Even if it is - I don’t care.
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This is a problem.
Jesus dude, this was a nice thread, what is with the shit stirring/hostility?
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Just being me.
Try not doing that for a bit.
For what it is worth, one of the best novels I have ever read was The Italian by Ann Radcliffe.
And obvs, the Bronte novels.
Not sure most of you know that writing in the Gothic era was one of the few things that was acceptable for women. They were expected to not work and had idle times, so Radcliffe wrote.
Many women had so much free time that the Gothic and Romantic novels ran over five hundred pages and included several plot lines.
There was a battle between Radcliffe and M.G. Lewis with respect to horror and terror. Lewis wrote The Monk and it is brilliant.
But, The Italian was much better written.
Just a few dimes from my MA experience.
You do you, I will do me. If it makes you uncomfortable, move on.
I’m trying to read some classics that I’ve always heard of but never read.
Currently reading Brave New World
Before that it was Grapes of Wrath.
Before this phase, I think it was:
Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs by Johann Hari
The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone
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And I’m here for it!
Would’ve never “met” Agent Aloysius Xingú Leng Pendergast w/o your recommendation. 
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Brave New World is a great novel. You might also consider Doors of Perception by Huxley, not a novel but great writing.
Steinbeck, meh.
Try some Shakespeare, it won’t kill you.
Hemingway, as well. Just not The Old Man and the Sea - it sucked.
And, of course, the Bronte novels.
And, of course, my favorite, The Confederacy of Dunces.
I want to add that I think for topics people are passionate about, that they read various sources to come up with conclusions of their own. I’ve read some authors who I believe are great fact finders and are therefore informative but whose interpretations, solutions, and conclusions I didn’t like. And that’s fine; their content was still useful.
@marine77 is there any way to get in touch with you? Email or SM?
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In regards to?? And yes… I’ll share my email
I would like your input on something I’m working on. Only if it’s alright with you, obviously. @marine77
What is it?
I finished Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President last evening. I have started The End of Everything by Victor Davis Hanson. I have read several of his books, The Second World Wars, The Savior Generals and A War Like No Other. I will report when I am finished.
I am also listening to God Emperor of Dune on Audible. As well as Iron and Blood by Peter H. Wilson The problem I have is I start listening to more than one book at once, I rotate between the two.
Have a good weekend.
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This is not a problem it’s a skill and who doesn’t like variety?
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I read a lot; 80% non-fiction, which I find both informative and entertaining. I just finished Nate Silver’s “On The Edge” which studies risk through the lenses of poker, gambling, sports betting, tech bros, artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency. I thought it was clever and informative, even if the uniting thread was a bit contrived.
I enjoy Robert Greene’s books, which are worldly and practical. I thought Maltz was just okay. Deida is better.
This author gender “debate” is stupid. A good book is a good book, and the genre you enjoy might be relevant. You might guess more male authors write war histories than women, and more female authors write romantic stories than men. You enjoy stuff more if you can identify with it better. People will read what they enjoy, so who are you to judge?
I like history. The voluminous “Story of Civilization” by the Durants deserved its Pulitzer Prize. The book “Band of Brothers” is even better than the great TV series.
I have an interest in longevity and health. David Sinclair’s Lifespan, Peter Attia’s Outlive and Jason Fung’s Longevity Solution
are the most scientifically credible.
I could name books I like in most genres. But right now I am starting “My Brilliant Friend” by Elena Ferrante in an effort to read a little more fiction.
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Stephen Ambrose hit a home run with Band of Brothers. I felt the series was excellent. The Pacific was less compelling. It was based on E.B. Sledge’s With the Old Breed. With the Old Breed was itself a masterpiece.
I didn’t even know this was a book! I thought the TV series was great. I definitely need to check out the book.
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I’m late to the gender debate party, but I did a quick inventory of my library and found about 70% are written by men, 30% by women. Men are the majority of fiction, except for gothics and classics where it’s more women. Poetry is also mostly men. Interestingly, most of the natural science nonfiction is written by women. I hate self-help books so I have none of those. And cookbooks are about a 50/50 split.
After reading this thread, I realized I have always wanted a book club, but it’s almost impossible to even find one with another guy - or with literature that is appealing. So I’ve decided to try to start a Men’s (but everyone is welcome!) book club at the local library and see if it generates any traction. Here’s the reading list I’m thinking of.
The Iliad - Homer
The Odyssey - Homer
Rome Inc. - Stanley Bing
The Red Badge of Courage - Stephen Crane
The Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
To Build a Fire - Jack London
All Quiet on the Western Front - Erich Remarque
The Things they Carried - Tim O’Brien
Dispatches - Michael Herr
For Whom the Bell Tolls - Ernest Hemmingway
Iron and Silk - Mark Salzman
Jarhead - Anthony Swofford
Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk
Suggestions are welcome.
Slaughterhouse 5 (Kurt Vonnegut)
Brave New World (Aldolus Huxley )
We (Yevgeny Zamyatin)
Fathers and Children (Ivan Turgenev) or
I, Robot (isaac asimov)
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn)
Three Body Problem trilogy (Cixin Liu)
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