Tower and Town, May 2022

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A Good Read

The following article is utterly unscientific, packed with personal prejudice (and aggravating alliteration) and reaches no real conclusion. Don't say I didn't warn you.

It's not a regular thing, but it happens often enough for me to heave a sigh. Some man will come into the shop and gaze at the new publications table before saying, in mildly aggressive tones, “There seem to be an awful lot of books by women.” I'm never sure how to reply “ I know, Sir, it's awful, you gave us the vote and we just ran amok, writing stuff.”? Less often, but not unknown, are women who gaze around plaintively murmuring, “It's all very male, isn't it?” (Sister, I feel your pain, but the patriarchy has a 5,000 year head start on us, what to do?)

I did a quick scan round the shop, and I concede Grumpy Man may have a point – the new paperback fiction table was about 75% female authors. Non-fiction redresses the balance a bit, though occasionally women nudge ahead there too. However, that does vary, and sometimes there are many more books by men especially on the non-fiction table. Moving on to 'genre fiction' the crime section is about 50/50 male/female authors, and in Sci-Fi and Fantasy male writers (and readers) are streets ahead. Studies show (don't ask me which studies, I did say this article was unscientific, see above) that more women than men read fiction, and women are more likely to read books by men than vice versa.

As a useless example, I (xx chromosome), happily read the fat WW2 volumes, while Angus is comatose with boredom at the sight of them.

Which proves precisely zero of course, and as booksellers we stock what we know our particular market (that's you) wants. We don't always get it right, but as booksellers we'd also say Take a Chance, you might be pleasantly surprised. Because really, what does it matter if the book's good?

If you're still hoping for actual recommendations, I've loved The Hummingbird by Sandro Veronesi, a time-shifting mosaic of a novel, chronicling the loves, mistakes and griefs of one man, warm, funny and insightful. (And it took me a while to realise that Sandro is a man.) I've just finished and enjoyed a study of natural regeneration in places humans have deserted, Islands of Abandonnment by Cal Flyn, whom I didn't at first clock was a woman. Just goes to show. Not sure what exactly. 

A Good Read