Comments on: 10 Must Read Books for Girls and Boys, by Boys and Girls

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 18:45:00 +0000

thanks for the comments and suggestions. d.m. thomas has been a favorite since i first read “white hotel” many years ago. it’s an unforgettable read. likewise, “housekeeping” is a brilliant choice for this list (see katie’s comment below). it’s another favorite, though “gilead” did zero for me. sa

By: killerfiction

killerfiction — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 03:00:00 +0000

A sturdy listing of gender-specific prose here, many of which would certainly be among my top choices for this manner of tutorial. I would add these: For books by women that would help us men understand their construction, find Janet Kauffman’s “Obscene Gestures for Women,” Marilynne Robinson’s “Housekeeping,” and A.S. Byatt’s “Possession.” And to tromp around in the boots of men, by tromping around in the books of men, try most anything by Ray Carver, Richard Ford’s “Rock Springs,” many earlier short stories from Charles Baxter. Then, to confuse the hell out of us all over again, and return the cryptic coupling that is the male+female equation, check into D. M. Thomas’ “White Hotel.” A good study here, Scott. Thanks for the ride.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 20:29:00 +0000

Loved Judy Blume. So many favorites.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 06:33:00 +0000

read judy blume tons when i was a kid. somehow i didn’t think of her as an author for girls at all. i just thought her books were “real” novels for my age group.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 06:30:00 +0000

irving’s “a widow for one year” (with a female protagonist) could have also easily made this list. in many ways his best work, i think.

By: Wendy

Wendy — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 23:24:00 +0000

(I didn’t mean to include Fitzgerald twice (see below).)

By: Wendy

Wendy — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 23:21:00 +0000

Thanks for the list. Here are some of my favorite books by male authors: Midnight’s Children, by Salman Rushdie; Corelli’s Mandolin, by Louis de Bernieres; Little, Big, by John Crowley; Winter’s Tale, by Mark Helprin; Atonement, by Ian McEwan (and On Chesil Beach, which is about newlyweds); Ragtime, by E. L. Doctorow; A Fine Balance, by Rohinton Mistry; The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, by Haruki Murakami; She’s Come Undone, by Wally Lamb; and books by John Irving and F. Scott Fitzgerald; and Henry Miller (but I don’t think they’re for all women); F. Scott Fitzgerald; . As far as books by women for men…maybe The Bone People, by Keri Hulme; The History of Love, by Nicole Krauss…have to think about it.

By: Debbie

Debbie — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 21:54:00 +0000

Great suggestions, need to catch up on my reading! Think men would go more for Atwood’s Bodily Harm than Handmaid’s Tale. About a freelance journalist who gets caught up in political turmoil while on a touristy travel assignment.

By: rk

rk — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 14:40:00 +0000

Bookmarking this list for my next trip to the library; thanks for the tips! I know this is for big kids, but elementary-middle-school boys would do well to read Judy Blume. The guys in my life who weren’t ashamed to pick up Margaret and Blubber and Deenie 30-40 years ago seem to love and appreciate women more than those who stuck to sci-fi.

By: Elton

Elton — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 09:53:00 +0000

The World According to Garp is one great story. At first, I was really bored (because I am naturally fond of reading books) but when I got deeper in the pages of the book and in the story, I was really dragged to read it ’til the end. LOL>