Steamy Romance Novels

My wife is one of the many who loves a good romance novel. The readers of these books and their authors never seem to get any respect.

The New York Times has a story about a little controversy regarding romance novels and the intellect of their readers:

"The Greater Washington Initiative, a business group devoted to attracting investment to the area, put up the posters, which feature side-by-side photographs: of a man reading Plato’s “Republic,” under the caption “Greater Washington Subway Reading,” and of the same man poring over a romance novel, under the caption "Average Subway Reading."

Susan Combs, running for comptroller in Texas, wrote a romance novel in 1990 and her opponent, trying to use that against her, is accusing her of writing pornography.

I've never read any romance novels, but ever since Robin Williams' homeless character defended them in The Fisher King, I've been quick to defend them as well.

Lydia: Yeah, but what we publish is mostly trashy romance novels.

Perry: Don't say that. There's nothing trashy about romance. In romance is passion. There's imagination. There's beauty. Besides, you find...some wonderful things in the trash.

What a beautiful way to put it.