Can an authors personal views put you off their work?

[ChrisW]

I've seen a lot of people deride Card and Goodkind for there views and am wondering if you became aware of an authors personal views(politics/religion etc) or personality would it effect your decision to buy their work even if you believe it hasn't influrenced their work.

Personally I thought it wouldn't but now I know it has. Started with Goodkind. Enjoyed most of SoT but disliked the last two and when I combine that with a few satements he's made I know i'll never buy one of his books again. Then there's Stover. Loved his Caine books but then I read a few post made by him on a forum and found him to be an ass and the type of person that I can't stand. It's very doubtful i'll be able to bring myself to enjoy his next book if I buy it. Most recently George R R Martin has pissed me off enough to never buy any of his books again. Have always hated his fanatical fans but still loved his books though that has faded with time. Then in an update on his site for AFFC he told people that have criticised him for taking so long to finish the book to "get a life". That was enough for me to say I wouldn't buy his next book but I probably would have broken down and done so anyway. Now with his latest update(can be seen in the author section) here is no way I'll buy it. I absolutely loath people on the far left and GRRM sounds worse than Michael Moore.

So anyone else have this problem about finding out to much about authors?

And don't tell me i'm weird!

[Vladimir]

It did with Goodkind, but then, I didn't like his books to start with so...

yeah, you're weird.

[Expendable]

Wasn't there some SNL sketch where William Shatner gets up in front of a trek convention and tells everyone to 'get a life'?

Maybe this was the author's way of making a joke, to relieve pressure?

And if it wasn't, I'm sorry you're not willing to give someone who gave you so much enjoyment the benefit of having a bad day. But then we never forgive our idols when they slip off the pedistal and get mud on their feet, do we?

[starry-eyed]

When a book displays certain political opinions or religious beliefs that I find unpalatable- my reaction is strong and enduring. I often won't read anything else by that author. I wish I could say that if I learned about these opinions OUTSIDE of the author's works that I would be willing to still give them a shot, but I'm honest enough to know that such information about an author's views can prejudice me against (or even for?) their work. Knowing what I now know about GRRM thanks to Caldazar, I guess I really should shell out for the last book and force my way through it... well, maybe I don't agree with him that much

Given my own strong opinions I really do appreciate, at least theoretically, the courage of authors who express controversial views at the risk of alienating readers. Even if I can't promise they won't alienate me, I can respect an author for taking a stand he or she believes in. Okay, maybe I can't even always do that. (sigh)

[Luke_B]

Hey, yeah, I saw on George R.R. Martin's website update that that he said voted for Kerry and was devastated by the Democrats loss (which logically mean he's a Commie bastard like Moore, but worse). Yeah, pretty loathful. How dare a person, particularly a writer(!!!) of all people, feel strongly about an election result, and display a social conscience and an interest in politics. Why, it's almost undemocratic!!

[Phoric]

It may just be me speaking, but as someone that leans far far faaaaarrrr to the left (and a Canadian on top of it) I've gotta say I love GRRM all the more then I already had for speaking his peace about the election. And yeah, I wanted Bush to lose, and lose badly at that.

But he didn't, and life goes on. But the man, as well as every other person here (its the premise of demorcarcy) has the right to speak their own mind. Do I agree with GRRM? Yeah, I do. So I might just be biased as well as a Michael Moore fan, but really, does the fact that he's a proud dem mean he should be shunned as an author? I'd have to say it doesn't. To me, thats the beauty of writing; its those moments where you put yourself into the book and the real world be damned. If you can enjoy a story for the stories sake, does it really matter how the author votes?

Thats just my take on it, for whatever its worth.

(if wonder about the edit, I had to fix the spacing for the paragraphs)

[ChrisW]

Hey, yeah, I saw on George R.R. Martin's website update that that he said voted for Kerry and was devastated by the Democrats loss (which logically mean he's a Commie bastard like Moore, but worse).

He said a bit more than that he was just devastated. So go choke on your faulty logic.

Also i'm not denying his right to say what ever he wants. Just that I find it was not nessacary for him to share his views in an update about his next book and that now I know how he thinks I cannot give him any further money.

[Luke_B]

Whoopsies. Sorry, he said he was "miserable, angry, and depressed" which I condensed down into "devastated". Damn, that sure rips my "logic" apart. Next time I should think through issues more clearly like you Caldazar. For those that are interested, here's the full quote from Martin on his website in relation the election:

That's done, anyway. A FEAST FOR CROWS will be much better for it, and now I am back at work on new chapters once again... although not today, and maybe not tomorrow, or next week. I am pretty good with words, usually, but no words can express how miserable, angry, and depressed I am feeling this morning over the results of yesterday's election. The exit polling makes it clear: this was a victory for bigotry and fear, a mandate bought with lies. I know from past experience that it is going to take me some time to shake off this depression.

Losing myself in the world of Westeros would probably be the best medicine for what ails me just now, I know full well. There is solace in work, and books -- my own books, and those of others -- have always been a refuge for me during dark times in my life. Today, however, the {fictional} travails of my {fictional} Seven Kingdoms seem pretty unimportant compared to the very real woes that the United States is facing, a future of war and isolation abroad, and division and repression at home.

Winter is coming to Westeros, but it has already come to America.

From this passage Caldazar asumes Martin politcs are "far left and GRRM sounds worse than Michael Moore".

And I'm the one making leaps in logic?

BTW, as most around here would know by now, I'm no adoring fanboy of epic fantasy nor Martin, so don't peg me as one of your fanatics Caldazar.

