Talkin' About...Contemporary Reads
A few of the books I've read recently have both been classified as contemporary, and edgy. Both covered dark subjects we deal with in our lives today, one covering suicide and the other, bipolar disorder. (Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock, and All the Bright Places) Contemporary is one of my favorite genres, and I find that the concepts and thoughts covered in those books are very important, sophisticated, and something we all need to be aware of. More times then not, they also blow my mind.
When you read too many contemporary books, a feeling I know too well, there is a tendency to get really depressed. Reading too much of the same genre has never been my thing, but contemporary books especially tend to really bring me down and make me wonder about the entire point of living, of what the use of all this is when in the end we end up in the same place. Deep thoughts, I know.
I also feel like occasionally, contemporary reads don't always deliver an accurate depiction of our thoughts in life. In Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock, I admit, it was different because it was over the span of his planned suicide date, but when I read contemporary books, my mind hurts because of all the weird deep thoughts. As a person who has the deepest thoughts and the weirdest zone-out moments where I just question all aspects of life, I can usually relate, but sometimes I wonder if they can ever just be explained in a fluffy, happy way, because sometimes life can be as fluffy and happy as it is realistic and solemn.
Don't get me wrong, I love contemporary books. But I know some people who strictly stick to them and I look at them and wonder: "How does every book not depress you?" And then I see people who avoid them and I wonder, "How do you LIVE?"
So what are your thoughts on contemporary books? Yay, nay, or don't care?
I do really love a good contemporary book from time to time, as I think that very emotional books are very catching. There can be some very heavy topics, but I think that they can also teach us about an issue that we may not know a lot about.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I agree and I think that they have the power to move people.
DeleteI don't think I've ever really read any contemporary books, as I didn't really get what the genre was about. It does sound like quite an interesting genre though, and it's great if they raise issues we might not otherwise know about/think about. I may have to give contemporary a go!
ReplyDeleteI hope you do! They are quite inspiring and unique.
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