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Recession-Proof Romance
girl about t.o. Toronto
(Apr.16.09)
I have loved reading for a long time.
I can remember the first word I couldn't sound out (soldier), the first book that made me cry, the first one I read for a second time and even the first one I quit before finishing.
From my mom reading me Trixie Belden before bed to my dad's on-the-fly Princess Elizabeth series (yes, that's my middle name), I couldn't get enough.
Regardless of the genre.
My parents never pressured us to read a certain kind of book. Whether it was my friend and I hoarding Archie comics at the cottage, the R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike phase or jumping ahead to ones that literally kept me up at night - they figured as long as my brother and I were reading, we were engaged.
Unsurprisingly, I still think people should read what captures them, not what they think they should read. Personally, I jump between a variety of non-fiction, bestsellers, classics, re-reading (The Catcher in the Rye was a lot different at 14 than 24), friends' favourites and recently finished movie-adapted graphic novel, The Watchmen. So while I haven't been swept up in the Twilight success, if unrequited vampire love gets you to turn a page, go for it.
But one genre I haven't really covered? Romance.
Seems I might be the only one.
Toronto-based Harlequin books is reportedly sailing through any talks of a recession, selling 130 million paperbacks annually. Is it a love of happy endings? (These books unabashedly conclude with every love story working out.) A $5 cover price?
In these days of doom and gloom news, it's so surprise that this Nightline clip from Monday has been making the rounds on the blogosphere. And I don't think it's the behind-the-scenes shoot with one of the gleaming cover models (a former personal trainer/cover guy once told me the glow was courtesy of cooking spray).
Nightline juxtaposed the stats, history and interviews with excerpt readings from people like Paul Rudd (jump to 3:50), Seth Rogan (3:32), Cheryl Hines (0:25) and more.
So while maybe I'm not drawn to the non-stick studs, I'd let Paul Rudd read to me anytime.
Tell me, is romance the way to go?
What books, genres or writers are you constantly drawn to? Login and let me know!
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