I think he's exactly right. I've just posted a link to a lecture by Leland Ryken on my blog dealing with the place of literature in the life of the Christian. Granted, he doesn't interact with modern fiction much, but the principles he presents apply to modern popular culture as well as classics. The lecture is worth the download time!

BTW, I've read quite a bit of Stephen King's work. Some of it is typical horror genre but some of his "horror" stories are insighful as well as entertaining and even humorous. The Stand was one such novel. I could hardly put it down!
Barb | Homepage | 11.20.03 - 11:52 am | #

I would agree that one should not, not read them as a point of boasting; however, one should also not have a steady diet of candy bars when there is much more nutritous food available, and only so much time in a day.
Jeff | 11.21.03 - 5:41 am | #

Jeff - to pick up on your analogy, even though we ought not equate candy bars with, say, thanksgiving feast, we should equally acknowledge that not all candy bars are the same. There are run-of-the-mill candy bars and there are "fine" candy bars (I am not sure of the brands). But do these "fine" candy bars ever rise to the level of a feast?
The Native Tourist | 11.21.03 - 8:45 am | #

Barb, I can't wait to listen to Ryken's lectures. And to Beisner's.
The Native Tourist | 11.21.03 - 8:46 am | #

It's doubtful that even a fine candy bar ever rises to the level of a feast but sometimes a candy bar really hits the spot.
Barb | Homepage | 11.21.03 - 10:48 am | #

What distinguishes "so-called popular fiction", from "so called literary fiction"? Is it just popularity, which equates to financial success? Can fiction be popular and be objectively good literature in today's world?
Jeff | 11.21.03 - 5:38 pm | #

I just bought Stephen King's book _On Writing_ at the dollar store yesterday for, well, a dollar. I don't know if it's available in your neck of the woods, but thought I'd mention it as a good bargain...it has lots of strange (of course) and interesting anecdotes as well as helpful writing advice. I'm afraid that's the only Stephen King book I'll be reading, though 'cause I think of his horror fiction more like candy bars with razor blades in them ;-).
Carmon Friedrich | Homepage | 11.30.03 - 3:03 pm | #