I have been a faithful subscriber to People magazine for at least 8 years now. I am slightly ashamed to say it but the truth is, I love People. I like to know what’s happening in Hollywood (have you seen George Clooney’s new girlfriend?), what happens behind the scenes of my favorite tv shows and movies (Jon Gosselin needs to get a life!), what celebrities do with their kids (People had a photo of Suri Cruise wearing high heels!), and all the gossip, blatant self-promotion, and Britney Spears psychotic episodes that fill the pages in between.
I know it’s ridiculous. I consider myself very well-read. I’m college-educated and what’s more, I’m a writer. But everyone has a guilty pleasure and mine is People. It takes my mind away from my daily routine and transports me to a world of fluff and nonsense.
The members of my book group share a guilty pleasure that takes them away from their daily routine: the Twilight novels by Stephenie Meyer. These women are major Twilight fans. They inevitably spend a few minutes of each book group meeting reliving their favorite parts of the books, discussing when the next movie will come out, and sharing fan websites they’ve discovered. One time, they selected iron-on t-shirt transfers based on whether they belong to “Team Edward” or “Team Jacob.” No one has actually shown up to book club wearing their t-shirt but I have a strong suspicion that it’s only because the shirts are crumpled at home in a laundry pile.
When the first book in the Twilight series appeared as one of our book club picks, I voted for the group to read it. It wasn’t like the types of novels that I usually read, but I’d heard lots about it in People and just had to see what all the fuss was about.
In case you have been living under a rock, the books chronicle the love affair between Bella, a shy but beautiful teen and the elusive but gorgeous classmates that catch her eye at school. I’m not spoiling anything by telling you they turn out to be vampires. When Bella begins to fall for one of them, a lot of drama (and possibly blood-letting) ensue.
To be honest, I don’t know how it all turns out. I couldn’t bring myself to finish the book. Vampires just aren’t my thing. But, according to my research in People, they are actually quite “the thing.” There’s another series of books that have been turned into a popular HBO show called “True Blood” and more books, shows, and movies are on their way.
(People research also indicates that pirates are now out. Just thought I should let everyone know.)
The books that I do enjoy share one major similarity: they are all based in reality. To me, a good story is something that could actually happen in the real world. I’ve read and enjoyed everything from Pride and Prejudice to The Namesake to so-called “chick lit” and just about everything in between. All of the books I like feature plots that could actually happen in real life.
A few years ago, I was on a young adult kick and read The Princess Diaries. Mia, a nerdy San Francisco teen, discovers she’s actually the ruler of a small nation called Genovia. Far-fetched? Yes. Could it actually happen? Yes.
Could a young boy find out that he possesses the ability to become a powerful wizard and travel to a magical boarding school to learn his craft well enough to destroy the dark lord who has vowed to kill him? No. I’m not a Harry Potter fan. Also, I don’t like Lord of the Rings, The Golden Compass, or any of their movie adaptations.
My husband, an English teacher, has spent many hours explaining to me that it doesn’t matter that these stories are not real. He has told me to look beyond the plot and try to take the lessons and relate them to the real world.
Harry Potter, he explains, is essentially an unlikely hero who is burdened with greatness. It’s a classic storyline that has been repeated in books for centuries, he tells me. I just can’t do it. All those Quidditch matches just get in the way.
Maybe that’s why I like People so much. It is entirely possible that Robert Pattinson (the star of the “Twlight” movies) is dating co-star Kristen Stewart. In fact, People has the photos of them canoodling to prove it. It is also entirely possible, per a sidebar in People, that there was tension on the set of “New Moon,” the newest Twilight movie to be released this month.
Is it possible that I will go to the theater with the book group and see “New Moon” when it comes out?
Maybe.
I better wait and read the review in People before I decide.
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