Hunger Games > Hunger Games News > Joel Stein Thinks Adults Should Read Adult Books

Joel Stein Thinks Adults Should Read Adult Books

53 Comments April 4, 2012 by Heather Leigh Hunt Filed Under: Hunger Games News

Here’s one to get you fired up. Joel Stein has written a piece for the NY Times declaring that “adults should read adult books” and apparently nothing else. In his essay for The Opinion Pages, he states:

The only thing more embarrassing than catching a guy on the plane looking at pornography on his computer is seeing a guy on the plane reading “The Hunger Games.” He continued, “I appreciate that adults occasionally watch Pixar movies or play video games. That’s fine. Those media don’t require much of your brains. Books are one of our few chances to learn…I have no idea what “The Hunger Games” is like. Maybe there are complicated shades of good and evil in each character. Maybe there are Pynchonesque turns of phrase. Maybe it delves into issues of identity, self-justification and anomie that would make David Foster Wallace proud. I don’t know because it’s a book for kids. I’ll read “The Hunger Games” when I finish the previous 3,000 years of fiction written for adults.”

Everyone is of course entitled to their own opinion. As an avid reading and writer myself, I can say that many YA novels are written leaps and bounds better than many adult novels. I’m talking huge leaps and bounds in some cases. (Anyone who has read The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater will probably agree with me.) But of course, this is part of the opinion pages. More than anything, I think Joel Stein is just missing out seeing as he refuses to read it. Your thoughts?

[NY Times]

Category: Hunger Games News

erika

Everyone is allowed to have their opinion. but he is missing out on a great book. and its not embarrassing to find someone reading the hunger games.its a great book. i know many adults who read the hunger games.
a p

His loss! I am 46 and love to read all kinds of books! Having and open mind is a great thing. Some people just do not have it.
http://twitter.com/bibbsseer Aisling O’Sullivan

I love him dissing a book he hasn’t read. I know it would be in contrast to the point he is making but he isn’t experiencing it

(I also respect that people have their own opinions)
http://profile.yahoo.com/IYDIPNTQ5EG3T67TBFJNHOZR5Q Lily

Okay the Hunger Games has a great message in it and everyone should read it to prevent it from becoming our future. Plus you can’t judge people for what they read! The Hunger Games is defiantly not a children’s book! Possibly not even a young adult book. Everyone should read it and it’s his loss because Katniss’s story has changed the way I see the world.

http://www.authorheatherleigh.com/ Heather_Leigh

I agree. Just because the protagonist is a teen doesn’t make it a “kid’s book”. THG definitely deals with much more adult issues.

Toto

Also, it has that whole theme of “Histroy repeats itself.”
As I was saying in my other post, Suzanne Collins was inspired by not only the war on the news and reality TV, but also ancient civilizations. If you do a little research on Greek myths such as the Minotaur and the history of Persia, you can really see where she was coming from. Persia even had a king named Darius! I think what she was saying was bad things happened in ancient times, things almost exactly like it happened in the future, after we were destroyed. So that leads us to wonder how North America came to a demise… Did the same thing that happened to our ancestors and future generations happen to us? If so, we are almost there. We can still stop the Capitol.

Now does that sound like a kid’s book?

Heather_Leigh

Really nothing about The Hunger Games is a “kid’s book” – sometimes those labels meant to guide bookstore customers to certain sections can be frustrating because some people limit themselves by them.

http://twitter.com/violetdreams Rita Chaves

I’m sorry but I have zero respect for people that talk about things they don’t know. How does seeing an adult read THG embarass him when he hasn’t even read the book? It’s like the people who hopped on the “I hate Twilight” train without even reading it. And FYI I read it and hated it, but at least I can vouch for why I hated it, whereas Mr. Stein here can only say he will never read THG because it’s a book that isn’t being sold in the “adult department”. Snob much?

Toto

I’d just like to point out that in my local Barnes & Noble, I saw the Hunger Games located in exactly 3 places:
1. The Children’s Section on the Young Adult side with all the Tribute Guides, Totes, Notebook, ect.

2) The front of the store by the doors where all the insanely popular books are.

3) You guessed it, the Adult Section.

I don’t know about other stores, but I saw it with my own two eyes.
Clove

You know what, HE DOES’NT EVEN KNOW THE GUY! im in sixth grade and my reading level is twelth grade! Let him chew on that!!!! I read thg more than once, i read most kid books and look at where i am now!

