filter for quality – the very worst generally doesn't end up there – but yes. Discussions about quality are missing the point.

[glymr]

Being included in The Canon is some sort of filter for quality – the very worst generally doesn't end up there -

True, but so much depends on who's making that judgement.

[extrapenguin]

A filter for the quality of the mechanics, if you will – SPAG and prose that's definitely not in the bottom 5% of readability for the genre and probably not in the bottom 10-20%, either, depending on the size of The Canon. Content and how it's handled, OTOH, is more likely to be a crapshoot.

[glymr]

Ah yes, agreed! Well-said. :)

[china_shop]

All those lists of "100 must-reads" are less about the quality of the books (or movies, or museums, or nature parks, or whatever) and more about getting to access a set of in-group markers.

So much yes. There's a good chance I won't have heard of most of them, whatever it is.

Congratulations on returning to darkness! \o/

[extrapenguin]

Darkness is great! I can see the stars! :D