Are you an educated individual who likes fantasy or magic? A law-abiding citizen fascinated by true crime? A mature adult that loves children’s fiction? A “manly man” that enjoys some “chick lit” or a “beach read” now and again? No worries. You are amongst friends.

Today we celebrate the non-literary, un-classic book – the book that is denigrated as trashy, frivolous, or lowbrow. In certain circles, we wouldn’t admit to reading them. We call them “guilty pleasures” because we’ve been told reading something with more redemptive value is a better use of time.

“Literature” is defined by the Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary as “writings having excellence of form or expression and expressing ideas of permanent or universal interest.” I argue that some pleasure reads do fit this description. Vampires inhabited the earth for a long time. Surely, they have some wisdom to impart on us foolish mortals. And there is no denying the popularity of the Harry Potter series, which demonstrates universal interest. Truthfully, don’t the moral lessons taught in children’s books make us better adults?

Finally, the word “pleasure” speaks volumes (pun intended). They are just fun to read. So don’t limit yourself or become a book snob. Give up the guilt! (Unless the book’s author is a cast member of the Jersey Shores. Then you might want to keep that one to yourself. I’m not judging, just sayin’.)

See what others are reading when no one is looking:

Shelley Peschel: I’m a sucker for self-help books. There will always be a special place in my heart for Judy Blume’s “Forever.” I also love “The Lorax” and like to give it as a baby shower gift – it’s never too early to learn environmentalism.

Marko Schmidt: “On The Road” by Jack Keroac.

Nathan Dowd: when I am feeling burnt out and want to read something easy and fun I go for a historical mystery novel.  I particularly like Robert van Gulik’s Judge Dee series and Lindsey Davis’ Falco series.

Julie Gores: biographies – historical figures, movie stars, sports figures, writers, etc.

Sue Kotur: I have more than one guilty reading pleasure actually. I read the Harry Potter series every winter … Twilight series … mysteries …

Paul Barribeau: I read non-lit books as much as possible.  I love literature, but I miss science and math a lot, too.  Alas, most of the books I read are better labeled pseudo-science or pseudo-math, but they’re fun and I feel like I learn. “What Einstein Told His Cook” by Robert Wolke, “A Brief History of Time” by Stephen Hawking, “A Short History of Nearly Everything” by Bill Bryson, and “Freakonomics” by Dubner and Levitt.

Maryann Dubree: anything by Lee Child or Dan Brown. I get started reading and I don’t want to quit.

Donna Marconnet: usually a mystery – all different authors, and I’m a HUGE audio book fan.

Kelley Minica: I never feel guilty.

Renee Anhalt: “Big Friendly Giant” and “Boy,” both by Roald Dahl. “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein and audio books on family car trips.

Erika Linzner: the Sookie Stackhouse series and the Twilight series.

Mark Perkins: all I have is guilty pleasures! My favorites are usually children’s books because they are the most honest literature. “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “Where the Wild Things Are,” “The Te of Piglet,” “The Tao of Pooh.”

Jennifer Varshal: the Hunger Games trilogy and cookbooks that have pictures of decadent cakes and desserts. I don’t actually bake them – I just like looking at the pictures.

Matt Coan: I love re-reading my Bill Bryson books.  He offers such a great mix of humor, history, and cultural criticism; I can’t get enough, even though there are so many other great things out there to read.

Virginia Bryan: Anything involving strange English and/or funny translations.   Parts of Richard Lederer’s books (“Anguished English,” “More Anguished English,” “Bride of Anguished English,” etc.) can reduce me to tears.  Another howl inducer is “English as She Is Spoke.”  (In case you’re unfamiliar with this gem, it’s written by Pedro Carolino, a Portuguese gentleman who didn’t let the fact that he knew no English and didn’t even have access to a Portuguese-English dictionary discourage him from attempting to write an English language phrasebook.  Using first a Portuguese-French and then a French-English dictionary, he created an unintentional masterpiece.) Jon Agee’s illustrated palindrome books – “Sit on a Potato Pan, Otis!”  and “Go Hang a Salami!  I’m a Lasagna Hog. The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary.” Anything set in Sub-Saharan Africa. I’ll listen to just about anything in Books on CD.  (Can’t resist being read to.)

Lisa Mueller: I love to read Ed McBain books or any books about detectives and gruesome serial killers.

Mark Luetkehoelter: fiction: John Grisham novels. Non-fiction: travel guides of anywhere and everywhere.