[Loyalist]

A 2000 survey found that women comprised a greater percentage of readers than men across all genres: Espionage/thriller (69 percent); General (88 percent); Mystery/Detective (86 percent); and even Science Fiction (52 percent).

The last figure about science fiction surprised me until I realized that the fantasy genre--about as male-repellent as any neon pink covered chick-lit drivel--is now lumped in with it by booksellers.

Classic SF and current SF based on classic themes still remain man's domain.

[Terabitten]

Maybe it's because the men are out working, making money so that their women can go buy books to read...

[DarkSavant]

You have to look at the type of books also. My mom and my aunts read tons of short mystery novels, and can complete about five in the time it takes me to read one of my verbose tomes. I think I've seen a woman read science fiction once in my life. I think the stats are skewed a little.

Some of the crappy novels men are supposed to read in High School and College sometimes doesn't help either.

[12B]

Just give the boys some Raymond Chandler. They'll be all right.

[TomGuy]

Real men rent it at the video store, especially if it has allot of scenes of things blowing up, etc.

[theDentist]

While I no longer read novels as voraciously as I had when I was a kid (manuals and systems guides are primary reading material these days), I do continue to read some now and then. Espionage for me, and Tom Clancy for certain, plus the old authors (Clavell, Lustbader) who I re-read.

BTW: Does anyone know when the new Clancy novel is due out? It was originally expected in late May.

[Cincinatus]

This classification doesn't include the truly great (and in my opinion, very male-centric) Flashman series by George MacDonald Fraser. Funny, historically literate, and great entertainment. My wife tried the first one, but only finished about half of it, telling me that it was clearly written for men. I've never recommended the series to anyone who, after reaidng the first book, didn't immediately want to read the whole series.

[Perdogg]

I went to the bookstore to get a book for some summer reading and all I could find was crap like the "Sisterhood of the traveling pants" and "Goodnight Nobody".

Bookstores are too commericals. A woman I know even told me she thought such "chick lit" books were crap and she prefered the classics.

[Kimmers]

"blaming politically correct liberals for a “feminized” school curriculum that turns young boys “into high school and college dropouts who hate reading.”

How true....this forced reading from book lists did not create a love of reading with my boys, they would rather work on cars or clean guns....they have read more away from school than when they were in it. I doubt books like "One Shot One Kill" would have made it on any HS book list...

[rhombus]

Male reader of novels here. The only thing that restricts my novel reading is working (of course) and females who want me to talk, talk, talk about my day. ;-)

[linda_22003]

biblio-ping....

[1rudeboy]

I tend towards agreeing with the "curricula" angle. I studied English literature as the postmodern "craze" swept American campuses. (My college career spanned more than a decade, so I really got to see the before and after).

Reading that was once fun for classes that were actually interesting became a chore, once one factored-in all the "required" authors of color, gender, sexual preference, and economic or victim status. Practically the only people enjoying it were the chicks.

[vetvetdoug]

I read nonfiction almost exclusively. The only time I drift into the fiction world is when I read something from the LA & NY Times or the Washington Post here on the FR.

[Pietro]

Any bookseller will tell you that their are men's books and women's books. Seldom do the two meet.

In my opinion, as a book seller and a book reader, the current lack of interest among men in the fiction genre is based soley on the very poor quality of fiction being produced. I mean, really, how many books about a struggling writer searching for his muse can one tolerate?

How many travails of middle-aged, divorced, alcoholic college professors can possibly be interesting?

Stephen King, Tom Clancy and Bernard Cornwell have demonstrated that if you actually have a story to tell men will buy it.

[Leisler]

Gee, an industry dominated by gay males and leftist females. I couldn't guess why male readers are leaving.

[DieHard the Hunter]

> It’s a good thing, then, that the great male novelists can still rely on us girls to finance their literary careers.

What a load of feminist-apologist CRAP. As if girls invented how to read. So what is this, a contest? Which sex has read most, read wisest, understood and comprehended best?

Bring it on.

[Huck]

Who's got time for fiction? Men read, they just don't read fiction.

[7thson]

I have enjoyed reading ever since I could learn how to read. I still remember the first 1,000 plus page book - The Rise and Fall of the Third Riech, which I have read a total of three times. I use to keep a list of the books I read during the year. What I wanted to do was read 100 books in a year. The best I ever did was 71. I have heard of people that are prolific readers and for them, 100 books in a year is childs play.

In 1972, I really became interested in footbal and the Redskins in particular. I started reading everything I could about those two subjects. Before then, I would go to the library and pick up collections of short stories - Great Mysteries of 1956, 1957, and so on. I read a lot of short stories that I had either seen as a movie before I read the story or afterward. In the mid-70's, I started reading Joseph Wambaugh and spy thrillers such as Jack Higgins and Colin Forbes. In recent years, I have read more political books than novels. I use to like Stephen King and Tom Clancy, but no longer. My favorite author of all time is James Jones and currently I enjoy Dean Koontz.

I have two grandsons and I look at what they are forced to read in school and required summer reading. Most of it are books that "educators" think would "stimulate" the mind. I would not last long as a teacher because I would just as soon have kids read a graphic novel than Hemmingway. I remember in 7th grade English, we were required to read Wurthering Heights. What sheer, utter boredom for a twelve year old boy!

[Conan the Librarian]

Patrick O'Brian, A very fine novelist. I also read Thomas Hardy, but, I prefer a good murder mystery.

From my observations (non-scientific) is that men are reading non-fiction for the most part. History, Poli-Sci, Science, or Economics.

I totally agree about the Sci-Fi/Fatasy. But, don't forget books like Xanth....I don't think of those as Chick-lit.

Tolkien is now considered straight literature.

[Toby06]

Haven't read much since the betamax was invented. It's better to see & hear explosions.

Clancy and Grisham are exceptions.

[devane617]

I want to write a book someday...