I just read King's article on manfiction. He's right, of course. There is such a thing, and I've been reading it since I was a kid, and still am. His recommendations are right on the money, too. The problem with all of this though, is that he doesn't really address his own point. Is the fact that there is still manfiction around proof that men are still reading, or is it, like some of the above posts suggest, that women are reading manfiction? I can tell you that there are a lot of guys out there, and I mean A LOT, who simply do not read anything. And more who read only internet blogs, and maybe a newspaper or magazine, but certainly no books. This seems to me to be especially true of younger guys. It sadly has become fashionable to think that to read is either "nerdy" or, even worse for a young guy, "gay." Anyone who thinks this isn't true should ask their sons (or daughters). I remember reading a while ago that Stephen King was the kind of kid in high school who walked around with a paperback book in his back pocket. I was too - although maybe it was in my backpack if not my pocket. I suspect that is a dying breed. I think it's also true though, of adult men. I personally know almost no men who read books. (Which maybe is why I'm in this book club.) When was the last time you heard a guy talk about the book he read?
James H
