APL director: Book popular among local women

“Extremely popular,” that’s how Andalusia Public Library Director Karin Taylor described the highly controversial book “Fifty Shades of Grey.”

Its movie counterpart hit theaters today.

Taylor said since its release in 2012, it’s been a book library officials have had to “reorder and reorder and reorder.”

Taylor said they just got a new copy this week.

“We try to keep at least four sets,” she said. “Some go out and never come back.”

Taylor said that she estimates for every one person who checks out the book 10 people read it.

“One of their friends checks it out and they see it, and then they share it,” she said.

The plot centers on “the lives of Christian Grey, a rich, handsome tycoon, and Anastasia Steel, an innocent college student, who enter into a dominant-submissive relationship,” according to the NY Times.

The NY Times even called the trilogy “mommy porn,” in its review of the books.

Taylor said with the release of the movie, a renewed interest in the books has come.

“We have people inquire about it every day,” she said. “Here recently, there has been a renewed interest with the movie.”

Taylor said it’s women who are interested in the books locally; however, there have been men who have checked out the books for their partners.

Controversy has surrounded the movie and the books.

Groups such as the American Family Association, an organization that promotes Christian values, claims it is allowing pornography to enter the mainstream and OKs abuse against women.

On Facebook and Twitter, local women have been using the hashtag, “50 Dollars Not 50 Shades.”

The idea is instead of going to see the money, people donate money to a local women’s shelter.

It is predicted the movie will make some $60 million opening weekend.

The movie will play at 2 p.m., 7 p.m., and 9:30 p.m., today and 2 p.m., and 7 p.m. on Sunday, and 7 p.m., throughout the week, according to the business’s website.

The movie is rated R.