I agree to a certain extent about what everyone else has said; that boys are encouraged to read books about boys while girls are encouraged to read books about both genders. As a current prisoner of the public school system, I know this is true and it bugs me to no end.
However, I also think it's important to mention that it's just not CULTURAL for boys to like reading. At all. I think part of the reason we see fewer men reading is because, especially recently, boys have been taught that boys that read are somehow dorky or uncool (thank you, Disney Channel, btw). Nobody wants to be dorky or uncool. For more boys to read, we need to change the image of reading, knowledge, and intellectual speech in the media. In short, I don't think it's the fact that there aren't books that they want to read, but that the culture doesn't program them to read.
However, I also think there are PLENTY of books on the market that are incredibly appealing to men. Dresden Files? Tom Clancy?
Also, I dislike the idea that female publishers are automatically biased against male ideas. For example, Jim Butcher's editor is a woman.
think part of the reason we see fewer men reading is because, especially recently, boys have been taught that boys that read are somehow dorky or uncool (thank you, Disney Channel, btw). Nobody wants to be dorky or uncool. For more boys to read, we need to change the image of reading, knowledge, and intellectual speech in the media.
So much word about this. We have this idea that being smart and having lots of knowledge is somehow bad, which makes NO sense and yet is incredibly persistent in our culture.
However, I also think there are PLENTY of books on the market that are incredibly appealing to men. Dresden Files? Tom Clancy?
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However, I also think it's important to mention that it's just not CULTURAL for boys to like reading. At all. I think part of the reason we see fewer men reading is because, especially recently, boys have been taught that boys that read are somehow dorky or uncool (thank you, Disney Channel, btw). Nobody wants to be dorky or uncool. For more boys to read, we need to change the image of reading, knowledge, and intellectual speech in the media. In short, I don't think it's the fact that there aren't books that they want to read, but that the culture doesn't program them to read.
However, I also think there are PLENTY of books on the market that are incredibly appealing to men. Dresden Files? Tom Clancy?
Also, I dislike the idea that female publishers are automatically biased against male ideas. For example, Jim Butcher's editor is a woman.
no subject
So much word about this. We have this idea that being smart and having lots of knowledge is somehow bad, which makes NO sense and yet is incredibly persistent in our culture.
However, I also think there are PLENTY of books on the market that are incredibly appealing to men. Dresden Files? Tom Clancy?
Oh, there so totally are.