Romance Novels and CLassic Lit

[roddma]

In "A Love that Multiplies" Michelle compares romance novels to porn for women. I also gather they can't read much classic lit. It's ashame these kids can't enjoy books for pleasure. not even classic lit. In the public school episode, was it Jill or Jinger? that said their favorite books were "Before You Meet Prince charming" and "The Reverend Spy"-no Charles Dickens , Mark Twain etc I gather they feel most literature is a waste of time unless it fits their beliefs. I guess Boob and Michelle are afraid the kids will learn other ideas.

[anjulibai]

It was Jill.

The girls wouldn't be able to read classics like Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice. Despite being in eras that fundies supposedly love, the Bronte sisters and Austin were very much about showcasing the problems with patriarchy, courtship and the subservience of women.

[roddma]

Fundies would definitely not approve of Elizabeth Bennett who refused Mr.Collins(was it?) proposal. He did not take her seriously and thought she would change her mind.

[txmommyof4]

It was Jill.

The girls wouldn't be able to read classics like Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice. Despite being in eras that fundies supposedly love, the Bronte sisters and Austin were very much about showcasing the problems with patriarchy, courtship and the subservience of women.

I think this is it in a nut shell. I don't think they think it's a waste of time, but rather, they are terrified of it. Jill's response to that question made me feel so sad for their children. My 4 have wildly different taste in literature but all have an intense love of reading. I cannot even imagine denying that. The Duggar kids aren't allowed to ever even get to know themselves.

[straygoldfish]

They'd go into heart failure with me reading the entire Flowers in the Attic series when I was about 12. Then I followed it up with Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles and the Mayfair Witches. To be honest, I doubt my parents knew what I was reading - they were thrilled I was reading. :penguin-no:

[Coco]

Their world is so narrow. It's no wonder they have lopsided beliefs. (Jessa's holocaust remarks)

[BlackSheep]

Back when The Da Vinci Code came out, a relative of mine who's a minister was reading it. I was surprised, because this book isn't exactly accurate about, or flattering to, or Christianity. (FWIW, I read it and liked it.)

I asked him why he was reading it. He said that he reads books like this so that he stays current with popular topics related to Christianity. Then, if people ask him about such books, he can respond intelligently and have a discussion about it.

Made perfect sense to me. Not saying that all Christians should do the same, but it goes to show that understanding opposite viewpoints can advance your ministry and yes, even strengthen your faith.

[BlackSheep]

Wonder if they've read the Little House on the Prairie series. Probably not. What a shame. Those books are about as wholesome as you can get. I loved them growing up and still have my copies of them.

[longskirts]

I think they do read the Little House books because they recommend the series in The Duggars: 20 and Counting and mention that the girls chose some of their bedroom decorations based on that series. They were the only secular books mentioned.

[MatthewDuggar]

At least they are literate.

[nst]

In "A Love that Multiplies" Michelle compares romance novels to porn for women. I also gather they can't read much classic lit. It's ashame these kids can't enjoy books for pleasure. not even classic lit. In the public school episode, was it Jill or Jinger? that said their favorite books were "Before You Meet Prince charming" and "The Reverend Spy"-no Charles Dickens , Mark Twain etc I gather they feel most literature is a waste of time unless it fits their beliefs. I guess Boob and Michelle are afraid the kids will learn other ideas.

Wonder what she would think of fan fic

x-files fan fic is amzing ;)

and I wonder how she would feel about Jessa and Ben fan fic which I have found :D

:nenner: :nenner: :angry-banghead:

[nst]

They'd go into heart failure with me reading the entire Flowers in the Attic series when I was about 12. Then I followed it up with Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles and the Mayfair Witches. To be honest, I doubt my parents knew what I was reading - they were thrilled I was reading. :penguin-no:

just imagine reading "Wifey" by Judy blume from the early eighties

they would all die :D

[straygoldfish]

just imagine reading "Wifey" by Judy blume from the early eighties

they would all die :D

Or Deenie about masturbation!

[nst]

Or Deenie about masturbation!

omg yes :D

or Forever - great book :D

[MoonFace]

In "A Love that Multiplies" Michelle compares romance novels to porn for women. I also gather they can't read much classic lit. It's ashame these kids can't enjoy books for pleasure. not even classic lit. In the public school episode, was it Jill or Jinger? that said their favorite books were "Before You Meet Prince charming" and "The Reverend Spy"-no Charles Dickens , Mark Twain etc I gather they feel most literature is a waste of time unless it fits their beliefs. I guess Boob and Michelle are afraid the kids will learn other ideas.

Charles Dickens? ACK!!! Are you crazy? Reading about Tiny Tim and Scrooge? That would expose them to GHOSTS! And the secular side of Christmas.

