A Question For Men Only

[Ann in Arlington]

I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! (Just wanted to get the apologies out of the way first.)

Whenever my wife and I are channel-surfing for something to watch together and we happen on anything that even remotely resembles historical romance, I let out a moan if not an outright scream of terror. As soon as I see characters walking around in long dresses and ruffled collars, I can't hit the > button fast enough.

[My wife has a similar reaction when I suggest we watch "Bait Car" or "The World's Dumbest Drunken Lowlifes."]

FWIW, I'd have the same reaction as you to period romance.

And I'd have the same reaction as your wife to the shows you mention. . . . do they really exist?

I refuse to be pigeon-holed.

[FrankZubek]

I have never cared about gender.
It's the STORY! 

If the plot sounds good and is well written, I'll read it

If you write well I'll probably check out more of your work

To me, man or woman author makes no diff (or one gender needing to "be" another gender (I.E. women, historically, needing to have the first names in initials to pass themselves off as "males" in order to get published because tradition dictates that only one particular gender "is allowed" to write IN that genre. ---- Gee haven't we gotten past that yet? Cripes!)

Again-- STORY counts.

[Gregory Lynn]

Question: Do you mainly read books written by male authors? If so, why? If not, why? I'd like to hear your opinions.

Couldn't care less. Half the time I don't even know.

[grahampowell]

The novels I read are mostly by men, but that's because men mostly wrote the hardboiled novels of the 40s through the 60s that I enjoy.  But even back then there were women who wrote that style, and whose work I enjoy, such as Leigh Brackett and "Vin Packer" (Marijane Meaker).

Lately I've been reading a lot more traditional English mysteries, and it's pretty tough to get too far into those if you don't read women.



Graham

[Jan Strnad]

Ann, "Bait Car" is real. I love it! The cops set up some kind of scenario where a car is left unlocked, keys in the ignition, and then sit back to see who takes the "bait." (Somehow, this is not entrapment.) So somebody comes along, scopes out the car, slides behind the wheel, and with a guilty glance over the shoulder, makes off with it!

Of course, they are on camera. And the cops can kill the engine and lock the doors by remote control. So, after a few blocks, they kill the car and trap the perp inside.

The best part is the lie the thieves come up with to explain why they're in someone else's car. "This lady, she asked me to bring her car to her." "This guy told me to drive the car to this place." "I was looking for the owner." Meanwhile the cops sit back and go "uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh" knowing that the person is spewing a whole lotta b.s.

Come on...what's not to love?

The other show is a pastiche of titles: "The World's Dumbest Criminals," "The World's Worst Drivers," etc. Watching any of them is like shooting Novacaine into your brain, but I love 'em!

Meanwhile my wife is wondering who's having sex in the ER on "Grey's Anatomy." So, when there's a conflict...we compromise and watch "Grey's Anatomy."

Is there a difference between the male and the female brains? Oh, I think so!

On the other hand, I really do enjoy a good, relationship-based drama and find mindless action stories pretty boring. I really need to care about the people as people before I care about them as protagonists.

[Tamara Rose Blodgett]

I guess I'm not listening too well because you asked for men only but...
There's a ton of great female writers. But when a male author has talent it speaks to me in a profound way. I confess, I'm nuts over Stephen King's work! I just read a book where I questioned if a man was really the author. He had an uncanny grasp of the feminine psyche, and of course the male as well! Wonderful. King's X by Stephen Harper. He was scary-accurate on both genders...

My two cents. Hope I didn't offend answering your "male only" question  



--- edited... no self-promotion outside the Book Bazaar forum. please read our Forum Decorum thread.

[AllenMitchum]

My fiction reads tend to be written almost entirely by males. My non-fiction reads are more balanced. Neither of those are intentional. The fiction genres that I'm interested in tend to be dominated by males, which might be the explanation.

[MadCityWriter]

My husband LOVES Nevada Barr books. Has read them all.  The heroine is Anna Pigeon, a National Parks Ranger.  Each story is set in a different National Park.  He just got the latest book for his birthday.  Nevada Barr herself was a park ranger, so her novels are totally authentic.

[leep]

Some of it will come down to the genres you read.  Romance, chick lit tends to be written by women, scifi largely by men.  Though there are obvious exceptions.

I think authors of the same sex tend to appeal because they see things from the same perspective, men and women do see the world differently, they have different drivers and priorities.

That said, I don't pick books based on the author (for new books, obiously if I find someone I like I stick with them), the story is the most important thing.

[markcooper76]

It is not a general rule for me but yes it is a preference for me to read books written by a male author as I can certainly related a lot more!

[DH_Sayer]

I must admit that most of my favorite books are written by men, and a lot of them seem "geared" specifically for them (ie. men), or have a reputation for being books only men will like (eg. Infinite Jest, Heller's Something Happened, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, anything by Mamet). But I do like some female authors, too, like Flannery O'Connor and Marilyn Robinson. But that sounds defensive. I don't know....shrug. Good stuff's good stuff, is my pithy and hardly insightful judgment.

[sesmith]

Don't care about gender; my current list of most-read authors has 6 men and 3 women.