Helped on by the fact that they are the only medium with characters who have been cicely produced non stop for 50 years

[quote="Reed Richards"]I have found myself applying some of that filter to other mediums.[/quote]

That's actually why I love comics. I like taking a character like Cap, as you mentioned, and the various things he represents (patriotism, the American way, etc.) and being able to look at how those ideas have evolved over the years. That's something that is nearly unique to comics.

I am with you on the acquisition. My to be read shelf is just rediculous. When boarders went out of business I got just an obscene amount of books.

To Freddi and Starnes: I have this need to accumulate books that quickly piles up on me. I acquire faster than I consume. But I do love to give books to friends or even acquaintances. Loaned out some of my Gladwell to this foxy chica a couple months back. Wanted to get them back, but...will probably never see them again. Back to Half-Price Books!

Hey, GF. Didn't want to seem like I was ducking your shooting down my point about Hem. I wonder who I was thinking of. The point about lit crit teaching you how to analyze work is a good one. I have found myself applying some of that filter to other mediums. I'd rather analyze reruns of King of the Hill or argue about Cap's motivations during Civil War than run those tools over literature. I've always enjoyed reading, I've always hated being assigned titles.

[quote="Reed Richards"]Just not the capital L literature they stick you with in undergrad classes, you know? I do not like to inject analysis where it is unnecessary.[/quote]

I'm going to start by noting the merit of the above statement. Lit theory is in fact not necessary to read or understand or enjoy any literature, even that of the "capital L" variety, and that's fine. I think it's important to understand however, that Literary theory is not a means of analyzing texts, as much as it is the practice of using texts as a lens through which to analyze history, culture, religion, psychology, humanity or whatever else your heart desires. In this way Lit theory and criticism are a secondary endeavor to the primary act of reading books, and one that does not appeal to everyone. The professors who design and teach college level literature courses do so with the understanding that their students are there for that reason; neither they, nor their field should be faulted if, for whatever reason, a student doesn't share that understanding.

[quote]If Hemingway writes a story about an aging bullfighter, it's a book about an aging bullfighter. At least this is a case where the author agrees with me.[/quote]

[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceberg_Theory]Does he?[/url]

I rarely give away or sell books. I have always wanted to build a library and love having shelves of books. Not that I go back to read the over again often.

Why Does E=mc2 And Why Should We Care - now that does sound interesting. I don't have any books here that I have not read. I buy them and read them. If I am not interested right away, I donate them. I'm not one to pick up a book twice if it doesn't keep my interest right from the beginning.

Perhaps I am guilty of oversimplifying. Twain is good, at least I have fond memories of him. And I can really dig on some Edgar Allen Poe, or at least I once did. I love some Thomas Mallory. Plenty of lit I do like. Just not the capital L literature they stick you with in undergrad classes, you know? I do not like to inject analysis where it is unnecessary. If Hemingway writes a story about an aging bullfighter, it's a book about an aging bullfighter. At least this is a case where the author agrees with me. I agree with him?

There is some really good literature. Twain is good pretty much across the board. A Conneticate Yankee in King Arthur's Court is still really readable.

To Kill a Mocking Bird? Great.

My problem with some "Great Literature" is the same as my issue with some "classic movies". Some are truly great, others fill like a bunch of Snooty eggheads giving each other intellectual hand jobs.