Why don't men read novels?

[Dave Rosenthal]

This isn't a new issue, but it's relevant as Father's Day approaches. A recent Washington Post review cited polls showing that only 20 percent of fiction readers are male. The reviewer suggested that men have dropped novels (if they ever held them to begin with) for narrative nonfiction such as The Perfect Storm and Into Thin Air.

Book Blogs is obviously dominated by women, though a few hardy men soldier on. And in my conversations with friends, women are usually flush with recommendations about novels, while men usually talk about books relating to a) business, b) sports and c) the business of sports. Men must be looking for something different from books. Maybe practical knowledge, a sense of accomplishment, or vicarious adventure. How else to explain it?

I propose that we pledge to give novels for Father's Day this year. Recommendations are welcome.

[RM]

As a female myself I have to bring up the point that most other female's I know live in a sort of fantasy world. This is not exactly a bad thing...but they use novels to escape their daily lives and live through the characters. My only suggestion is that maybe men are more reality centered? I feel like they would rather spend there time learning about the facts than about fantasy. Or maybe they just live out their fantasy through video games instead of reading...

[Dave Rosenthal]

RM, based on your Father's Day gift, you dad seems to fall into this category. Maybe you should should shock him with some Jane Austen.

[RM]

Haha since he's the only man in a family of four strong female readers he's been introduced to Jane Austen many times...I think he's even seen most of the movies of her books.

[Harvee Lau]

Recommend Fidali's Way by George Mastras, with male main character and manly wartime situation in Kashmir on the Pakistani-Indian border. With some romance thrown in, of course.

[Book Calendar]

If you like science fiction, I highly recommend In The Stormy Red Sky by David Drake. It is much like the Master and Commander series of Patrick O'Brian in a science fiction setting.

[Stacy-Deanne (Novelist)]

Hi Dave,

Well for years it's been said that men just don't read as much as women do. Not saying it's completely true, but most of the men I know in my family and others outside of my family, do not read anything but the newspaper. Some don't read that. And these are men who've been to college and used to love to read!!! I don't get it. It used to be that some men said (back when most women didn't work), women had more time to read. Bull! Most women are dominating the workforce, raising kids and doing extra things but still read. I've also heard through the years (and don't blame me for this, Dave, LOL! I didn't say it), that men have a shorter attention span than women so sitting down and reading a book isn't always what they want to do. But out of all the men I know, I could probably name two that read books. Now they may read magazines and other things but not novels and books. So, I'm not surprised by your thread, LOL! Women dominate the literary industry because of the lack of demand in male readers. I was just wondering the other day how many men have active book clubs? I've only known one all the years I've been writing and I don't even know if they are still in existence.

P.S. I've known men to read a lot of erotica books. Hmm, I guess that keeps the attention, LOL. But as far as regular novels, personally, I don't know a lot of men who read them and that's a shame. Like I said, don't know many who read anyway. Also, if you notice on book blogs, most of the men here are authors and not just general readers.

My recommendation would be anything by the classics because that's what I love. Anything by Poe, Robert-Louis Stevenson, Hitchcock and Wilde. These may be "novels" but still books men can appreciate.

Best Wishes,

Stacy
http://www.stacy-deanne.net

[Dave Rosenthal]

Stacy, I agree that it's a vicious cycle: Women read more so more new books are aimed at them -- and so on.
I had a longer, more comprehensive reply planned for your post, but forgot what it was. :)

[pussreboots]

The men in my life read novels.

Some authors men have recommended to me:
Clive Cussler
Mercedes Lackey
Neil Gaiman
Christopher Moore
Dean Koontz
Stephen King

That's just a few. I think it would be more constructive to focus on the men who do read novels rather than making such a blanket statement. Change through example.

[Suzanne Levin]

I am fortunate that I work with men and am married to a man that enjoy novels! (now that my hubby is a big reader we are poorer than one just when I was buying books! Of course he only buys Kindle books! Oops I said the Kindle word! ;D ..)Of course I'm a bit enthusiastic when it comes to reading and 'encourage' people to read some of the great books I come across. It's funny though ,one of the guys at work actually reads romance novels (and not the Danielle Steele kind either!) and has introduced me to some of them!

I just picked up a copy of Horse Soldiers to read and I think that would make an excellent Father's Day present...

[William Bentrim]

Hmm,
I have noticed that not many guys are involved here. I guess that may be indicative of your premise.
I read voraciously as do my sons and my grandsons. My Dad made a concerted effort to make sure all his kids read regardless of gender. I suspect that is where it must start. More men would read if significant men in their life encouraged them.

As far as recommendations, I don’t think you could go wrong on any of these authors. David Drake, John Ringo, John Dalmas, Steven Barnes, Dale Brown, Chris Bunch, Harold Coyle write either military fiction or military science fiction.

Lincoln Child, Tom Clancy, Harlan Coben, Michael Connelly, Pat Conroy, , Stephen Coonts, , Michael Crichton, Clive Cussler, John Deaver, Nelson Demille are great for general fiction.

Orson Scott Card ,Gordon Dickson, Stephen Donaldson, David Farland, Phillip Jose Farmer, Glen Cook, Rick Cook, Issac Asimov, David Feintuch for scifi and fantasy.

Bill

[nbmars]

I asked my husband why he doesn't read many novels. He said he thinks it has to do with looking for your fantasies, and women are more likely to find them in novels whereas men are more likely to find them in the sports pages! (well, he has sports fantasies!) But I think those action novels mentioned by pussreboots would also fill the bill!

[Julie Harabedian]

Horse Soldiers is an excellent Father's Day gift! I think it's the perfect present for men, even those who are not normally readers (except of the sports pages)

Here's a link to Amazon with the reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Horse-Soldiers-Extraordinary-Victory-Afghanis...