Monday, March 21, 2011

What Do You Read?

I popped over to the online version of New York Times, scrolled through the entertainment section, and clicked on "Newly Released Books" by Susannah Meadows. After a quick scan of the six books listed, I sighed in disappointment. No romances.

Two of the books did interest me, but I've got to be honest with you, my favorite genre to read is romance. Contemporary and historical top my list. If I'm not reading a romance novel, I'm probably reading a classic--I printed out a top 100 books list ten years ago and am still working my way through it. For the record, Ulysses and I did not get along, and we never will.

Have you tried to read Ulysses? Could you make it past page five?

Non-fiction features highly in my reading pile too. Various topics catch my eye, especially authors who make me view the world differently, like Malcolm Gladwell in Outliers and The Tipping Point. I'll often bring home several books with photographs of English gardens, because the Regency period makes me swoon.

Enough about me, though. What do you like to read? Do you have a favorite genre? And if you read non-fiction, what topic would you most likely bring home?

Have a terrific Monday!

38 comments:

  1. I will read anything with a great story and good plot - doesn't matter the genre. But I tend to like cont. fantasy, magical realism, romance, contemp. and some paranormal.

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  2. I've learned there are reasons why books are called classics, and reasons why they win prizes. I'm likely to take home an author who has done one of these: write a classic or win a literary prize.

    That probably means I am a book snob.

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  3. I read everything and anything.

    Women's fiction, YA, literary, Sci-Fic Etc etc

    I do also love a good romance. :)

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  4. I like action/adventure, sci-fi/fantasy, and horror. If there's a bit of romance in the story that's ok.

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  5. I seem to read a lot of romance but like other genres too. Not thrillers though.... I need to sleep! :O)

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  6. I love stories that cause the reader to wrestle w/ morality issues and of course women's fiction.

    I'm really enjoying Little Bee right now.

    ~ Wendy

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  7. Never read Ulysses; was never tempted to. :) I love Christian Historical fiction.
    Happy Monday,
    Karen

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  8. I read mostly children's literature from picture book to ya, because that is what my children are reading and that is what I write. Occasionally I do read adult fiction/non usually Stephen King or Charlaine Harris or a rock biography.
    My current read is Nightshade City by Hilary Wagner! I'm halfway through, and I love her descriptive language.

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  9. Romance tops my list too, but I love to read thrillers and twisted mysteries--stick a romance into that and it's the perfect book for me!

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  10. I go for Women's Fiction, and Commercial Fiction that gets into family drama. I also love memoir, with it's ability to bring us into others' lives.

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  11. Historical romances top my list, although I read some contemporary romances as well. My latest reads, though, were reference books for my next story. I love research and learned heaps. Such fun!

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  12. I find Ulysses works just fine if you dip in at random and read until you can't stand it anymore. Maybe two minutes. I think I printed out that same list--came out around Y2K? I highlighted and read and highlighted and read and then one day decided life was too short to read some of those books! I just don't want to. It was liberating!

    These days I try to read lots of contemporary Christian fiction, since that's what I write. But for fun? Regency romance. And nonfiction? Science and food-related books (The Omnivore's Dilema is awesome.) Yes, I was going to be a scientist until I hit college level Chemistry. Um, an English degree was suddenly hugely appealing.

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  13. I'm with you, Jill, whatever I read has to have romance in it. It can be gothic, historical, YA, suspense, chick-lit, fantasy ... as long as it has romance!

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  14. Romance! Historical is my favorite. :)

    And I read biographies and history books.

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  15. I will read pretty much anything, although I don't often choose non fiction unless I'm researching something specific. The books I tend to enjoy the most are the ones with the most interesting characters, who come alive while you are reading and who you fall in love with flaws and all. I just re read Lonesome Dove for the millionth time... Call and Gus are two of my favorite characters even though I rarely read westerns.

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  16. I love WW2 thrillers, espionage novels, and historical novels. A love story within those books is also nice. :-)

    For nonfiction, history, history, history!

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  17. I love reading life issues with women- ie Women's Fiction. Most of the book do a romance thread.

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  18. I like to read what I write -- memoir and womens fic. Reading an autobiography right now by Jett Williams (Hank Williams' lost daughter).

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  19. I love to read YA, literary fiction and thrillers. This year I'm trying to add more non-fiction and biographies into the mix as well.

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  20. women's fiction and contemporary romance...but the contemporary romance has to be REALLY good. Like, sweep-me-away good. I'm sort of picky about them.

    Basically, anything that is going to make me laugh or cry and sweep me away into another world.

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  21. I love romance, historicals, and rag to riches autobiographies.

