Why Does It Seem That Girls Read More Than Guys?

[[deleted user]]

That is funny!

[Andrea]

Carroll wrote: "Because guys are too busy checking out the girls who are reading. (What can I say? Men are pigs.) LOL"


Hahaaa, I agree! >.<

[Frank]

I'm not going to lie, girls who read get cute points. :D

[★ Jess]

Carroll wrote: "Because guys are too busy checking out the girls who are reading. (What can I say? Men are pigs.) LOL"

I disagree.

[Irene]

★ Jess wrote: "Carroll wrote: "Because guys are too busy checking out the girls who are reading. (What can I say? Men are pigs.) LOL"

I disagree."

I also disagree.

[[deleted user]]

Frank B wrote: "I'm not going to lie, girls who read get cute points. :D"

Cute points? Well, that's all of us, then!

[Mayze]

I think that girls are also more inclined to talk about the books they read than guys are. I have a few guy friends who I KNOW love to read. We can all be talking about a specific book that they liked and, for some reason, they won't be super interested in the conversation, especially if (as Kate said) it's a book which is perceived at a "girl book". Maybe it's an image thing.

[[deleted user]]

Oh, the big male ego.

[[deleted user]]

I have to say, I dont see the gap between male and female readers...maybe its because Im a generation different...(am I? I dunno how the whole gen Y gen Z works or whatever...but I'm almost in my 20s most of my friends are 19 -24) any way most guys I know read they dont talk about it as much as us girls (maybe that's because of a girls inclination to talk about everything lol) most of my guy friends read fantasy or non fiction.
when I was in school it was considered nerdy to read, but I was also in yr 2 I think when the first harry potter came out and that changed a lot of peoples minds about reading.

Maybe its so different now beacuse of the types of books that are being marketed to Young Adults, most are paranormal romances, maybe its just the fact that most guys only see what is marketed and dont actually know what is out there for them

[Danna]

You might be right... it does make sense :)

[Frank]

Maybe things will change when the paranormal romance hype dies down a little. Or maybe it never will...Who knows.

[Miss Amelia]

The funny thing is, the few guys I know who do read...that's ALL they can talk about. Everything is Hunger Games or Artemis Fowl or Hunchback Assignments or Riordan's books, or whatever. They're WAY more vocal about it within their group or niche. I think maybe it's because the boys I know (and I know more middle-school age ones) read what I would call the 'popular' books. When I go to high school classes, some kids (read: girls) are reading books I've never heard of, or they read older stuff, and many high-school age guys I know read more adult-fiction stuff (like Tor books).

& I cringed when she said this, but the Harper editor at that panel decreed that 'Paranormal romance is too popular to ever die!' and people started clapping, and I just grooooaaned.

I predict, though, that the next craze to replace dystopians will be steampunk ;P

[Baxter]

Amelia, the pragmatic idealist wrote: "The funny thing is, the few guys I know who do read...that's ALL they can talk about. Everything is Hunger Games or Artemis Fowl or Hunchback Assignments or Riordan's books, or whatever. They're WA..."

I have never read a paranormal romance book in my life. I do not feel like I am missing out on too much.

Also, steampunk, hurrah!

[Miss Amelia]

I wish I could take back some of the paranormals I've read. Life is too short.

[Irene]

Yes, life is short but make the most of it and have no regrets :)

[[deleted user]]

the craze when I was in school was the deltora quests Deltora Quest: Books 1-4 all the boys were reading that in like year 4 lol but after that popular books aimed and boys kinda died and then the twilight sensation took over when granted the first book came out way before the hype

[Kate]

I used to love the Deltora books, as well as her other series (which I was just thinking about a few days ago, trying to remember the name. funny)

No genre is too popular ever to die, particularly paranormal romance. Even now, its popularity is waning. Sure there will always be paranormal romances, but to the point where all you can find is that or distopia? Wait a few years and there'll be a new subgenre taking up the "new books" shelves.

[[deleted user]]

i just want the vampire craze to die off...it sill walking into borders and seeing two whole book cases filled with Twilight and then the next to over with vampire acadamey ( i think thats what the series is called) so much black in the YA section haha

[Baxter]

I remember Deltora Quest! I used to read the HECK out of those suckers.

