On Chick Lit, Good Literature, and Why I Read Both

I read almost two entire books this Shabbos (which is more a testament to the fact that my house is boring than anything else). The two books? The Kite Runner (for the second time) and Shopaholic Ties the Knot.

Those two books are probably as diametrically opposed as two books written for adults can get. The Kite Runner is sad and moving and amazing. Shopaholic is classic chick lit--witty, light, ridiculous. I found myself depressed at parts of Kite Runner, laughing at parts of Shopaholic, pondering how I could enjoy them both.

A paradox? Perhaps, but I don't think all literature has to be good literature. I think people can--and should--write whatever they feel a need to write whenever they feel a need to write it. I think writing is an outlet like no other and sometimes what comes out may be Pulitzer Prize-winning genius, but even if it's not, it still has value--to the writer and maybe even to others.

Writing, to me, is a deep expression of what one is feeling, something that is beautiful in the fact that we can do it, be it in a novel or or a poem, or a blog, classic literature or chick lit.