Musing Mondays: Something Like a Phenomenon

How do you feel about wide-spread reading phenomenons – Harry Potter, for instance, or the more current Twilight Saga? Are these books so widely read for a reason, or merely fads or crazes? Do you feel compelled to read – or NOT to read – these books because everyone else is?

I don’t really feel one way or another about reading phenomena, crazes and fad.  If a book becomes the next big thing and it happens to be something that I’m interested in, then I will read it and weigh in at some point.  I never feel compelled to run out and read it in any particular hurry.

I remember being told that I had to read The Da Vinci Code and it had been out a long time before I read the copy that had been forced upon me.  I found it to be enjoyable for what it was.  Fast paced and written from an intriguing historical angle, it was a fun read where I didn’t expect deep characterization or lyrical writing.  I certainly wasn’t myself for not having read it sooner and I think I would have been okay had I not read it at all.  Interestingly enough I though the movie was pretty good and what I pictured having read the book.  This is coming from someone who usually isn’t too fond of movies based on books.  I suspect it’s because while I found the book to be enjoyable, I wasn’t all that invested in it or the characters.

The referenced series haven’t attracted my interest either, and I doubt that I will read them.  In the case of Harry Potter, I have never particularly enjoyed reading about non-human characters, and have like wise skipped most movies and books that have had such creatures. So I missed out on Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, et al.  I did really love ET, I must say.

The Twilight books are the first that I have witnessed to explode online and I still haven’t read any.  Not really interested in vampires and even the added thrill of teenage vampires in hot love doesn’t quite do the trick.  I probably won’t see the movie either.

I’m trying to think if there is anything that I have ever anticipated in terms of books, and I can’t come up with anything.  I think that might be because I am always reading about books that seem interesting and am looking forward to reading, and unlike movies there usually aren’t trailers and reminders for them.  I am always picking from a number of carefully selected books that I have wanted to read for a long time.   And with this I think I have completely wandered off the topic.

What about you?  How are you affected by reading phenoms?