I<3THG

FYI Mr. Stein they had a hard time making the movie not rated R. People shouldn’t judge things just because they don’t know about them. Like the saying goes, you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Maybe you should stop slamming things and actually pick up the book.
Pollackkristin

Hunger Games is a commentary on our society and is extremely valuable to any reader of any age. Our culture is infatuated with reality television people become celebrities from being on reality t.v. just like Katniss and the rest of the tributes become instant celebrities when they are chosen to compete in the games. Is there not a huge gap between the rich and the poor now? Putting our problems in a different time and context allows us greater insight into the present. It allows us to think of our world from a different perspective. This guy’s rant just makes him sound completely stupid. This book is only under the heading of young adult because the main characters are young adults. That’s it.
SquashBanana

I’m a 26 year old working professional. I enjoy reading many types of books. I do not enjoy reading ignorant rants by middle aged men who have the gall to say that seeing someone reading The Hunger Games is equivalent to watching pornography (in the sense that’s it’s embarrassing.) Essentially, he’s saying that if something is meant for children, adults should stay away from it, but there’s exceptions…like Pixar movies…only once in a while…riiiiiiight.

You can’t have an opinion of something if you don’t even know what it is. That’s like me saying I hate lemonade…I’ve never tried it, but the thought of lemon in water is just so backwards…it’s ridiculous, and I have a feeling someone was fishing for traffic.
Jemagre

He’s ridiculous for comparing reading this book to looking at porn!! Yes he’s entitled to his opinion but he should at least READ the book before he attempts to insult people like me!! .the themes run across age & gender…they speak to how oppressive governments can be i.e. North Korea! Oh and I have a brain which is why I could dissect the book and see the good in it. I would argue that this novel isn’t really a YA novel anyway.
http://twitter.com/dreamingonbooks Azanta Thakur

I loved Scorpio Races, oh my goodness. And Stein is allowed to have his own opinion, I think, but he shouldn’t criticize others.
Guest

who is he to judge if he hasn’t even READ THE BOOKS?
Dani Lore

I’m afraid Mr. Stein has just lost all credibility as a writer. Maybe next time he will do his research and actually read the book he wishes to judge.

Heather_Leigh

I agree!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1296871054 Aspen Summer Hassell

i used to respect joel stein and his writing. now i see that HE IS AN IDIOT!!! I understand that he’d skip on twilight, or even harry potter. But the Hunger gAmes are totally different. He’s only hurting himself

Guest

No, it’s not okay that he might “skip” Harry Potter. Those books are just as life changing as Hunger Games, but stay far FAR away from Twilight

Guest

My whole family has read the Hunger Games and loved it. The topics it discusses can´t be categorized because they are completely universal. It is not a book for kids, nor is it is not a book for adults, that´s ridiculous. It is intended for people who know how to think, people who enjoy dissecting a good book and analyzing its true meaning, or even for people who just want a good story.
The Hunger Games is not ridiculous. What IS, though, is that an acclaimed and respected writer should criticize a book he has not even read.
Pyroprincess89

I read somewhere, I can’t remember where, that you know a book written for children is good if it can capture an adult’s interest and hold it.
Patricia

I think that is totally judgmental. I mean everyone is entitled to there opinion, but seriousl, if he isn’t even going to give the book a chance to see why so many adults are reading it then don’t judge it. I’m in 8th grade and my 30-something year old library teacher was the one that recommended it to me and I am totally glad. If he hadn’t then I would have never found my favorite books ever. Once you read the book then he is entitled to judge the book and the people that read it all he wants.
motherhen

i have read all the hunger games books and i am 40 years old i also went and seen the movie so what does that make me???? you should not talk crap about something you have not read!!!!!
Lr

READ the books and then make your opinion, until then, I consider what you said to be childish!
Dermydog

The deal is, being an adult sucks. This guy has obviously grown up, he is in a world that is too serious. I mean, where is the fun in being an adult? The only true way I see grown adults having real fun that does not include Sex or Kissing or Getting Drunk (Thats no fun right????) is by being a kid. If you just grown up, well your life is over. Honestly, I would not want to live if I could not have a speck of kid left in me. There is nothing wrong with a adult reading a book for teens, or a teen reading a adult book? Can’t everyone just see that there is nothing wrong with being a kid?
badpacifist

The Old Grey Lady is a real floozy. I would much rather read young adult fiction than the fiction that the Times puts out on a daily basis. Maybe they will like the next two movies because they should be used to the propo’s
Thgfan321

The only thing more embarrassing is that you just are going to get harassed by a lot of people who disagree with you.

