IBARW: Romance Novels
Jul. 29th, 2009 10:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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delux_vivens commented on my post from yesterday that some people have a hard time with seeing portrayals of loving relationships between black people.I live in DC, one of the few cities in the US with a higher population of African-Americans than Caucasians. In the last several months, I've been unemployed, and, like many book addicts going through unemployment, rediscovered my local library.
Within the library there is an entire section devoted to romance novels aimed at African American women. This is not a small part of my little library. I'd say it takes up nearly a fifth of the overall shelf space. This is also, I would venture, not a small money maker for certain publishing houses. I know that certain authors in the genre get large campaigns on the Metro when their new book comes out, just like Dan Brown's new Da Vinci Code sequel did.
So why is it, when I go to my downtown Borders Bookstore, these books are relegated to a small section between the more conventional (i.e. white) romance novels and the bargain section? Seriously, I think they have more Manga than black romances, and DC is not exactly a manga town.
There's obviously a large segment of the local population that reads these books. Based on my unscientific observations on the Metro and buses, most of the people that read them, buy them. Most of the local bookstores, and not just the big chains, don't seem to carry them. At a time when bookstores are failing, this seems like a mistake to me.
Is the problem that booksellers don't know this subsection of the larger genre exists? The big ad campaign would argue against that, but it's possible, I suppose. Is there discomfort at the idea of the romance novel tropes, especially the one of lasting love, being enacted by People of Color? I hope not.
I do know that I'd like some suggestions. I like some romance novels, but not all. I tend to prefer strong women who don't become meek just to get their man (it's amazing how many romance novels that eliminates in any subgenre. Grrrrr.). I prefer not to have deus ex machinas, and the sex shouldn't make me cringe.
Anybody got titles for me to read?
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no subject
Date: 2009-07-30 04:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-30 04:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-30 05:41 am (UTC)Exoticization infuriates me. I can't imagine falling for someone either Because or In Spite Of the color of their skin or hair or eyes are different from mine.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-30 05:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-30 06:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-30 07:48 am (UTC)Oh, well, in the case of Borders, there is extra credit idiocy, if the person on my flist who works for them is to be believed. They are exceptionally top-down and controlling in their organization. Corporate headquarters tends to issue blanket, one-size-fits-all directives. This came up because the (a?) boston Borders which was healthily in the black got nailed by a country-wide initiative to increase sales in failing stores -- required upselling (with quotas!) which the staff in Boston knew would be alienating to their customers, but which they were not exempt from.
If Borders is that particular flavor of stupid, then they might well not have a selection in the store which reflects the buying behavior of the people who shop there, but rather national trends.
Most of the local bookstores, and not just the big chains, don't seem to carry them.
Ssssso... where are people buying them? Since they obviously are. Is there a black specialty bookstore which is getting the business (in which case, more power to them)?
I mean, the chains don't carry much in the way of Gay Lit, or Feminist Lit for that matter, which is why we have gay bookstores and (or at least did have) feminist bookstores. Seems natural that there would be African-American bookstores for the same reason.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-30 12:07 pm (UTC)You're right about how Borders is run. I asked for Hanukkah music at the White Flint one, which is in a heavily Jewish neighborhood where they could have sold lots of it, and that was answer I was given. Just completely stupid. I'm wondering whether people are buying their books and music online (that's what I ended up doing). And they wonder why bookstores are failing ... .
no subject
Date: 2009-07-30 03:23 pm (UTC)OT: can you go to the Capitol this afternoon?
Date: 2009-07-30 04:46 pm (UTC)http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/7/30/759636/-UPDATE:-KOSSACK-EMERGENCY-PROGRESSIVE-CAUCUS-IS-REQUESTING-OUR-HELP-AT-2:30PM-TODAY!!
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/7/30/759570/-They-will-Draw-a-LINE-IN-THE-SAND-Today.-Will-YOU-Be-There
no subject
Date: 2009-07-30 05:28 pm (UTC)Some may be going to Amazon or Powells or other online bookstore. I know I find some of my more specialist literature there. But I also see these books available at the local CVS and Safeway in my neighborhood. If I go to the Safeway near my friend in Bethesda, the romance novels are more likely to be white and historical. So, the local branches of these national chains are responding to the local demand and demographics.
Still, the selection is extremely limited at the grocery or drug store as opposed to a bookstore. Other neighborhoods may have the kind of bookstore you suggest.
Re: OT: can you go to the Capitol this afternoon?
Date: 2009-07-30 05:29 pm (UTC)I will if I can. I have an appointment around that time, but I'll do my best to reschedule.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-30 05:31 pm (UTC)Re: OT: can you go to the Capitol this afternoon?
Date: 2009-07-30 06:11 pm (UTC)TODAY THURSDAY JULY 30TH, the Congressional Progressive Caucus will be holding a press conference in conjunction with their allied caucuses the CBC, CHC, and CAPAC. They are going to draw a very clear line in the sand – unambiguously and so brightly it’ll be seen all the way at the White House. We need the largest crowd we can get at the press conference:
Thursday July 30, 2009
2:30 pm
At the triangle on the southeast side of the Capitol
no subject
Date: 2009-07-30 09:10 pm (UTC)As for this outrageous ignorance by Borders, I'd call it racist, though not on the same level as KKK or Skinhead. It's more along the lines of ignorance and bottom line $. They don't give a damn about blacks because they're a lower percentage in the overall population--i.e., market. Same applies to other ethnic minorities and the LGBT community. One has to go to a smaller town or city book store in order to find the niche that's catered to. :( DC may have more blacks than whites, but it's run by white men, just as Borders is. Thankfully, the library is not so separatist.