Unpopular opinions

[Albertosaurus Rex]

I think that the term "literature" is totally loaded. Dickens was like a Stephen King of his day but add 100 years and now it's literature. It's a word designed by and used by snobs. Why aren't Tolkein, Rothfuss, Robin Hobb or Frank Herbert considered Literature?

Amen to that. My usual reply when talking about literature is "I don't know what makes a book literary, I just know that some books touch me and others don't." This is why I think most of Dutch literature doesn't appeal to me - it always feels to me like those writers are too self-consciously trying to be literary.

As for film / tv series adaptations: they can be done right, but even so I wish they didn't get made, because they have the tendency to overshadow the books. I, Claudius. Jurassic Park. The Godfather. The Neverending Story. Many, many Disney films. The books are still being read, but the films are vastly better known. In fact, I haven't read most of them, and having seen the adaptations, I am somehow less likely to seek them out. And it is really difficult to explain why the book The Neverending Story has stolen my heart when all most other are aware of is the inferior movie.