Guest

AMEN

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=503402201 Meghan Rigaud

Wow, way to judge a book by its cover. You enjoy your boring literature that is dripping with self important people like you. We’ll keep our YA and like it and probably end up a lot happier than you, Stein. Freedom of speech is great, but I thought that we were beyond being a bigot, even if it is about a book. This guy is a pretentious pain in the ass.
Laurel Runesmith

How in the world could he say all this, and then admit to not reading the book? My mom has always told me, “Don’t knock it until you try it.” Now I suggest he tries the same. My dad has read them all, and he loves them! >:(
TeamPeeta_Kayla<3

I don’t get this, I read the books and LOVED all of them.I.Am.OBSESSED.! This isn’t just a book, This is by far the highlight of my day!

Heatheremme

Other authors who wrote for YA audiences – Dickens, Twain, LM Montgomery, CS Lewis. Hope he doesn’t skip these books as well.

Mc11_29

Thats ridiculous. They might not be sold in the “adult section”, but many books meant for young readers have very powerful messages. I read many books like these not only because i have to, as a future-teacher, but also because i enjoy them! We get to learn new things through children’s literature and also remember certain things from childhood that can easily apply to our lives today. That’s why these books are so important!
Gabs

IMO sometimes books aren’t necessarily read for educational purposes, but for entertainment. I read books to relax, get away, be entertained. It just so happens that as a matter fact I learn something from some books I read. I think it is a very pretentious and close-minded thing to say of him. I read Lolita, which is an adult and highly regarded book, and I HATED it. It is really sad that people, more so in the Arts industry (fashion, writing, film, etc..) think very highly of themselves and opinions and don’t stop for one second to LIVE, I mean really LIVE and forget about all this pretentious bs that they come up with. get real dude.

Heather_Leigh

I couldn’t agree more! Why do so many people have this idea that reading a book HAS to be only to learn something? Why not read for the sheer pleasure of it sometimes? And I can’t even tell you how many books I’ve read that were written for adults that were so bad I thought “how does crap like this even get published?” Good writing is good writing, regardless of the label.

Toto

I usually am a very respectful girl, even if I don’t agree with someone. But I have no tolerance to people who speak like this about anything people enjoy, The Hunger Games especially. In my opinion, HG is a book for all ages. It could be Aduly, Young Adult, and I wouldnt stop a 4th graders from reading this either. The Hunger Games is an incredibredibly mentally stimulating book that requires you to think to understand. Just yesterday, in Social Studies my teacher was talking about the wars between Persia and Greece. I noticed that Persia was cut up into 20 ”Districts” that had to pay “Tribute” to the emperor. Eventually, a few colonies had a “Uprising” that was crushed and taxes were increased by none other than an emperor named “Darius.” All words in quotes are found in HG and that’s not even the half of it. Not only did he criticize The Hunger Games and its appearence as a book that requires no thinking (which I actually found humorous that he said that) but he also put down, of all things, Pixar. I may only be 12 years old but I want to work at Pixar or Disney someday and believe me when I tell you this, I know a lot about the subject. I highly doubt this man even thinks about the work that the animators put in to create these movies that “don’t require much of your brain cells.” Newsflash for you. Steve Jobs, you know the guy who invented Apple, created Pixar. Now, excuse me for talking (or should I say “typing”) so much but I am just furious that anyone would say something like this because of its appearence and the people who it was designed for, but was never limited to. After all, don’t judge a book by its cover.
david

” The only thing more embarrassing than catching a guy on the plane
looking at pornography on his computer is seeing a guy on the plane
reading “The Hunger Games.” – yep, especially if we consider Stephen King, Rick Riordan or Stephenie Meyer (who actually read the book and had a positive opinion) in that category… make no sense to me

maybe it would be to forbid the adults from writing fantasy books, since they have lost their imagination ?.. pathetic
Toto

If adults shouldn’t read The Hunger Games because it’s for “kids” then we wouldnt have anything in this world. If it weren’t for adults being creative and thinking outside of the box like kids and like Suzanne Collins, people would get absoltly zero done in life.
guest

personally i think this dude is kind of retarded. If he hasn’t read it then why the hell is he criticizing it?!!?
Shanna S.

