When it comes to picking a book, or really enjoying a book etc, how much do you think about who the author is? Does an author’s personality, political affiliation, history, etc influence whether you like a work?
I’m a big fan of an author who has recently said some hurtful things online (one guess as to who I mean) and my friend is shocked that I could keep reading this author after learning they are like this/think these things. But to me, it never enters the equation. I can like a piece of art and not like the artist. I can be moved by Guernica no matter what kind of life Picasso led. The two aren’t intrinsically linked in my mind. I understand not wanting to support someone you don’t agree with, not wanting to throw money at them, but that’s not the same thing as whether or not you feel moved by or really enjoy a work, at least in my opinion.
What do you all think? If you liked a book series and then you find out the author was engaging in human trafficking all along while they wrote it, would you instantly get rid of all those books and never read new ones by that author? Or would you perhaps be disgusted by the person but not change your views of their books?
by WhichTear4996