Apparently the Brits do:
People once said ‘you are what you eat’ but it appears the phrase has been hijacked by image-conscious Brits to state ‘you are what you read.’
So suggests new research from the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, which found almost half of people lie about their literary credentials.
Joining in conversation motivated 40% of people to fib about reading classics like Jane Eyre, while an equal number said they’ve cited such heavyweight novels to appear more intelligent.
So-called ‘book snobbery’ is most likely to come from adults aged 18-21, but these youngsters, ironically, are the likeliest to get caught out.
A tenth of men bluffed to a date they had read a heavyweight novel, while a lower yet significant number of adults did the same to impress an employer.
But the research found Britons even told lies to their peers so they could be thought of in a higher regard – evidenced by the 15% who admitted telling literary lies to work colleagues.
The book people are most likely to lie about reading is the bestselling Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien, followed by Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace.
(Via the UK SF Book News Network.)
2 comments
I suspect criticizing books that haven’t been read is far more common than lying about reading books, but in either case you get to sound intellectual while avoiding the tedious task of actually, you know, reading!
I don’t know much about book snobery. My concern is rather on the opposite – people who criticize what they haven’t read.
I’m now too used to see two of the greatest brazilian authors, Nelson Rodrigues and Jorge Amado, being despised and criticised by people who obvioulsy haven’t read any of theiur books but watched the movies and soap-operas based on their works.