All About Romance’s Lynn Spencer blogged about being asked to stop reading a romance in her local gym in The Book Police Strike Again!
For the third time in five years, I’ve actually been asked to either put up my book or leave a public place because people find my reading material offensive. The most recent offender? The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie (a fantastic book, by the way). Now, as romance covers go, this one really isn’t so bad - not nearly as racy as Must Have Been the Moonlight, which got me a lecture on the treadmill at my gym.
Here are the two book covers which apparently caused such offense:
The Melody Thomas book has a dreadful clinch cover but I don’t see how it could be deemed obscene. The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie is tame, especially when compared to many of the romance covers out there.
If Lynn had been reading a thriller with a cover like these, would anyone have objected? I think not. Violence is acceptable, sex is all types of bad.
My advice to Lynn? Return to the scene of the crime with this book and see how they react!
What say you? Are you ashamed to be seen reading a romance in public? How would you react if someone asked you to put your book away or leave? I’d tell them to take a hike, but perhaps phrased a little more strongly.
{ 16 comments }
This is always disturbing to me. A book cover is not THAT offensive. I don’t really like romance covers but I’m not ashamed to bring them out in public. If someone approached me about it, I’d probably berate them right back. I’m quite argumentative when I want to be!
@Meghan Yep, my sentiments exactly. Also, most romance readers are women. If a guy was reading a book with a risqué cover, would anyone approach him? Unless it was outright pornographic, probably not.
I still can’t believe that somebody had the nerve to ask her to put her book away! I think it’s ridiculous that somebody would feel comfortable asking that of a total stranger.
I don’t know how I would react if somebody found a book I was reading offensive. I can tell you that nothing they could say would change my reading habits!
Can always count on the good old Pussy Eater cover to get everyone in a uproar.
The cover for Ian M is classy IMO. Such jackasses. The ones who complain have major issue to work on.
@Ashley The mind boggles.
@katiebabs Just for the laugh, it might be worth going out in public with that book cover & see how people react!
You can’t judge a book by its cover. The classic ‘Gone With the Wind’ was criticized for its Rhett-&-Scarlett embrace on the paperback edition. However, I have no inclination, now or ever, to pick up ‘The Pussy Eater’, however much it might piss off the general public.
@Trish No! You mean you’re not tempted to take ‘The Pussy Eater’ to Friarsland?
What I find more offensive is the narrow-mindedness of those who have no problem touting freedom of choice and speech, yet find a ROMANCE book offensive and feel they have the right to demand someone stop reading it or to leave the establishment. I say — B.S.!
@Amy What baffles me is the objection to the Lord Ian cover in particular. Please. The average issue of ‘Cosmo’ has a more revealing cover than that.
Personally, I think the Lord Ian cover is gorgeous, including the step-back picture. I carry my romance books everywhere because you never know when you’ll have a minute or five to read, and I’ve never encountered a situation where someone objected my reading material. And I live smackdab in the Bible belt! Or at least in one of the belt holes of it.
OMG – If someone dared ask me to put my book down, I would go ape!
Am really quite speechless that anyone could find a romance cover offensive enough to reproach someone on it.
Also have to add that I find cosmo and a lot of the tabloids offensive to good taste and a lot of other things.. why are they more socially acceptable?
@Amy I’ve experienced a few sniggers when I was reading a romance in public. People are more likely to find the covers amusing rather than obscene.
@Edie Tabloid and magazine headlines alone are more likely to be offensive than book covers.
Personally, I like the flash people with a good Blaze cover. Then I covertly check out who’s looking at my book. *g*
I meant “to flash”.
@Kat LOL! I took perverse pleasure in watching people watch me read Erin McCarthy’s ‘Hard & Fast’ on the train. Their reactions ranged from horrified to highly amused. No one said a word, though.