I love a literary beach read. I wanted How to Sleep at Night to be more literary, to go a little deeper with the characters. It all felt like an idea that stayed on the surface, but it was still enjoyable.
Yeah, there were definitely times when I thought about how the book might have looked had it had a slightly more serious approach. While I wanted more as a reader, I also think it was successful in what it was doing and probably worked as a good conversation starter in book club settings
So much to unpack here, and, as usual, your rambling writing is fantastic -- I feel like I'm deep in conversation with you, that you have a near-perfect ability to read compassionately AND be a literary snob. The "Trojan Horse" IS a gift, I think! I agree pretty much with everything you've written, although I haven't read a good "literary beach read" and am intrigued to try this one.
Yeah, I do think it can be hard to engage with a literary beach read sometimes, or to find one that really hits that sweet spot. And I think the term probably means different things to different people too!
This is so smart, Hunter! I also love a Trojan Horse beach read, but I think you’re pointing to the main issue with them towards the end of this piece. I think the hand holding actually gets in the way of any lasting empathy building (which is not to say the purpose of a novel should be to educate!). From my understanding, literary novels build empathy because readers are forced to engage in nuanced ideas and complex thinking. Books don’t serve us empathy on a silver platter. You don’t just read Such a Fun Age and all of a sudden have empathy for a different experience. It takes discomfort, imagination, and interpretation for the empathy muscle to kick in—we need to be reading difficult books to do this! And again, I’m with you that good fiction usually isn’t written with the intent to teach. I just think complicated novels help us practice skills that more of us need!
When I was still living in NYC, I was reading CONVERSATIONS WITH FRIENDS on the Brooklyn C train and a white guy (maybe mid-forties?) came up to me and told me how much he enjoyed it and asked if I was too. I said it was pretty good, and referred to it as a "solid beach read" and he was...so offended, lol. Not only did he interrupt my reading on the train (sacrilege behavior in NYC) but he demanded to know why I would call it a "beach read." I was like, it's a fast-paced, mostly romantic novel about people in their 20s and 30s.
But this was my first encounter with 'beach read' as a potential slur, lol.
I agree with your suggestion that fiction isn't the best place to learn but I like when it acts as a "gateway drug" of sorts, and inspires me to learn more or pick up a non-fiction book on a topic explored in the novel.
I had a similar experience reading Such a Fun Age. Couldn't put it down, but it hasn't stayed with me as much as other novels that go a little deeper. Every time I see it on my shelf, I'm transported right back to that joyful experience of reading it though. There is really something to be said for the literary beach read!!
Thank you putting this out there! I feel like so many people are chatting about the let down they experience in the super-hyped and marketed books. And with books especially, I feel like we often forget that we are being marketed to, just like with everything else in retail and influencing and business.
I agree with all of this, and have noticed the same thing when in discussion with readers who simply want to be told what to think and do and say. This divide was never more clear to me than when a book club I belonged to picked a book that did that very thing and I felt so disengaged from the conversation--there was nothing to discuss, it was all laid out quite in a binary and everyone was just agreeing with each other. And all I said was that this would be good for boys of middle school age to read, and uh, became persona non grata in that club hahaha. (On the other side: All Fours by Miranda July provided some of the best book club conversation I've ever engaged with, such varying opinions, such deep thoughts about its characters and their actions!)
Also I was nodding so hard at my screen at this part, say it again!! : "It sometimes seems like it’s just lazy readership. We have to want to actually engage with the ideas in these books and not just want to be told things. We are smart people, we can figure things out with the context clues provided. Not everything has to be spelled out for us."
I love this idea, and this is definitely my kind of beach read. I enjoyed How to Sleep at Night, but it made me think even more than I enjoyed it, and really appreciate that in a book. A book I adored that I think would fit this category is Margo’s Got Money Troubles. I would love to hear other reader recommendations because this is often the kind of book I’m looking for but struggle to find.
I love a literary beach read. I wanted How to Sleep at Night to be more literary, to go a little deeper with the characters. It all felt like an idea that stayed on the surface, but it was still enjoyable.
