22. The Grey dawn.

 The capital G is because it is a name...

Which should be your first clue as to what this post is about.

  50 Shades of Grey has changed the literary world. A vast swath of 'romance' novels have hit the shelves since its release, and there has been a vast rise of people getting into reading (primarily women in this case, but not exclusively).

  My first assertion is that I am all for that. More people need to read. Graucho Marx once said 'I television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.'
People are not like Marx in modern times.The TV has become the beacon of entertainment.
Fine. Television is a valid form of entertainment... but it shouldn't be the only source of entertainment. Mix it up; read, watch, play, socialise...
But the sheer number of people who don't read at all in lieu of TV is staggering.

I digress, this is not the point I decided to write about.

This is;

I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/g/groucho_marx.html#tWietoLhjS7P0b0z.99

I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/g/groucho_marx.html#tWietoLhjS7P0b0z.99

I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/g/groucho_marx.html#tWietoLhjS7P0b0z.99

This is a 'romance' novel. Read it. Go on. Read it.
This is not romance. Nor is this literature.

If you can't be bothered to read it I'll give you a stand out quote; 'Cupping her cheeks to hold her still, Max rocked his hips, fucking her eager little mouth at his pace.'

This is Porn, plain and simple.

And guess what? I'm fine with that too. I have no problem with Pornography what so ever.
So long as people accept that it isn't real, then they know it has no place in their real life, unless it is legal and consenting.

So what is my problem exactly?

Simple. This is called literature.
FHM/Nuts/Zoo is now top shelf and covered. It is too Pornographic in nature to be seen on the shelf.
I'd argue that while this isn't as visually 'lewd' as those magazines, it is considerably more explicit.

So my argument is simple; these books are Porn. Not literature.
If FHM is top shelf, this should be too.
The idea of top self products is to keep them out of the eye view and grasp of children. These 'romance' novels are always middle of the shelf where anyone can see and pick up and read them.
Awkward conversation ensues...

So either they are both inappropriate, or neither are.

I'm not saying don't read them; reading more is good.
But please, stop trying to hide behind the literature mantle.
Just accept that you like Porn as much as everyone else; albeit in a different format.

-DH-