How does your gender affect your reading?

[phil_t]

Ahhhh, clearly the reason I have occasionally been caught reading 'girly' novels is that I have not found the right man .. well, that clears up a few questions for me then, I always did find David Dickenson rather alluring when I was watching Bargain Hunt

I would say, though, that I never seem to have problems when reading a book written in a 'female voice' - I can usually identify with a certain amount of what is written even if the protagonist is female and the writer is female, it doesnt take anything away from the novel for me to be looking at it from that perspective.

Phil

 

[mehastings]

Good literature need not be "serious", it's about the quality of writing and the ability of the writer. What "supermarket" books does your friend read? There are bestsellers in the supermarket, if that is what they are reading then I understand that. Tom Clancy, Stephen King, et el....while not writers of high brow literature, are very fine, talented authors. If they are reading pulpy romance/scifi/western junk - then I don't know what to say - to each his own. People have different exposure levels and that is usually the indicator - my education comment was mainly due to a correlation between education level and literature exposure. There tends to be a higher level/standard of art appreciation among educated people. And by no means was I talking about degrees...

Stress is a cop out though. I don't care what your stress level is, if you are reading trashy books on a regular basis, keeping track of the winners on American Karaoke and Island Fun and renewing your subscription to Celebrity Gossip - it will reflect on you. Don't be ashamed, don't make excuses...you like, admit it, it is who you are. I'm all for to each his own, but I can't stand excuses like "Im too stressed." That's not the issue, you just like it is all. No shame in that.

I'm not saying that exposure has nothing to do with it. Of course it does, but I find that it really plays more of a part in whether or not people read at all. My mother is a big reader and my favorite aunt was a sixth grade english teacher, I looked forward to summer vacation so I could spend my days on the beach reading. Since moving across state I haven't found anyone who reads like I do. Most of my friends are people you would probably consider "not educated". They don't read trashy romance or Star Trek novels, because they just don't read.

As far as my buddy goes, I really don't get to into it with him, as we really aren't into the same kinds of books. I've seen him read some Dean Koontz, John Grisham, Dan Brown, etc. I'm sure there's a lot of other stuff he reads, but we don't talk as much as we used to, so books are rarely a big topic when we do manage to get together.

About the stress thing, I don't think I've really portrayed it well, and I'm sure he'd have more to say about it. I think mostly that he likes books that don't take a long time to read. I think he doesn't have as much time for reading and relaxing as he did when we were kids (who does?), so he sticks to books he can read slowly and still have finished in a week or so. I see these books as filler for when I'm between better reads, but I suppose a little filler is great when you spend most of your day learning how to manufacture a better Cheeto.

As far as his exposure/education level (outside of formal schooling) I'm talking about the boy who spent half of high school correcting my grammar, read me poetry, took me to college art shows, introduced me to underground music and convinced me to participate in summer theatre. He does not, however, watch American Idol or read celebrity gossip rags (at least not as far as I know).

 

[eliott]

In novels, there has to be a conflict, a problem. I find I have less patience for reading about the problems some women characters face than their male counterparts. Bridget Jones, for example--I just want to say "Get over it." But my guess is that some women readers say the same thing.

 

[lorrekarloff]

I dont think being a girl has affected my reading choices except when I was a teen and read a bunch of steamy romances! Now I read mostly Horror and Science Fiction, Mystery and some Biographies. The love of Horror and Sci-Fi came from my dad's book collection. Mom is a big fan of Mary Higgins Clark and VC Andrews which I could never get into.

But then I also like watching football and baseball, and horror movies, all of which some people still see as a 'guy' thing!

 

[Mari]

I don't think my gender limits my choice of reading. However, when I read a book that is basically written by men, for men, the story and characters usually make me say "Why did they do that? Men are such idiots."

 

[«FickleMinded»]

--non at all.

 

[JeffD]

Annie Dillard is one of the few women whose writing I really love. And that is because, I think, she is writing for everyone, not just for women. Andrea Barrett is another women I like to read. Joyce Carol Oates, also.

I don't like books written by women that come across as for women, whether they are or not. I just finished Bone River, by Megan Chance. I thought it was great for the first 2/3 and then it devolved into chick lit. I loved it at the beginning, an interesting place, an interesting time, interesting ideas, sub plots and secrets. A woman in a male dominated intellectual field striving to distinguish herself despite all kinds of impediments. Then then the first wiff of chick lit as the woman questions the meaning of her life, instigated by a step son she didn't know she had. I was hoping the book wouldn't continue that way, but no, it goes full 100% chick lit as all we on every page is the woman trying to keep from being attracted to her step son, who is just so naturally charming. Eventually it was like you know who cares. I finished it and was disappointed right up to the end.

I suppose a man could have written it. I would not have liked it any better.