is there an ereader market for straight men?

[wyndslash]

this is why i want a gay man

[patrickt]

C'mon folks. What are the chances a straight guy would have a screen name of Hermes? What, was Bruce already taken?

[JSWolf]

This thread should have been closed before it was started.

[hermes]

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

Good fiction does this far better than non-fiction. Non-fiction provides information; fiction provides understanding. I believe your post may be a case in point. -Wait. I think my post is.

For useful information for travel I find travel *literature* better than travel guides. I've almost stopped even reading travel guides except for the very most basic information. I mean do I really need a book to tell me where is a cheap place to sleep - just look near the bus station. You want to go up a peg - the train station. Want to get laid - any taxi driver an direct one to the hooker zone. Want to learn what's on this month? Buy a newspaper.

In fact, many travel guides seem to be written by persons who have never even lived in the country they are paid to write about - Rough Guides are a case in point.

"Non-fiction provides information; fiction provides understanding."

I like that.

[hermes]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

To be fair, I believe the OP's tongue was at least partially in his cheek... hot-button-topic attention-whoring aside.

Partially in my cheek indeed. But not wholly.

[SensualPoet]

Originally Posted by outlander78

You included the history of warfare in the list of subjects that only women and gay men would enjoy reading. Surely you are trolling?

Now, now ... don't call the OP Shirley. His name's Hermes.

Originally Posted by leebase

And what real man needs books on how to get laid? Books depicting sex, sure. But if you need tips on how to get there....well...

Every gay man I happen to know is very good at getting laid. As far as I know, none needed a book, either.

Originally Posted by hermes

Partially in my cheek indeed. But not wholly.

I have to admit, this is the most disturbing part.

You have, what appears to be, an odd way of expressing yourself. Perhaps you'll be a little more, erm, straight-forward about your next request. Your headline is designed to create controversy without backing up in your note what exactly you want.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by Kevin2960

Well I was straight when I woke this morning, and I've read using my Kindle, haven't noticed any changes in my sexual preferences so I guess I'm still straight ... Am I odd ?

Of course I am, but I think most the men using eReaders are straight, and normal and just enjoy books, gadgets and convenience in the way they read and carry books around ... I think that's pretty much like anyone else who uses an eReader !

Oh and I don't give a Damn whether another eReader fan is Straight, Gay or a Martian Asexual Creature, if they like reading, I pretty much like them !

You're not alone Kevin, I can claim the same thing, including being odd. lol. Of course I think us odd people number in the majority since no one has as yet reached a consensus as to what is normal vs. odd so I guess we're doing ok.

[CazMar]

I was going to ask my partner about this - but I took one look at him (6 foot 4" in socks and usually found dismantling his car) and decided it was probably a really stupid question!
And yes, he likes reading, but usually on his phone.
Could one reason the phone/ebook reader might be more popular with men than a dedicated ebook reader be the ability to carry the phone clipped to a belt? Do they perceive the ebook reader as too fragile-looking? Is there a market for a chunkier ebook reader with a set of socket spanners built into the back? (OK - I'll take my tongue out of my cheek now!)

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by hermes

A publisher friend i
n NYC tells me that book buyers are overwhelmingly females and homosexual men. Truth or fact?

I guess that based on your comment and your friend's comment, most men here are homosexual.

Was your post a joke or you're serious?

[hermes]

This is the paraphrase version of my unedited email, which was if readers will read the subject title correctly, clearly states that this is not ME 'speaking'.

1. (not me): Female and gay consumers constitute the largest niche markets for fiction.

2. (not me): Ebooks do not have a lot of images because images don't reproduce well.

3. (not me): There is no evidence that ebooks are overwhelmingly fiction. The opposite might very well be true.

So, according to this person (not gay btw) I was completely wrong on three counts..

[hermes]

Originally Posted by mcrow24

The OP is so bizzare I don't even know how to respond.

As far as I know readers are ranked by number like this:

#1-Straight Females
#2 Straigth Males
#3- Gay Females and Males

The % of gays is so low that I highly doubt you could combine both gay females and males and have half the number male readers.

Perhaps what question would be more useful to advertising researchers would be..

What percentage of gays purchase ebooks/standard books?

vs.

What percentage of non-gays purchase same?

And to sociologists...

Do gay men read more than straight men?

And to net forum flamers...

Do straight men read less than bent men, and how bent is really bent?

But ultimately, who cares? How could this be accurately measured and is it worth the time? I suppose it depends how much free time one has on one's hands. Obviously, I have too much!

[hermes]

"The titles I would pay $500 for are...

How to Make a Million Dollars Photographing the Most Beautiful Women in the World"

This post was inspired by a National Lampoon article from the 1970s by P.J. O'Rourke titled 'If Men Ran the Fashion Industry'. The illustration was a nude nubile female with a mattress strapped to her back. I found that piece both hilarious and truthful.

[jocampo]

Hermes,

No offense, but your questions are comments are similar to ... do black people read more than white , or... do Latin people read less than Americans....

Reading abilities are more related to basic school education and income. Poor countries usually shown low reading rates because children do not have the opportunities of going to school and/or read; you won't find many public libraries on those places.

I am straight, but I have no issues with gay people. Their sexual preferences have nothing to do with their reading preferences, at all! I know gay people who read a lot, and others who don't care. There is no relationship whatsoever.

[hermes]

Originally Posted by wyndslash

...what? o_o; i think i got confused trying to reconcile the second part of your post with the first part...

There were really 2 subjects in my post: 1) [explicit] exaggerated examples of my tastes in how-to books (usually disappointing unless the area is technical); 2) [implicit] what gender and sexual habits are the most profitable markets

[hermes]

Originally Posted by outlander78

You included the history of warfare in the list of subjects that only women and gay men would enjoy reading. Surely you are trolling?

Of course, military history is more likely to be read by men, and I am not sure sexuality makes any difference {'Don't ass, don't tell'). I *am* however suggesting that leather boys do not lead the rainbow parade celebrating Roman legion tactics.

This was my fault not separating several subjects in my post.