[Phoric]

If someone's choking, I think I might have to bust out the heimlich maneuver.

I'm not going to speak for Mono, but I think its safe to say a tad wee bit of the ole' sarcasm was in effect there.

Because really, we can have sports celebs, and musicians, and actors, and elected representatives, and anyone else famous in any possible way speak out and support the political candidate of their choice, but if an author happens to support someone... how dare they?

I mean honestly, what business does a writer of all people have using WORDS as a means communication. That would be just crazy wouldn't it? I must say, it just blows my mind....

/sarcasm

-- and yeah, some of the effect of this is probably lost by mono having responded while I was writing it.

[ChrisW]

The bits that I base my call on him being far left are:

The exit polling makes it clear: this was a victory for bigotry and fear, a mandate bought with lies

the very real woes that the United States is facing, a future of war and isolation abroad, and division and repression at home.

Winter is coming to Westeros, but it has already come to America

That and the "Mourn for America" Banner.

Seems a fair call imo. Not that I expect you to agree.

[ChrisW]

Ok, I've taken a chill pill now.

The topic is not how I form my opinions about GRRM or if authors should share their politcal views. Can we please get back to the reason I stated this thread. That being Can an authors personal views put you off their work?

[Luke_B]

I try to judge book on its own terms, only resorting to outside context when there is an ambiguity within the work itself.

Gene Wolfe's a Catholic Republican, so his politics are about as far away from mine as they could be. Nevertheless, he's still one of my favourite authors, and despite our differences in political views, I find his treatise on identity and alienation poignant.

Goodkind's Objectivist philosophy is apparent in his work.

I have to admit that Orson Scott Card's Conservative politics have put me off reading him, even though many people, who's opinion I respect, tell me his work is good.

[Voland]

I really could care less about an author's personal views, unless he injects them heavily in his books ala Goodkind.

I was kinda waiting for threads like this to spring up after reading the affc message. Guess I wasn't disappointed.

Other than that, your loss Caldazar.

[Mithfânion]

Yes, the author's personal philosophy can put me off their work if siad philosophy is clearly present in their work. This seems pretty natural to me, though in the case of non-fiction works it can be very valuable to read those differing opinions.

Yes, the authors view and behaviour in public can also put me off of his or her books. I'm thinking here in particular of statements by Terry Goodkind, an absolutely ridiculous and arrogant man. I think I know the Stover thread you have read Caldazar and find myself in agreement with you (assuming it is the one in which he flames and trolls Ray Scott Bakker for no reason whatsoever). I may still enjoy Stover's books but I have no high regard for him as a person, there can be no question about that, based on his absurd and childish responses.

Which leads me to the example of Martin. What he said was that he had received frequent hate-mail of late. These were people who derided him for collecting toy knights and going to conventions, in short, as he put it,for having a life beyond writing. He advised those people to get a life of their own. Obviously you disagree but I see no trace of a fault in that, in fact it seems a polite and correct response to give when you've received hate-mail. Martin doesn't really owe these people anything, yet they still feel free to attack his lifestyle. Surely few people on this planet are more frustrated about the lack of progress regarding Feast (particularly after this latest update), than I am but his response seems very calm and correct to me.

As for his latest message, such political views really don't bother me much. I'm not an American so I suppose it concerns me even less because I'm not as obsessed about these elections, like so many are. Obviously Martin is deeply concerned about the re-election of Bush ( which is probably an understatement) and though I think he may actually be exaggerating (though to be honest he may be much better informed about Bush's plans than I am) I don't find such views even remotely off-putting.

What does irritate me though is that he is saying that Feast may possible be further delayed because he is unable to work now, seeing as he's so affected by the electoral result. There's a degree of silliness to that which I simply can't deny. Can you imagine calling your boss today and telling him that you don't feel like working because your down ovet the second term of George W. Bush? He'd rightly kick your butt. No, that rubs me the wrong way.


There's another thing that can encourage or discourage my reading of a certain authors and those are the interviews. In my experience I have found that people like Kay, Hobb, Williams and Bakker are very capable of interesting you in what they've done. But the Robert Jordan interview I saw last year left me somewhat confused. Childish, nondescript short answers that were totally meaningless. I listened to all of it yet not once did he say something interesting or to the point. That makes me far less inclined to try someone's books, even though you have to take into account that some people are just writers, and not talkers. I mention Jordan but there are other and lesser-known authors whose interviews and essays have also shied me away from their work. In fact, someone else does comes to mind and that's China Mieville. He is definitly outspoken but because of his opinions (with which I find myself disagreeing at every turn) I genuinely disliked him before I ever tried his books, and the one I read was truly as bad as I thought.

[juzzza]

**MOD MODE**

Ah what a wonderful thread that can so easily go astray and turn into author bashing and/or a political, religious and oh so many isms type thread... Let's try and avoid that everybody.

It's a simple question, do you avoid an author because of his beliefs and/or comments the author has made. It is NOT a place to start debating the merits of those beliefs please, or to start the usual petty arguments.

**END MOD MODE**

I try and judge art based on the art, and that is true of music, books, film, whatever... Man, if I stopped listening to music because I didn't agree with the actions and comments made by the musicians themselves, I would have an empty CD rack... Wife beating, drug taking, adulterous, lying, murdering, big-headed artists all over the place!!!

But it is human nature, so NO you are not weird Caldazar, if you really can't stand an author for whatever reason, you may feel strongly about paying for their books.