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  22. Wow!! I teach a fiction workshop for an hour and come back to this?? Awesome!

    I feel like I know you more intimately. Never realized your tastes were so diverse!

    Thank you so, so much for stopping by and sharing!

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  23. A few years ago I began reading YA. I believe the first was a Sonya Sones written in verse. I was hooked! After that came a few more YA novels written in verse. How did the authors say so much in so few words? I was fascinated. Then I began cruising the YA shelves and checking online, branching out. There are scads of fabulous Contemporary YA books out there today, and they just keep coming! The last one I read was "The Last Summer of the Death Warriors" by Francisco X. Stork (which I've just begun rereading). I love getting deep inside a fascinating character's head. We read to make new friends, and I want to be told (early) what makes a character tick. Great fiction bares all. I love that! I also read a lot of non-fiction books on how humans think, feel, and behave (and a hundred other topics). Thanks for the great post, Jill! You got my blood flowing!

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  24. Jill - I'd never make it through Ulysses. I do love to read classics, though. I like to read off those "books you have to read" lists. The modern ones are't very good. I like old romances like Rebecca. Also, I love the Hercule Poirot side of Agatha Christie. Right now I'm searching antuque stores for vintage Nancy Drew books. And I love good new children's books like The Howling.
    I admit, it is hard for me to find a good book that I haven't already read.

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  25. I usually prefer a mix of biography, light sci/fi fantasy or more mature young adult. I like books with a bit of a philosophical edge. The Ender series by Orson Scott Card has some read religous/philosophical ponderings.

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  26. I'm pretty eclectic in my reading. I have everything from John Grisham to Karen Kingsbury to Frank Peretti to Luanne Rice. I find, though, I tend to like a little "weird" in my books. :)

    If I go for non-fiction, it's usually something family related.

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  27. Oooh, I'm adding some of these authors to my list. Thanks!

    Thank you so much for stopping by!

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  28. Mostly contemporary romance, though I'll toss in a historical here and there. Every once in awhile, when someone recommends a bestseller or women's fiction, I'll try that, too. And classics? Yeah, if they have romance in them, of course!

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  29. I do love me some nonfiction. I read mostly fiction, but I gravitate towards my fair share of memoirs and nonfiction too. I'm debating whether or not to read Rob Bell's book Love Wins. Already I don't agree with his views, so I don't really want to give him my money. Lots of tuff choices out there.

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  30. I was a literature Ph.D., but I couldn't read Joyce's Ulysses without alcohol involved. Sometimes people try to make us feel inferior about our reading preferences, but that's bogus. Like what you like! Life's too short. Thanks for your post, Jill!

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  31. I have 3 books currently going: 1) A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. Hilarious. 2) Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. Magnficent. and 3) Noah Adams book about the Wright Brothers. Really interesting.

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  32. I do gravitate torward realistic fiction, and like a good literary novel. But I also like women's fiction, and 'chic lit.' Honest, sometimes I don't know what genre the book is that I'm reading!! What matters is the story.

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  33. I guess the main thing I read is YA and MG. That said, I read a lot of non-fiction, too. I also read some adult fiction. I love reading just for the sake of reading and I also love reading as a writer.

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  34. Your passion for reading comes through loud and clear! Same here. I'll read the back of a cereal box, just throw some words in front of me!

    Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  35. I'd have to choose Historical fiction and Christian non-fiction. When I read non-fiction, I gravitate toward Beth Moore's books, and studies on various books of the Bible. Can't say that Ulysses appeals much to me either! Enjoy your week. God bless!

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  36. I'm just a sucker for Historical Romance - with the exception of a few MUSTS outside that genre like: Colleen Coble, Denise Hunter, Francine Rivers, Camy Tang ...

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  37. Legal mysteries are favourites of mine, and romantic suspense, (which is what I'm writing now). I've never been big on reading straight romance but I know it's popular. In non-fiction I read a lot of local history, particularly the exploration and pioneering of my home province. I studied Ulysses in university and never could get enthused about it. :)

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  38. Can you tell I'm a little behind on my blog reading? But I had to chime in here. No, never fell in love with Ulysses, and unfortunately I share my children's dislike of much of the literature they have to study in school. "Demented and depressing" is how my one son describes the middle school language arts curriculum, and I have to admit most of their stories end on a distinctly depressing note.

    Given a choice, I tend to read young adult and middle grade fiction or adult fantasy/paranormal. I never thought of myself as a romance reader, but I've read a couple of fantastic ones recently. Faking It by Jennifer Crusie I read twice in succession: the first time to find out what was going to happen, the second to see how the heck she'd managed such great characters and plot!

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