tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27125272.post6742372286880007291..comments2024-03-27T22:35:56.826-05:00Comments on Candy's Blog: He Reads, She Readscs harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13708705800818667923noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27125272.post-8116934318445239372007-04-24T16:27:00.000-05:002007-04-24T16:27:00.000-05:00I see some mention of the classics here. As a boy,...I see some mention of the classics here. As a boy, I preferred adventure stories and crime stories -- the latter of any sort, including both Christie and Chandler. As a teenager, I was obliged to study Austen and Bronte, and learned to appreciate Austen's humour and clever use of language. I also enjoyed Dickens. Despite his wordiness, his characters were sharp and clear and the books had atmosphere. In his own day, I understand Dickens commanded an audience of both males and females.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27125272.post-16958201201788414782007-04-24T11:11:00.000-05:002007-04-24T11:11:00.000-05:00I think you're right, Charles, in the sense that a...I think you're right, Charles, in the sense that almost all men like adventure, whereas many women--but not almost all--like adventure. And more women than men are interested in relationships. So that affects what they read and write. But it's also true that studies have shown that many men won't read a book with a woman's name on it. Steve found a great article on a recent study I want to blog about tomorrow.cs harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13708705800818667923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27125272.post-1781752580521197112007-04-24T09:32:00.000-05:002007-04-24T09:32:00.000-05:00To play devil's advocate, what if both men and wom...To play devil's advocate, what if both men and women like adventure, but men like it more? What if male writers tend to write stories with more adventure (such as quests) in them than females do? Would not women, especially young girls, perhaps, not want to read adventure and thus be ready to read male writers? While males, who like adventure more, would be less ready to read anything that didn't have the big adventure? This means that women's books about friendships and relationships might not seem adventurous to males.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27125272.post-91926660895393095802007-04-24T09:06:00.000-05:002007-04-24T09:06:00.000-05:00Sad, but true. It's why many women authors tend to...Sad, but true. It's why many women authors tend to pick masculine pseudonyms.<BR/><BR/>My brother tends to look wary and sniff around books I recommend before trying them out. It's as if he's afraid he might accidentally get his hands on some chick lit. :) He didn't even want to read Harry Potter when I suggested it--I had to convince him to just TRY it--and now he loves them.RK Sterlinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01034917381901499281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27125272.post-3093723617453213832007-04-24T08:35:00.000-05:002007-04-24T08:35:00.000-05:00If your dh read Kate Mosse, than he is one of a mi...If your dh read Kate Mosse, than he is one of a minority of men who will read books with a woman's name on them. Perhaps you're right, it has something to do with the classics boys are given to read as children. It reinforces the idea that male concerns in fiction are the standard, while women's concerns are ghettoized as for women only. That doesn't seem likely to change in the near future.cs harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13708705800818667923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27125272.post-16644760565886544562007-04-24T08:21:00.000-05:002007-04-24T08:21:00.000-05:00Interesting.......I keep trying to think of what b...Interesting.......I keep trying to think of what books the dh have shared in common - few. I have read the ones he thought I would like but he has rarely read the ones I threw at him. The exceptions were on holiday last July. He had just finished Kate Mosse's Labyrith and had nothing else to sit beside the pool with so he picked up a book by Catherine Alliot. He couldn't stop laughing but as soon as we were back in the UK he left the book aside because he wouldn't read on the communite to work - the cover was the problem. That aside i think as more women read than men and buy more books I know which audience I want to appeal to.....but with the right cover that doesn't aleainate half of a possible readership. Wasn't there also the statsic recently that women will read books by both men and women but as a general rule men will only read books written by men.......or think they are.<BR/><BR/>Read the classics, I loved Dumas and Austin. Have just spoken to 12 ds who won't get his nose out of The Counte of Monte Cristo so hope is not lost for the younger generation so long as they are presented with the books......although I can't see him reading Little Women but I could be wrong. When desperate he will read what ever he can get his hands on. Maybe schools are to blame in putting more emphasis on male authors when there are plenty of women of equal standing to choose from. If you reach future readers at an earlier age before girls become yuck then that wider scope for reading may remain....just a thought.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02744937536946299450noreply@blogger.com