Book S(h)elves

I take pride and find fulfillment in the wide range of books I read. For every nineteenth-century, foreign, heavy-lit book is a read-in-an-afternoon, lighter piece that's just as enjoyable, if in a different way-- I find that each and every kind of book serves its own purpose in terms of what I get out of it, how I feel/think when reading it and once I've finished, etc. And I think my bookshelves have always reflected this-- so I found this Washington Post piece to be particularly interesting.
The books you grow to read and like out of your own accord of course are influenced in various ways-- by your parents and family perhaps most when you're little, by school, by your friends and peers, by reviews, and so on. As such, I attribute much of my appreciation of a broad spectrum of genres/books to the aforementioned influences, though being an English major in college did also open my eyes to some more specific genres and authors I may have not otherwise focused so intensely on. But before I digress too much, back to the WashPo article-- here, it is explained that the best-selling titles on college campuses and college bookstores of late are those of the "Twilight" series or books by/about President Obama (can't argue with that one!). Now, I have nothing against vampires ("True Blood" FTW!) and can't really comment on the "Twilight" books as I have yet to read any myself, but I too am dismayed to think about the incredible literature out there that coming-of-agers are evidently missing out on.
I find myself nodding in agreement to this post on Jezebel also written in response to the WashPo article. To quote the writer (identified as Intern Katy):

"Could it be that there just hasn't been a great novel that speaks to our generation in the way that Hemingway and Kerouac once spoke to theirs? I certainly hope that this is the case, because if it turns out that Tucker Max is the true voice of America's youth, then we might as well give up and wait for the coming apocalypse."

I think authors who were so influential in touching generations before mine- Hemingway, Kerouac, Fitzgerald, etc.- were such profound and agile writers that their words and themes are still impactful and deeply moving. Yes, they were groundbreaking in part because they basically created new styles and genres, but to think that they hold any less worth or value today than in decades before is practically sacreligious!