The Wake

The New York Times’ Best Sellers List has gotten under my skin like a noxious rash. It’s a rash I want to scratch because I have both contempt and admiration for it. Like many lovers of the written word, I consult the list to see what people are reading. But if the list represents current reading trends, people are reading the same books over and over again. The Best Sellers List demonstrates the stagnating nature of literature. The same books remain in the top-five spots for ages. This worries me because the list suggests our culture isn’t interested in the quality and diversity of the written word, but what everyone else is reading.

At the same time, what others read is weighty and the list provides this information. In part we read because it connects us to our culture and other people. Before movies and television, books were a primary topic for discussion. They were a major mode of cultural communication. This is still true today, but less so because there are other forms of mass communication and art that are—lets face it—easier and quicker to digest. The New York Times’ Best Sellers List is a guide for what to read if you want to be in the “literary/cultural know,” which isn’t a bad thing since discussing books—any book—is a good thing in my mind.

I’ve also made the assumption that the books at the top of the Best Sellers List are the ones people are discussing around the proverbial water cooler. This assumption seems to hold true. My evidence: the never ending stay of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code in the top-five and the never-ending discussion of the book. Hell, television shows on the History Channel have been inspired by his work of fiction.

But before I go on, I have a confession to make. I read The Da Vinci Code and I did so because everyone was talking about it. I had to see what the fuss was about, but I also had to join the conversations my fellow readers were having. If not for the buzz, I doubt I would have picked up the book. I suspect this goes for others, who either heard about it or saw the book perpetually on the list.

For my purpose I am not going to debate the literary merit of The Da Vinci Code. It’s not necessary. But it is necessary to display my dissatisfaction with still seeing the book on the Best Sellers List. Brown’s work is taking the place of newer books that are equally interesting. The Da Vinci Code is not the only book in history to be controversial and enthralling, but if you were to consult the Best Sellers List you might think otherwise.

Yet, I fear my accusations are poorly aimed. The New York Times’ Best Sellers List simply reflects the buying trends of Americans. It reflects what people are interested in reading about and if that’s true my rash/annoyance doesn’t come from the list, but our culture. We neglect literature and let it sit, wallowing in its own grammatical muck. We favor easy entertainment and the safe books adopted by book clubs. But making accusations won’t get rid of my rash. The only thing to do is ignore the Best Sellers List and read for my own enjoyment. I dare you to do the same.