[Kate]

And it will die off. Even my friend who was OBSESSED with Twilight only two years ago has gotten over it. Sure, she still likes it, but she admits that there are much better things out there, and she was the worst I have ever seen. And here I am at least, Vampire Academy has not even become a craze, nor do I believe it will become one.

[[deleted user]]

its just depressing so many better mythical creatures out there...plus vampires are meant to be mean and dangerous..unless they have a soul...have these writers not watched Buffy!

lol sorry
there needs to be more books like Northern Lights then maybe more boys will read...I love that series haha

[Miss Amelia]

Lyra's gotta be one of the coolest YA characters out there. I remember a few years ago, me and my geeky friends had this thing where it was like Fantasy Football, only fantasy characters, mixed with a little bit of cock fighting, cause we'd speculate which characters would win in a fight against another character.

I think it was Team Lyla & Annabeth vs. Team Hermione and...I don't remember who else.
I do remember somebody taking a video of a high school girl fight and putting Anna Popplewell (as Susan)'s face on one, and Emma Watson (as Hermione)'s face on the other... Hilarious.

[Rebekah Faith]

Carroll wrote: "Because guys are too busy checking out the girls who are reading. (What can I say? Men are pigs.) LOL"

I have to disagree too. There are plenty of guys who read- my brother included. And he's actually not picky about the POV of the book. He read Twilight, The Hunger Games, Fallen, Hush Hush, and many others of the same nature (The entire series' that are out, I should mention of those listed books). He'll read most of the things that i do (of course, he doesn't go for the specifically marketed romantic comedies or The Princess Diaries, but He'll read a book if it intrigues him, just like most other people I know. His taste in books is just rather wide-spread.) [He'll be a senior in high school this coming year]

Paranormal will eventually die off, just not as soon as some of us would like. And I'm all for the dystopian/steampunk rise.Just.....variety is good. Exceptionally good.

[Frank]

Baxter wrote: "Amelia, the pragmatic idealist wrote: "The funny thing is, the few guys I know who do read...that's ALL they can talk about. Everything is Hunger Games or Artemis Fowl or Hunchback Assignments or R..."

I have always wanted to dive into the world of Steampunk novels, but I never really knew what to read.

I'm mainly sick of seeing shelves beyond shelves of books labeled "Paranormal Romance". I do not think it should be eliminated as a genre, and obviously people like it, but I think it has gotten way too popular.

[Mayze]

Frank B wrote: "Baxter wrote: "Amelia, the pragmatic idealist wrote: "The funny thing is, the few guys I know who do read...that's ALL they can talk about. Everything is Hunger Games or Artemis Fowl or Hunchback A..."

I definitely agree! When I walk into barnes and noble half of the teen section is "teen paranormal romance". Ever since Twilight there's been almost nothing else. I also want to know about some steampunk...the only ones I've read are the Leviathan series...

[Miss Amelia]

Frank B wrote: "Baxter wrote: "Amelia, the pragmatic idealist wrote: "The funny thing is, the few guys I know who do read...that's ALL they can talk about. Everything is Hunger Games or Artemis Fowl or Hunchback A..."

There's the Leviathan series, and there's this new series by Kady Cross called The Steampunk Chronicles (first book is The Girl in the Steel Corset). It's a little girlish for me to thrust at my guy-friends going YOU HAVE TO READ THIS!, but it's pretty clever as far as the steampunk look. Although my sneaking suspicion is, because of the publisher, the direction of the series will become more romance-based. Which I think is a dadgum shame, because steampunk is so cool and vibrant that it doesn't need anything else to keep interest.
Other than those two... hmm... There's a YA steampunk anthology coming out in a few months...and the only other steampunks I know are adult fiction. Some people like Gail Carriger's PARASOL PROTECTORATE series, but I personally wouldn't recommend them if you care about historical accuracy - the series is rife with anachronisms.
Then there's Cassandra Clare's spinoff series, which is touted as steampunk, though I don't see it. A period piece set in Victorian London does NOT qualify as steampunk...

And a lot of people consider Pullman's HIS DARK MATERIALS series steampunk, though I personally don't get that. It seems more in the realm of fantasy, and the world is an alternate universe with parallel world-hopping. I wouldn't call it steampunk, but others have.

