tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6694092506511551308.post4040074856129824261..comments2023-04-12T10:45:21.979-04:00Comments on Deathday Letters: Boys Are Not StupidShaun Hutchinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480241164653893038noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6694092506511551308.post-73894913742450439212011-05-18T16:07:05.123-04:002011-05-18T16:07:05.123-04:00Those reviewers have clearly never read Sherman Al...Those reviewers have clearly never read Sherman Alexie.Jonathon Arntsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17366218140886892757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6694092506511551308.post-7469627345111471272011-05-18T14:16:31.062-04:002011-05-18T14:16:31.062-04:00Thanks Shaun, I think your comments are thoughtful...Thanks Shaun, I think your comments are thoughtful and very much in touch with reality. I would have just emailed you, but I realized I don't have your address.Matthew MacNishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03264738483763244969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6694092506511551308.post-4634292421978179582011-05-18T13:26:27.100-04:002011-05-18T13:26:27.100-04:00Oh and Ship Breaker is another awesome "boy b...Oh and Ship Breaker is another awesome "boy book" that just so happens to be incredibly well written.<br /><br />BTW, I saw your comment at Andrew's blog, and thought it was very interesting. I basically agree with you, but I'm curious to know what you think about my post that led him to write his.<br /><br />You can find it here (too lazy to link it for you, please copy/paste when you have a moment):<br /><br />http://theqqqe.blogspot.com/2011/05/pirate-manifesto.htmlMatthew MacNishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03264738483763244969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6694092506511551308.post-72021510612877881162011-05-17T16:45:56.341-04:002011-05-17T16:45:56.341-04:00Eric: LOL. I think there's a very strange ve...Eric: LOL. I think there's a very strange venn diagram in here somewhere. But I think you can write compelling, sexy, violent, appeals-to-boys literature that doesn't treat them like morons. I think that when we stoop to the level we think they're at, we not only don't give them enough credit, but we give them nothing to reach for. <br /><br />I use The Marbury Lens again as an example of a fantastically gory, violent novel that deals with some heavy questions of friendship and identity and reality and abuse by a writer who doesn't talk down to his audience. <br /><br />I love when you disagree!Shaun Hutchinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01480241164653893038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6694092506511551308.post-444896811144938142011-05-17T16:28:01.425-04:002011-05-17T16:28:01.425-04:00Actually, I have to disagree with you here Shaun. ...Actually, I have to disagree with you here Shaun. A great number of boys are lunkheads IMHO. These are the same boys who grow up thinking going to the bar every night or the local strip club is great entertainment. I think you're forgetting that those of us guys who appreciate well-written literature are the exception, not the rule. That's not to say that we shouldn't expect writing to be better in any book that gets published, but I can't say I'm really surprised here.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07823808700523297184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6694092506511551308.post-10566740146982747092011-05-17T11:27:09.700-04:002011-05-17T11:27:09.700-04:00Matthew: Seriously, right? I mean there are book...Matthew: Seriously, right? I mean there are books like THE MARBURY LENS and THE MAZE RUNNER and on and on. Books that are smart, well written, emotionally mature, and that don't pander to the reader, that also happen to have guns and violence and things that appeal to testosterone. I'm not ashamed to love books and movies where stuff blows up. I think it's genetic. But it burns me up when publishers and writers and booksellers treat boys like they should like something simply because it has those cool thing.Shaun Hutchinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01480241164653893038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6694092506511551308.post-69140613152470531362011-05-17T11:16:28.173-04:002011-05-17T11:16:28.173-04:00Books that are full of awesome shit like sword fig...Books that are full of awesome shit like sword fights and explosions aren't automatically awesome books. They still need to be well written.<br /><br />Great point, Shaun.Matthew MacNishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03264738483763244969noreply@blogger.com