braindancer
not for long
I'm on a paltry 2/10 this year... a few years ago I made a point of making sure my reading was balanced but I've let it slip without realising till now.... still time to slightly even things out!
Men - do you read books written by female authors?
- Thread starter Poot
- Start date
I'm not sure 'men don't read pink books' is a very convincing explanation tbh
bimble
floofy
women do buy and read novels much more than men do, account for something like 80% of sales of novels apparently.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
Quite, that idea tickled me when I read it - like we have wallcharts and tables or summat.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
Women don't just write popular fiction like that, you know. I've just had a look at my 'to read' bookcase and can't find any books like that - in fact most of the books there written by women are non-fiction.
Winot
I wholeheartedley agree with your viewpoint
Just make sure they really are a woman:
www.theguardian.com
Female Spanish thriller writer Carmen Mola revealed to be three men
Trio step out from behind pseudonym marketed as ‘Spain’s Elena Ferrante’ to accept €1m prize
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
Just make sure they really are a woman:
Female Spanish thriller writer Carmen Mola revealed to be three men
Trio step out from behind pseudonym marketed as ‘Spain’s Elena Ferrante’ to accept €1m prize
that also happened a while back with Virago publishing a book of short stories purported to be written by an Asian woman but it being discovered later to be written by an English vicar.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
there is nothing to prevent an asian woman being an english vicar
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
What a strange thing to say in response to my post! I have not claimed otherwise
On this occasion it was a vicar who was a chaplain in a girls’ boarding school (Toby Forward, writing as Rahila Khan).
This year so far and 2016 (the only ones I've noted what I read) it's at about 15% women authors. I am also reading two textbooks written by several people both of which have female authors. It's not a conscious thing not to read women authors. I may have scored slightly better last year.
rubbershoes
not the only raver in the village
Going back to Poot's original post, who wouldn't want to read Donna Tartt? Her books are fantastic
I'm willing to bet it'll be something like 90% men
imposs1904
Thread Killa'
This year so far, I'm 3/38. A bit shit, innit? My only excuse is that I've read a lot of football and darts books this year, and both sports don't have that many female authors.
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Actually, before starting this I was reading We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver (much better than the film IMO).
imposs1904
Thread Killa'
Biographies mostly, though there was one American novel which was incredibly macabre. I really wasn't expecting that.
I'd recommend Bobby George's autobiography to anyone, whether they're into darts or not. His story of growing up in poverty in post-war London is Dickensian in places. A really vivid read.
Fedayn
Well-Known Member
I've read a few of Denise Mina's books after I reviewed Garnethilll for the Scottish Socialist Voice many years ago. Good writer imho.
Spymaster
Plastic Paddy
To the point.
If you haven't read it, I'd highly recommend The Panoptican by Jenni Fagan.
Fedayn
Well-Known Member
That low?
Maggot
The Cake of Liberty
Jocky Wilson Said.
I've always assumed her name was a pseudonym and it was trashy sub Mills and Boon crap. Not helped that someone I worked with who read her books was a big and vocal fifty shades fan. If I regularly read novels I'd have avoided her stuff.
rubbershoes
not the only raver in the village
Two of her books would be in my top ten, if I did one. And she's only written three novels
hash tag
Books, not bombs
Has this Ben mentioned yet. Seems fitting in here Female Spanish thriller writer Carmen Mola revealed to be three men
andysays
Love and solidarity
Interesting thread.
I don't read nearly as many books as I used to (possibly because I now spend the time I used to spend reading books reading and posting on Urban).
When I do, I tend to read "classics" or "modern classics", and women authors are in a very small minority in those categories.
I didn't realise quite how few women authors I have on my book shelves until I had a look just now. It starts off OK with a few Jane Austins and a couple of Brontes, but then there appears to be no books by female authors until I get to Mary Shelley.
Can anyone suggest a few female authors who are part of the established canon so I can start to redress the balance.
I don't read nearly as many books as I used to (possibly because I now spend the time I used to spend reading books reading and posting on Urban).
When I do, I tend to read "classics" or "modern classics", and women authors are in a very small minority in those categories.
I didn't realise quite how few women authors I have on my book shelves until I had a look just now. It starts off OK with a few Jane Austins and a couple of Brontes, but then there appears to be no books by female authors until I get to Mary Shelley.
Can anyone suggest a few female authors who are part of the established canon so I can start to redress the balance.
Poot
My wife thinks I work too hard
If you like the classics, I might suggest that Daphne Du Maurier should be next in line. Jean Rhys is good but sad (Wide Sargasso Sea is Jane Eyre told from the first Mrs Rochester's PoV).
Poot
My wife thinks I work too hard
I have never read any and I don't know why. I may follow Mrs B's lead. Good call.
I don't really understand this bit. Which canon? The male one? Or do you mean widely read female writers?
I would always recommend Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou.