The Catcher in the Rye = YA; To Kill A Mockingbird = YA; The Lord of the Rings = YA. Sometimes books that were written for adolescents end up being appreciated by a wider audience over time. I’m just saying.
Kelsi

What a snob.
hmm75

There have been some marvelous young adult books with incredible plots and complex exposition. Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Garth Nix’s Abhorssen books… I guess I won’t cut it as far as Joel is concerned, but I don’t like him so we’re even.
Pack Leader

First, don’t get too rattled about Mr. Stein’s criticism of “The Hunger Games.” in the full text of what he said, Mr. Stein makes light of a very important reason why adults should read young adult or children’s literature–because adults, specifically parents, should know know what their children are reading. Stein says ‘If my parents had read “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing” at the same time as I did, I would have looked into boarding school.’ It’s a shame these events didn’t unfold as Stein imagines. Perhaps his fellow boarding school students would have “taught” him to be less pretentious.
Soryane13

I can’t believe it !! I’m soooo angry about that comment!!!! I’m 27 and i read “children litterature” all the times. Books are books!!! We like books for the story!! Most readers don’t give a damn about the category.

Clearly, the guy just wants to get publicity (don’t you see? even trash comments makes popularity). Some people would do anything to make themselves the attention’ center… Folks, we fell for it : it’s just what he wants!!!
Ccishappytoday

How about “people can read what they want to read?”
Dani

My dad is 50. He has read the Hunger Games, Divergent and several other “kid” books.

Its not so much that this guy hates it and hasn’t read it, its that he thinks anyone that writes books for kids and teens is apparently a bad writer. Most of the books i have read are probably countless times better then some adult books that he thinks every adult should be reading. No one should be restricted to read only what is assigned to certain category.
ConcernedAboutYourHumour

Why are all of you getting so fired up about this? Joel Stein is Joel Stein; professional disturber of societal sh*t. This is the guy that said that he “liked the 1% best” (as opposed to the 99% slogan used by the Occupy protesters) because they “threw the best parties”. This is the guy that promoted the trending Twitter hashtag, #thingslongerthanKimKardashian’smarriage (or something to that effect). This is the guy who auditioned to be the next Afflac Duck. Joel Stein is a comedian who writes opinion articles, like a more polite and humourous, slightly less political Bill Maher. C’mon people, get your underwear from out of a twist and recognize a joke.
simona katsman

asshole. u never read it, THEN SHUT YOUR PIE HOLE. thats just awful. adults have every right to read young adult novels, since most of them are better than “adult” novels. dont most adult novels have twilight style writing to it?
Skullplay

If you mix “War and Peace”, Greek mythology, and “Spartacus” together, you get The Hunger Games. They were all written for adults, but what you don’t get is; these books were written to generate money and who better to sell this product to than the people who generate the most sells. Young adults, stupid…. The movie may be toned down for young adults, but the books are defiantly adult reads. Sounds like you have a bit of an “uprising” on your hands Mr.Snow/Stein!!!!
L8lady

I have not read this book, but all the hype has made me curious… Mr Stein, even if your point of view were not so shortsighted (most of those who posted here think it is) there could be several good reasons why an adult would be reading this book, or any other book written for children or young adults. I hope the days when a parent would read a book before allowing his child to do so have not yet ended. Maybe those men on the planes were simply being good fathers. There are much more pertinent matters to judge others on, if you must do so!
Ricki P.

I believe that people shouldn’t “judge a book by it’s cover” – no pun intended. Joel Stein has no justification in degrading writers such as Suzanne Collins by saying Young Adult Novels don’t require equal brain usage as an adult novel. I’m 17 years old and have read more adult novels than ya novels, and I can honestly say there is more depth to characters in ya novels. And who’s he to undermine YA novels? Has he not read William Golding’s Lord of the Flies? Or Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger? If I’m not mistaken, those books are assigned to High School students and have been labeled YA novels, yet they have received awards and praise by adults and children alike. The characters in both novels have depth, as do the characters of The Hunger Games, it’s whether or not the reader lacks perceptive abilities to recognize that. Cough cough Joel Stein.
http://www.facebook.com/erica.wagner.90410 Erica Wagner

He comes off as an impossible snob, and he also ignores that there are all kinds of reasons besides simple entertainment for an adult to read kids’ books. For instance, someone who works with kids, writes books for kids, or even writes adult books with juvenile characters may have a legitimate reason to want to see things from a kid’s perspective from time to time. And I’m not sure why it’s his place to tell other people how they should spend their free time. He expressed an opinion that is a legitimate explanation of why he doesn’t enjoy reading kids’ books. But it in no way has convinced me to change my reading habits. I suspect he thinks reading adult genre fictions is a waste of time too. Evidently, reading isn’t something one should do for fun. Literate adults can play video games or watch the boob tube, but if they’re reading, it had better be the classics, darn it. That left me scratching my head. I also don’t get why he should be embarrassed by something someone else is doing. If I see someone reading a book (even porn) I think is cheesy or trashy, I may shrug and think, “to each his own,” but it doesn’t embarrass me.

Joel Stein Thinks Adults Should Read Adult Books

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