And I just bought this wickedly awesome reference book called The Steampunk Bible: An Illustrated Guide to the World of Imaginary Airships, Corsets and Goggles, Mad Scientists, and Strange Literature, which is so gnarly and has all these cool drawings and stuff. I'd actually recommend this book, even though it's not technically a fictional story.

[[deleted user]]

Frank B wrote: "Baxter wrote: "Amelia, the pragmatic idealist wrote: "The funny thing is, the few guys I know who do read...that's ALL they can talk about. Everything is Hunger Games or Artemis Fowl or Hunchback A..."

and its follow ups are really good if your looking for some steampunk...plus there are zombies in it :D
series is amazing!
there more hardcore ones like that are really good...steampunk is awesome you should defiantly try some

[[deleted user]]

Amelia, the pragmatic idealist wrote: "Frank B wrote: "Baxter wrote: "Amelia, the pragmatic idealist wrote: "The funny thing is, the few guys I know who do read...that's ALL they can talk about. Everything is Hunger Games or Artemis Fow..."

I think his dark materials are steampunk...well lyras world defiantly is. its victorian london with amazing inventions...like the spy bugs or whatever they are called and the zepplins, and all the special cameras. It's not as fully into steampunk as some others are.

[★ Jess]

Steampunk is for sure the next big thing! Good call Amelia.

Anna wrote: "I think that girls are also more inclined to talk about the books they read than guys are. I have a few guy friends who I KNOW love to read. We can all be talking about a specific book that they li..."
I agree. The boys I'm friends with will rarely talk about books unless I start the conversation first. And they'll rarely engage in the conversation if they are around certain other guys. Its pretty frustrating.

I think The Hunger Games movie, done right, may encourage a few more boys to read.

[Miss Amelia]

Melanie wrote: "Amelia, the pragmatic idealist wrote: "Frank B wrote: "Baxter wrote: "Amelia, the pragmatic idealist wrote: "The funny thing is, the few guys I know who do read...that's ALL they can talk about. Ev..."

I definitely forgot about some of those tinkers, haha :P
I guess if a book has any kind of 'magic' in it, I would call it fantasy (or paranormal), rather than steampunk, which seems more sci-fi-ish.

[Miss Amelia]

★ Jess wrote: "Steampunk is for sure the next big thing! Good call Amelia.

Anna wrote: "I think that girls are also more inclined to talk about the books they read than guys are. I have a few guy friends who I ..."

I actually think, in this case, the movie will be better than the book. If Katniss' actress can breathe some personality into her character, it'll be really good. I think it'll transition better as a film
(though I don't like EITHER actor for Peeta or Gale)

[Kate]

Amelia, the pragmatic idealist wrote: "Melanie wrote: "Amelia, the pragmatic idealist wrote: "Frank B wrote: "Baxter wrote: "Amelia, the pragmatic idealist wrote: "The funny thing is, the few guys I know who do read...that's ALL they ca..."

Particularly in the case of the Golden Compass, I agree with you.

[★ Jess]

Well, Im not a fan of either Hutcherson or Hemsworth, but I ADORE Jennifer Lawrence. Have you seen Winter's Bone? She is absolutely MAGNIFICENT as Ree Dolly, and in my opinion, was robbed of Best Actress at the Oscars.
(There has been so much debate about this here: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/4...), just in case everyone else wants to join discussion and we dont go to off topic.

[Mayze]

I never really considered His Dark Materials steampunk...but I read it a few years ago.

[Frank]

Thanks for all the Steampunk recommendations. :D


★ Jess wrote: "Steampunk is for sure the next big thing! Good call Amelia.

Anna wrote: "I think that girls are also more inclined to talk about the books they read than guys are. I have a few guy friends who I ..."

I hope that the upcoming Hunger Games movie will encourage more people to read in general, but sometimes book-movies get noticed by the movie and people never read the books. I mean, I know people who love the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings movies that don't read the books.

[Ingrid]

I, personally, know quite a few boys who read. I'm always giving recommendations.

[Miss Amelia]

I'm with you, Jessica. Havent seen Winters Bone, but I still am pleased that they cast Jennifer. She's older, and perhaps a little more mature. Pretty much, though, my thought was "anyone but Kaya Scodelario" LOL

[Mayze]

A ton of boys in my grade have read HG and they all love it! I think the movie, as long as it isn't too romancy, will encourage more people to read them.

