Nine out of the top ten books on this week's Sunday Times list are by female authors.
Historically, males are not attracted to emotionally-charged books written by and FOR females. (80% of the book-buying public are women).
Therefore, is the male reader going the same way as the dodo?
2007-01-29 04:52:47 · 19 answers · asked by Panama Jack 4 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
Possibly. At the moment, women authors are churning out their mindless pulp like there's no tomorrow. Publishers are encouraging women to do so because women love to read this rubbish and are obviously making the publishers lots of money. However, women can't match men authors when it comes to philosophical or scientific works; because they can only think in 2 dimensions, whereas men can think in 4. Our current education system is also anti-male and does not encourage boys to read the type of books they would like to read, i.e. science fiction, adventure stories with strong male role models and damsels in distress, just like in real life. What they seem to get is Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, George Eliot and more Jane Austen. On television all they get is strong, mouthy clever-dick women shouting at apologetic wimpish males.
No sign of it getting any better at the moment I'm afraid.
2007-01-29 08:20:40 · answer #1 · answered by BENVEE 3 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Males readers are not being "driven" to extinction. Books by female authors are on the top ten list because women are both writing AND PURCHASING more books. Women buy books that they are interested in reading, whether these books are writen by a man or a woman. Women are going to write books that they know that other women are interested in reading. Most men will never buy a book written by a female author, regardless of the subject matter. It isn't that men aren't reading. Men have a choice in what they read. It is a matter of purchasing power promoting female-authored books onto the top ten list.
2007-01-29 13:15:13 · answer #2 · answered by badkitty1969 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If Bernard Cornwell, Tom Clancy et al carry on writing, then I don't think the male reader is going to be extinct any time soon. Personally, I enjoy Boys' Books more than Chicklit; my own life is too "emotionally charged" and I'd rather read some derring-do than some crap about handbags and boyfriends.
2007-01-29 13:08:47 · answer #3 · answered by Vivienne T 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't believe so. I believe the majority of males prefer to read non-fiction, war stories, biographies, that sort of thing. Women really seem to dig fiction for some reason. I would like at the numbers between the two different categories. As for myself, I am always working on a book, I love to read. I don't think the problem with reading lies between men and women, I believe the problem with readin lies with our younger generations. With all the advancements in technology; game systems, TV, Internet, reading has taken a back seat. It is a shame, really, I love getting lost in stories and becoming those characters and I fear with tomorrow's generations, that will be lost forever one day.
2007-01-29 13:06:30 · answer #4 · answered by jman1542 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It would seem so. Or, perhaps, it's that women are more likely to a) impulse buy and b) buy something because it's popular, AND women are not attracted to testosterone-fueled shoot-em-or-screw-em books written by and for men.
It is a well-known fact than men's brains IN GENERAL react more to pictures than words; the explosion of men's magazines in recent years has filled the need for reading material for most men.
2007-01-29 13:01:59 · answer #5 · answered by Robin 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you look beyond the Top Ten list you will find that there are loads of books for men - crime and fantasy being particularly prevalent genres at the moment. I find it hard to believe that less men are reading - particularly when I know of so many that do.
2007-01-30 06:18:27 · answer #6 · answered by judy b 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't bother that much with the top ten books anymore that I bother with the Booker prizewinners. There are lots of books that male readers can enjoy. Depends what type of book you like.
2007-01-29 16:22:50 · answer #7 · answered by Beau Brummell 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
One of my favourite all time books is by a woman. The Sea Priestess, by Dion Fortune. A man would have been incapable of writing this book.
2007-01-30 05:28:20 · answer #8 · answered by los 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not necessarily. Men appear to read greater amounts of biography and non-fiction.
Perhaps the latest figures represent the paucity of truly talented male authors?
2007-01-29 12:59:35 · answer #9 · answered by idler22 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Bestsellers are generally throw-away fiction. Not always, but often. Maybe they're just reading more insightful books.
2007-01-29 13:23:19 · answer #10 · answered by lcraesharbor 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