Yeah, there were definitely times when I thought about how the book might have looked had it had a slightly more serious approach. While I wanted more as a reader, I also think it was successful in what it was doing and probably worked as a good conversation starter in book club settings
I feel like I went into it with the wrong expectations, maybe.
So much to unpack here, and, as usual, your rambling writing is fantastic -- I feel like I'm deep in conversation with you, that you have a near-perfect ability to read compassionately AND be a literary snob. The "Trojan Horse" IS a gift, I think! I agree pretty much with everything you've written, although I haven't read a good "literary beach read" and am intrigued to try this one.
Yeah, I do think it can be hard to engage with a literary beach read sometimes, or to find one that really hits that sweet spot. And I think the term probably means different things to different people too!
Loved this and completely agree -- thank you for sharing your thoughts
This is so smart, Hunter! I also love a Trojan Horse beach read, but I think you’re pointing to the main issue with them towards the end of this piece. I think the hand holding actually gets in the way of any lasting empathy building (which is not to say the purpose of a novel should be to educate!). From my understanding, literary novels build empathy because readers are forced to engage in nuanced ideas and complex thinking. Books don’t serve us empathy on a silver platter. You don’t just read Such a Fun Age and all of a sudden have empathy for a different experience. It takes discomfort, imagination, and interpretation for the empathy muscle to kick in—we need to be reading difficult books to do this! And again, I’m with you that good fiction usually isn’t written with the intent to teach. I just think complicated novels help us practice skills that more of us need!
Elin went to Iowa! Feel like a lot of people don’t assume that about her because she writes in the “beach” genre.
When I was still living in NYC, I was reading CONVERSATIONS WITH FRIENDS on the Brooklyn C train and a white guy (maybe mid-forties?) came up to me and told me how much he enjoyed it and asked if I was too. I said it was pretty good, and referred to it as a "solid beach read" and he was...so offended, lol. Not only did he interrupt my reading on the train (sacrilege behavior in NYC) but he demanded to know why I would call it a "beach read." I was like, it's a fast-paced, mostly romantic novel about people in their 20s and 30s.
But this was my first encounter with 'beach read' as a potential slur, lol.
I agree with your suggestion that fiction isn't the best place to learn but I like when it acts as a "gateway drug" of sorts, and inspires me to learn more or pick up a non-fiction book on a topic explored in the novel.
I had a similar experience reading Such a Fun Age. Couldn't put it down, but it hasn't stayed with me as much as other novels that go a little deeper. Every time I see it on my shelf, I'm transported right back to that joyful experience of reading it though. There is really something to be said for the literary beach read!!
Thank you putting this out there! I feel like so many people are chatting about the let down they experience in the super-hyped and marketed books. And with books especially, I feel like we often forget that we are being marketed to, just like with everything else in retail and influencing and business.
I agree with all of this, and have noticed the same thing when in discussion with readers who simply want to be told what to think and do and say. This divide was never more clear to me than when a book club I belonged to picked a book that did that very thing and I felt so disengaged from the conversation--there was nothing to discuss, it was all laid out quite in a binary and everyone was just agreeing with each other. And all I said was that this would be good for boys of middle school age to read, and uh, became persona non grata in that club hahaha. (On the other side: All Fours by Miranda July provided some of the best book club conversation I've ever engaged with, such varying opinions, such deep thoughts about its characters and their actions!)
Also I was nodding so hard at my screen at this part, say it again!! : "It sometimes seems like it’s just lazy readership. We have to want to actually engage with the ideas in these books and not just want to be told things. We are smart people, we can figure things out with the context clues provided. Not everything has to be spelled out for us."
I love this idea, and this is definitely my kind of beach read. I enjoyed How to Sleep at Night, but it made me think even more than I enjoyed it, and really appreciate that in a book. A book I adored that I think would fit this category is Margo’s Got Money Troubles. I would love to hear other reader recommendations because this is often the kind of book I’m looking for but struggle to find.