Boys and girls are different. Their taste in books is best pictured using a Venn diagram - it overlaps in part but not entirely. I am reminded of this whenever I start gushing about a book I loved as a child to my husband only to find out that he didn't read it. And how can you understand someone without appreciating the books she holds dear? So I'm "assigning" him the following books, not all of which are children's books. They are all books that I have read over and over again. He's worried that they are all girly books about emotions. Here, in no particular order, is his homework. Most are classics that require no description.
1. All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor
2. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
3. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
4. From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg
5. Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk
6. Time and Again by Jack Finney
7. The Ramona series by Beverly Cleary
8. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
What traditionally girly books do you wish the men and boys in your life would read?
He should work on a list for you to read!
ReplyDeleteYes -- I've read those but I wanted to know what books were on the list guys want gals to read. Although with my two boys I'm at least getting a taste -- Go Alex Rider.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested to see you cast Time and Again as a girl book -- it was one of my favorites too, but seems totally male-focused to me. I think my dad recommended it to me.
ReplyDeleteWe wrote a bit about chick lit and what its male equivalent might be on Annie and Aunt: http://annieandaunt.blogspot.com/2011/03/male-equivalent-of-ya-chick-lit.html
And of course there's some middle ground/crossover, like The Westing Game: http://annieandaunt.blogspot.com/2011/03/teen-lit-to-pleasantly-obsess-both-boys.html
Annie, you're right, Time and Again is the one guy book on the list, I should have made that clear. And of course, when he asked me which he should start with, I gave him that one. So far he claims to be enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteIf you're right my marriage is doomed because I cannot get through the Lord of the Rings!
ReplyDeleteFrom the male perspective an equivalent "assignment" would actually not involve books. Even reasonably intelligent and well read men value music (specifically the music they first heard between the ages of 15 and 25) and movies (similar time frame) more than the books they love. Thus, the equivalent "assignment" from a man would involve movies and music. Those men are just more cave man like and less advanced.
ReplyDeleteI read most of these. I think my mom used to be babysat by daughter/author fromthe all-of-a-kind family.
ReplyDeleteMy 3rd-8th grade list:
The Great Brain series
Henry Reed, Inc,
Ringworld
Wrinkle in time
Wizard apprentice
Lots and lots of star trek books and movie adaptations. You want to see what I read? They're all still there in Westport.