No guilt for pleasure reading!

From a Guardian article: "Stephen King has beaten JK Rowling to the title of the UK's favourite literary guilty pleasure.... 85% of those surveyed admitted to having an author they turn to for sheer gratification, but whom they might not admit to reading in pubic."

I find the very assumption of this survey alarming. Why are people ashamed to be reading Stephen King or J.K. Rowling or Terry Pratchett? Would the same people be ashamed to admit that they saw a horror film or took their family to see a Harry Potter flick or reveal that they regularly follow some TV show like 24 or Lost? I don't think so. So why is reading for pleasure shameful and watching TV or movies not?

More and more I'm noticing that people (mostly adults) don't allow themselves to read for pleasure, or if they do they're afraid to admit it. Why? Why oh why? It doesn't make sense. And then I remember--perhaps they learned in high school (as I did) that the only books good for you are the classics and anything of a genre or anything written in the last 20 years must be rubbish. Hm. And we wonder why adult literacy is in trouble. We need to stop blaming the TV and the internet for the world's loss of readers. It's our own fault. Personally, the books that bring me greatest pleasure are those that are well written, have real merit, and tell a ripping good tale to boot. Everyone's tastes will vary. The important thing is to allow ourselves to read what we love--otherwise (as is happening everywhere) we'll stop reading altogether.

I say, fling off the shackles of yesteryear, my brothers and sisters! Embrace whatever books sing to you! Fall into those stories and be not ashamed! I AM PROUD TO BE A READER!