Mark Twain? There are times when Tom Sawyer is left unchaperoned with Becky.

Heaven protect them from Nathaniel Hawthorne and THE SCARLET LETTER!

[fabkiwi06]

Welp... pretty much 90% of my childhood wouldn't have existed in Duggarland. Even the Narnia series (which is VERY heavily religiously influenced) would be off limits.

What do they do all day? They can't read most books... they can't watch TV... once the household chores are done and if you're too young to make babies of your own... what is there to do? What is there to spark imaginative play?

"Oh we're gonna go outside and play Bible."? Much fun. Very wow. :evil-eye:

[quiversR4hunting]

I love to read. I don't think the kids not saying a classic is their favorite book is a problem- I have read a lot of classics (mark twain, Charles Dickens, Salinger, etc) but I probably wouldn't name any of them as my favorite. Like fabkiwi06 said- "90% of my childhood wouldn't have existed in Duggarland" I read RL Stine, SweetValley High series, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Little House, VC Andrews, The Girls of Canby Hall, and an author like RL Stine that I can't remember, etc. I read a lot of mysteries with a little love interest (besides the SweetValley stuff- I read that to fit in. ha ha) My twin brother read all the Stephen King novels and he read more classics than myself (The Odyssey, The Iliad).

What is a problem is they can't answer the question with any secular authors and they all seem to like the same types of books. I can't read Stephen King- I already have vivid dreams, I don't need Stephen King's help. My brother would never read the girlier books I read (SweetValley, Nancy Drew, Canby Hall, etc) and my sister read more romance stuff and not mysteries. And there is only 3 of us! With 19 kids, some will like the same thing but their should be a huge range of likes but alas, we are talking about the Duggars and raising their children to be stepford wives. :roll:

[Four is Enough]

There are still biographies, adventure books, geographical studies... oh, wait. No Madame Curie or Amelia Ehrhart. Heaven forbid Hillary Clinton. And Nancy Drew? Alone, in a convertible? or TRAVELOGUES? And fuggedabout the naked people in National Geographic! NIKE!

[justodd]

...an author like RL Stine that I can't remember

Christopher Pike?

[RosyDaisy]

Back when The Da Vinci Code came out, a relative of mine who's a minister was reading it. I was surprised, because this book isn't exactly accurate about, or flattering to, or Christianity. (FWIW, I read it and liked it.)

I asked him why he was reading it. He said that he reads books like this so that he stays current with popular topics related to Christianity. Then, if people ask him about such books, he can respond intelligently and have a discussion about it.

Made perfect sense to me. Not saying that all Christians should do the same, but it goes to show that understanding opposite viewpoints can advance your ministry and yes, even strengthen your faith.

I agree with this. I have the book "Zealot" by Reza Aslan. I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. I remember that infamous Fox News interview. The interviewer couldn't get the fact that a Muslim with a doctorate in theology could write about a book about Jesus the man in a historical context. Ummm....hello....Jesus is mentioned in the Qur'an. Seriously, the interview went back and forth like that. No questions were asked. I guess the interviewer was trying to pick a fight, but Aslan remained calm.

[BlackSheep]

I agree with this. I have the book "Zealot" by Reza Aslan. I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. I remember that infamous Fox News interview. The interviewer couldn't get the fact that a Muslim with a doctorate in theology could write about a book about Jesus the man in a historical context. Ummm....hello....Jesus is mentioned in the Qur'an. Seriously, the interview went back and forth like that. No questions were asked. I guess the interviewer was trying to pick a fight, but Aslan remained calm.

Heard of that book - was meaning to check it out. It sounded interesting. Nothing wrong with looking at Jesus from a purely historical point of view, IMO.

[alba]

esciencecommons.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/a-novel-look-at-how-stories-may-change.html

The fact that these kids don't read explains a LOT.

[quiversR4hunting]

Christopher Pike?

YES!!! Thanks for helping out!

[straygoldfish]

Maybe someone should get a couple copies of The Stepford Wives and anonymously mail them to Jessa and Jill. Someone around here know their address, right? :lol:

[SassyPants]

Welp... pretty much 90% of my childhood wouldn't have existed in Duggarland. Even the Narnia series (which is VERY heavily religiously influenced) would be off limits.

What do they do all day? They can't read most books... they can't watch TV... once the household chores are done and if you're too young to make babies of your own... what is there to do? What is there to spark imaginative play?

"Oh we're gonna go outside and play Bible."? Much fun. Very wow. :evil-eye:

Hair and makeup- preening in front of the mirror for the girls.

I think the boys have always run wild-both inside and out.