The life of the author

[Mune]

Because I know so many authors myself and am an author, I feel it is a bit unfair to judge an author by their personal life. If their personal life is reflected in their writing, then you are still going by the writings and that seems justifiable for me. I read what I read. I don't care about the author's personal situation or anything like that. I think the fact that it is something people considers, shows a bit of the reflection of how society deals with many things now. Especially when you consider most topics are probably fabricated, blown out of proportion, or one-sided. What if an author divorced to get out of an abusive situation (somewhat similar to something I experienced)? What if they supported a specific cause but not the political party behind it, or vice versa? Does it matter? I think it only matters if people make it matter. But that is my own take and opinion and everyone has theirs. Personally, no, I would never not read something because of the author's personal life.

[ebethina]

I guess it depends on the situation. For instance if I hear of something that a singer does that I thought I liked but didn't like the actions they took it can stop me from really enjoying their music like I used to because then when I listen to their song it changes the perspective of it for me. So I guess with reading it could do the same thing. Now with a divorce that is a human natural thing to do and I think it would be stupid to stop reading for that reason, however, I have noticed a difference in his writing their for awhile and have had a hard time picking up another one of his novels but it's not because of his divorce.

[shelidizel]

I wouldn't say that one we should look so much in to a writer's life. But again, writers put a little bit of themselves in their stories, so what happens in their real lives sometimes manifests in someway in the story. If you don't like something that happens in a writer's life or something about a writer. Simply don't read the writer's book.

[Armattcia666]

I find authors that I know really live rich lives much more interesting than the 'I got good at facebook ads and sold quite a few of my products, er, sorry books.' crowd.

Just don't make enough of them now. Thinking George Orwell or Ernest Hemingway or Ian Fleming.

Hard to think of a modern equivalent to those chaps!

If something happens to an Author in their own lives that changes perception, I suppose we must remember that when they wrote a good book, the thing that changed our perceptions perhaps had not happened yet.

[Cate Mbevi]

The life of the author has an impact on his or her books. My devotion to Danielle Steel went down a bit when I realized that she has been married more than two times. I mean where is the love, the devotion, the romance she describes in her novels.

[palilogy]

I don't agree with not reading someone based on their personal life.
Just the same way I don't judge Michael Jackson's music based off his life.
One's creative world can be separate from their own life.
Just because of events in their life - doesn't change the validity of their work.

[Dael Reader]

I refuse to read anything by James Patterson because I heard he farms out many of his books to other authors then shares the credit on the title. Novels should not be made on an assembly line. And he should't take credit if most of the work is done by someone else.

That said, I generally avoid delving into the personal lives of authors, artists, and composers. Because if I learn they are jerks in real life, that tends to color the way I view their art.