[Vered]

Melanie wrote: "Amelia, the pragmatic idealist wrote: "Frank B wrote: "Baxter wrote: "Amelia, the pragmatic idealist wrote: "The funny thing is, the few guys I know who do read...that's ALL they can talk about. Ev..."

ok - time to show my ignorance - what the heck is steampunk?!!

[Ingrid]

It is like the Victorian era but with more technology. It is a cross over between history and science fiction, I guess. If that makes sense. According to Wiki...
Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s.[1] Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually the Victorian era Britain—that incorporates elements of either science fiction or fantasy. Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as Victorians may have envisioned them; based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, art, etc. This technology may include such fictional machines as those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne.

[Kate]

It's a new name for an old idea–it's what happens when you cross science fiction with historical fiction.

[J.D.]

lol Yes, I think women do read more often. However, I think this might be because guys are raised to believe that they always have to be active. I mean, historically men have been the breadwinners (even though women are just as capable). Just thinking about high school... guys are pushed towards sports, while girls are pushed more towards books... Honestly, I think stereotypes kind of cause this issue.

[Irene]

★ Jess wrote: "Well, Im not a fan of either Hutcherson or Hemsworth, but I ADORE Jennifer Lawrence. Have you seen Winter's Bone? She is absolutely MAGNIFICENT as Ree Dolly, and in my opinion, was robbed of Best A..."

Yes, i saw winter's bone and i have to agree with you.

[Rebekah Faith]

Has anyone heard of the Honor Harrington books by David Weber? (Book 1- On Basilisk Station) My brother recommended them to me and I plan to read them at some point, but I want to know your opinions. (Since we're such a diverse community of book lovers)


JD- You're probably right. When you look back in history or even read books set back a couple centuries, you'll see that more often than not, the women are home with the children in the kitchen and, when not doing any of that, are writing letters and reading. Men are out riding or hunting and occasionally reading. But more often then not, they're too busy hunting, riding, and running a business to read- or that's at least the impression given.

[★ Jess]

The Hunchback Assignments by Arthur Slade are good steampunk books that many boys I know enjoy.

[J.D.]

Rae*WrockerGirl*Ruhbacon* wrote: "Has anyone heard of the Honor Harrington books by David Weber? (Book 1- On Basilisk Station) My brother recommended them to me and I plan to read them at some point, but I want to know..."

I lucked out. My hubby loves to read! Although, he usually goes for audiobooks.

[Rebekah Faith]

Carroll- While that's highly unlikely you'll never know unless you try. I personally steer away from audiobooks but that's because I prefer having a physical copy in my hands (that's also why i stray away from e-readers). It's just not the same as an actual book.

JD- That's great. And Caged in Darkness sounds like it'll be a good book. Slightly reminiscent of other books out right now, but isn't everything?

Any future kids I may have (I'm a while off from having any children- I'm in high school still!) I'm going to influence them by having books in their lives, but really what can I really do if they don't want to read (guy or girl)?

[Frank]

I think the key to getting anyone to read is to introduce them to reading with something they are interested in. I was introduced to reading from a teacher telling all to read kid's mystery books. I hated these mysteries and would go back to video games, because video games had more adventure, in-depth story, and kept me entertained. Then I discovered the genre of fantasy/adventure. It was like reading a video game, and I loved it.

But yeah, some people will only read one type of books. I know some guys that only read sports related books (fiction or non-fiction).

[J.D.]

Rae*WrockerGirl*Ruhbacon* wrote: "Carroll- While that's highly unlikely you'll never know unless you try. I personally steer away from audiobooks but that's because I prefer having a physical copy in my hands (that's also why i str..."

Audiobooks are great for right before bed. You can close your eyes and drift into the world the book creates. :)

I know Caged sounds like a lot of the other books out there, but it is so different. lol Believe me. Once you hit the halfway mark, the book transforms. lol I was very determined to have my book be unique. :)

[Rebekah Faith]

As every author should. :) But it sounds different enough to be intriguing. I'll be asking my library staff to get a copy of it sometime soon. ^_^

I've only actually listened to one audiobook- and that was when my library didn't have the physical copy of the book. And I only listened to it at night since that was the only time I really had time to listen to it.