Glamour

Reading is something that I always enjoyed, since I was little. Like every girl, I went through the whole Sweet Valley, Sweet Dreams and Mills & Boon phase. And then came the more fun phase of good books, deep thoughts and let’s not forget – light fiction!

I have never understood the concept of “It’s just a book”. For me, everything I read is so amazing, either it teaches you something, makes you think or most importantly gets you interested.

A really fun author in my opinion is Jackie Collins. Sure, she writes trash in a lot of people’s opinions – Sex and glamour and violence. But at 17, (and oh even now!), it was wonderful to read about coffee on Sunset Boulevard and living in hilltop houses on Hollywood and eating at Spago’s in Beverly Hills. I found it magical and exciting and thrilling.

Most importantly, I loved the characters in her book. The women in her novels were strong characters, bold and capable of doing anything.

At 21, I left my comfortable home in Bombay, India and went to University of Southern California, Los Angeles to obtain my Masters. The Los Angeles I lived in was very different from what I had read. The apartments were small and dirty and the neighborhood was unsafe. I paid $400 to share a 1 bedroom 1 bathroom apartment with 2 other girls.
As time passed and I settled down, I explored Los Angeles. I saw the beautiful LA skyline and the Hollywood sign and my most unforgettable moment -The moment I drove down Sunset Boulevard. We stopped at Peet’s Coffee and Tea and sat outside drinking coffee. I felt so good. I felt familiar in a land of unknown.

Recently, I was at San Jose international airport waiting for my flight to board. I found a nice corner, put my bags next to me and took out my latest Jackie Collins purchase - Lovers and Players and started reading it. Across me, I saw an older woman, sitting there, looking at me disapprovingly. I saw her look at the novel and back at me with pursed up lips.

I found it hilarious at the time and merely continued reading my novel, but later it made me think and therefore, this entry.

Why is writing about sex and Hollywood shocking? Are we really shocked about what we read or do we believe we should be reading something better?

In my opinion (and this is just my opinion), light fiction and “trashy” novels are highly underrated. Like I said before, anything that provokes interest cannot be completely bad. Somewhere along the way, I believe you will experience something that you will relate to something you read, and if not – Well, it was a good novel that kept you occupied!