Author's gender and reading

[scribeswindow]

Well I can't quote statistics for you, but I remember a discussion I once had with some colleagues, where apparently most males only read male authors. I'm not sure if this is an unconscious decision, and I'm sure it's a generalisation, but I'm interested to hear what others here may think of this. Looking at my own reading (and yes I'm female), my recent choices the last few months have been outweighed by female writers. I counted eight females and six males. Perhaps the argument can be swayed the other way? Females mostly choose female writers? What does everyone else think?

 

[pontalba]

I'm female as well, and 50 out of the 59 books I've read so far this year were written by male authors. I don't deliberately choose a book by the author's gender. I choose the story. My list is a mix of literature and mystery/detective stories, science fiction, and memoir.

Now the odd thing I've just noticed is that the books I didn't care for as much were by female authors.

My OH [other half y'all] reads more female authors than I do I believe, and he is definitely a male. And has enjoyed the ones he's read.

 

[abecedarian]

This topic comes up every once in awhile, and I'll look over my books read list and see I tend to go in cycles. I don't deliberately choose to focus on one gender or the other, it just seems to work that way. My husband reads more male writers than female, but again, I don't think it's a deliberate choice on his part. It's just that many of the things he's interested in have been covered by more male writers than female. It just has worked out that way.

 

[brk_3]

Overall, I read more male writers (yes I am a man).

However, I do read Patricia Cornwell and I have read some Iris Johansen and have found most of there books enjoyable

 

[Hugh]

Ny favorite novels are suspense/thriller types, and most of them seem to be male writers. However, the book I'm reading now, Kiling Gift, is written by a woman, Leslie Glass. The protaganist is also a female, detective April Woo.

Last year I read A Good Woman by Danielle Steel and it had me so emotionally involved I felt depressed for a while after reading it. So, as well as she writes I have to avoid her novels just so I don't get my heartstrings yanked about.