Can you enjoy the work of an author if s/he is a total jerk?

[Duende Knocking]

Depends on how much of a jerk that person is.

If they just say rude things sometimes, that's one thing. If they exhibit racism, homophobia, misogyny, etc... I will stop reading their work.

For example, one of the only assigned books I ever skipped was one by an author who has said pretty horribly things about the mentally disabled. Not supporting someone like that!

[zeldas_lullaby]

I'm the same way, Duende, with any author who writes offensive material.

I have paranoia issues, and I encountered a book written by an FBI profiler who wrote something along the lines of, "Paranoiacs should be avoided. They are all gun-toting criminals who, if pulled over for speeding, will whip out their AK47's and take out the patrolman with no questions asked." I was like, seriously? I got angry and left a very poor Amazon review, which five of his "people" immediately found "unhelpful," thus bullying me into removing the review.

Authors like that, I'll tell ya. There's something wrong with them. They promote fear-mongering and small-mindedness. On the other hand, we have freedom of speech.

[Duende Knocking]

I'm the same way, Duende, with any author who writes offensive material.

I have paranoia issues, and I encountered a book written by an FBI profiler who wrote something along the lines of, "Paranoiacs should be avoided. They are all gun-toting criminals who, if pulled over for speeding, will whip out their AK47's and take out the patrolman with no questions asked." I was like, seriously? I got angry and left a very poor Amazon review, which five of his "people" immediately found "unhelpful," thus bullying me into removing the review.

Authors like that, I'll tell ya. There's something wrong with them. They promote fear-mongering and small-mindedness. On the other hand, we have freedom of speech.

Wowwwww who was that? That's awful, so glib and dismissive while criminalizing a common mental disorder that affects many decent people (who uh probably don't drive around with AK47s). I want to avoid him, too. Also scarily unprofessional considering his job.

I can forgive an author if they have a bad day and are rude in an interview or are just an irritable person in general, but when they exhibit signs of bigotry, discrimination, and hate-mongering like that, I just want nothing to do with them. To me that indicates an inherent cruelty.

[zeldas_lullaby]

Thanks for the support! It is much appreciated. One thing I do is feel the experience of being discriminated against or judged and try to turn around and NOT do that to anyone.

Dangerous Personalities by Joe Navarro

It was crushing to me at the time to find it on my sister's coffee table. (She was reading about herself in the "emotionally unstable personality" chapter, she said, and totally relating to it. Then she went on to say, "Oh, there's a chapter about you in here too.")

Siiiiiigh. Criminalizing. Yeah, tell me about it. I've never even played with a BB gun.

[Duende Knocking]

Thanks for the support! It is much appreciated. One thing I do is feel the experience of being discriminated against or judged and try to turn around and NOT do that to anyone.

Dangerous Personalities by Joe Navarro

It was crushing to me at the time to find it on my sister's coffee table. (She was reading about herself in the "emotionally unstable personality" chapter, she said, and totally relating to it. Then she went on to say, "Oh, there's a chapter about you in here too.")

Siiiiiigh. Criminalizing. Yeah, tell me about it. I've never even played with a BB gun.

I just looked up his Twitter to see what he was like and some of the things he posts about...ouch. Pretty unacademic and unprofessional (though if he thinks all people with paranoia are murderers, this is hardly surprising).

It's definitely veering off-topic so I won't go into details, but I also have a disorder that is heavily stigmatized. Unfortunately every time some angry white boy goes on a murder spree, the media reads these awesome books like the one you mentioned here, and as a result excuses his behavior by pretending he's mentally ill, thus absolving him of his crimes and making everyday life that much harder for those of us who are legitimately sick and who are decent people to boot. Sigh.

(haa yea that was off topic, sorry!)

[zeldas_lullaby]

Yonkers. Sorry about your condition. You can PM me any time if you fear being off-topic! I'd love to talk more about this.
Now I'm high on Ambien. Zzzzzzz.....

[Artistteacher29]

I'm the girl that doesn't eat Chick-fil-a because I don't agree with the CEO's stance on gay marriage, so if I found out one of my favorite authors did something that I vehemently oppose, I'd probably first do some more research and then decide whether to discontinue reading their books. If it's a classic author, I'd definitely take into account the mores of the time.

[katyg98]

For me, it depends who they are, what they have done and what kind of book it is, for example, if it's a fiction book, I think I could probably read it, maybe I wouldn't enjoy it as much but I could read it as it's not talking about this author's life/opinions.

[Cstansell2199]

It definitely affects me. I read a good bit of entrepreneurial type material and one book that everybody always recommends is The Four Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris. I've heard him speak a few times on podcasts and he just comes across as so pompous and holier-than-thou that I just can't bring myself to read the book.

[Gotta Book]

Huh. Interesting question that I have never really thought about before. I typically do not find out anything about the author I am reading, except what they put as a preface, really. If they said something I did not like, that was offensive, yeah I probably would not read them again. But I am sure I have read lots of books by people that if I knew more about them I might have a problem.

But, I really only read fiction. But in the 1980s there was a chef that had a TV show and a book (back before almost every chef did that) and he used to come into the place I worked. He was such an awful person that I would never watch his show or use his cookbooks.

So yes, I would have to say that it can affect me.

[debbiebee]

Actually I was going to post a related question but think it will fit in here. I have enjoyed novels by the British politician Ann Widdecombe, but find her politics and various views odious. It seems bizarre that someone who can write so sensitively could think it okay to chain pregnant prisoners. I truly didn't WANT to like her fiction, but The Clematis Tree was a good read and I can't deny it. She does not even have the excuse of historical perspective.

[CataclysmicKnight]

Absolutely! I'd certainly prefer that the author isn't a jerk, especially if I really like it, since I enjoy sharing my finds on social media and wouldn't want to help out a jerk... Also, there's this awesome feeling of actually enjoying something and being as much a fan of it as of the author themselves. This doesn't stop me from movies or games either

[ejcogan]

If people are jerks in general then I don't have a place for them in my life period. Especially those who do make commentary on people who are different.

[ALynnPowers]

My opinions are leaning more and more toward "no" on his topic, as I am getting older and more of an old grouch with less and less tolerance for certain types of people'

[bluemel4]

Generally I do not look to far into the authors I am reading. I am not very interested in non-fiction. But when I read a book about Lewis Carroll's love and inspiration for Alice in Wonderland an 11 year old Alice Liddell I was a bit uncomfortable. When I learned about his love for taking nude photos of young girls I found him repulsive. I have never looked at Alice in Wonderland the same. I refuse to own it.

I recently read The Paris Wife by Paula Mclain all about how truly horrible Hemingway treated his wife, critics and friends. He burned bridges left and right. I never really liked his works so this did not affect the way I viewed his novels. I was just more fuel for the fire of dislike that had already been ignited during high school english.