Time Magazine Top 10 Fiction Books 2013 - Page 2

BelleZora · 12-31-2013, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickyWithNook

I've read that women read books by men much more than men read books by women. Even with kids, girls will read books by men and with boy main characters, but boys won't read books by women and with girl main characters.

I doubt this is as true now as it once was. Boys are reading The Hunger Games trilogy. Boys, once upon a time, seemed to feel that enjoying something written by women endangered their manhood, but they seem more secure now.

BelleZora · 12-31-2013, 04:19 PM

I'm reading Life After Life now, and it's one of the best books I've read all year.

Xanthe · 12-31-2013, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

Wow! What an amazing source on which to draw for fiction should you write.....

I suppose it would be, if I would every truly apply myself to writing and wasn't such a mañana-type of personality.

Tarana · 12-31-2013, 05:42 PM

What are they using for their criteria? Inferno should be on there. Total sales surpassed everything else.

Tarana · 12-31-2013, 05:47 PM

I have the Neil Gaiman and Joe Hill books on my TBR list, but the rest I'll probably pass on. I just finished a Kate Atkinson book (Case Histories), but it only rated average for me.

morriss003 · 01-01-2014, 01:01 AM

Didn't read any of these.

tubemonkey · 01-01-2014, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xanthe

I read for sheer escapism and entertainment.

Most definitely!

Ninjalawyer · 01-01-2014, 10:54 AM

My wife has had Joe Hill's book on my coffee table, ready to be read, for a good chunk of the year. Maybe I'll have to actually crack it.

The only book on that list I've read so far is The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and I actually didn't think it was very good. It was a short book, but it actually felt like there wasn't enough story to fill the pages, and what story there was just didn't resonate with me.

pdurrant · 01-01-2014, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ninjalawyer

The only book on that list I've read so far is The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and I actually didn't think it was very good. It was a short book, but it actually felt like there wasn't enough story to fill the pages, and what story there was just didn't resonate with me.

Oh. How interesting. It is a short book, but I really liked it.

jersysman · 01-02-2014, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickyWithNook

Hmm 6 of the 10 are written by women. That's just over half, so slightly most. I assume the ones written by women are the "female friendly" books?

I've read that women read books by men much more than men read books by women. Even with kids, girls will read books by men and with boy main characters, but boys won't read books by women and with girl main characters.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BelleZora

I doubt this is as true now as it once was. Boys are reading The Hunger Games trilogy. Boys, once upon a time, seemed to feel that enjoying something written by women endangered their manhood, but they seem more secure now.

I agree, I think men now will read books by female authors and won't bat an eye. Two of my favorites are Janet Evanovich and Sue Grafton. There are lots of others, but those two stand out to me. I wonder how many of those books men read a lot of in the past was actually written by women? I bet a good percentage of them were.

orlok · 01-02-2014, 04:59 PM

I have only read NOS4R2 and Life After Life (well deserving of the #1 position, I think), so I clearly have some catching up to do.

And I have no problem whatsoever reading books by women. In fact, some of my best friends are women...

Penforhire · 01-02-2014, 07:55 PM

I'm a guy but an author's gender is not in my conscious criteria for choosing what to read. I didn't know China Mieville was a man until after reading a second or third book of his.

I often read books recommended to me by certain female friends. And yes, that got me to read both the Hunger Games and Twilight series.

HG book 1 was great but 2 and 3 slid into mediocrity and worse. I slogged through the Twilight books but they did come across as overly sentimental young adult tripe. I didn't empathize with the wishy-washy protagonist (and sparkly vampires make me gag).

NOS4A2 is not Joe Hill's first book. It must be hard for him to escape his father's incredible shadow, especially in the horror genre. I haven't read it yet but I did enjoy his Heart Shaped Box.

Canuck_in_Japan · 01-03-2014, 01:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarana

What are they using for their criteria? Inferno should be on there. Total sales surpassed everything else.

Not sure if serious but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

orlok · 01-03-2014, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarana

What are they using for their criteria? Inferno should be on there. Total sales surpassed everything else.

I agree it would be useful to know how this was judged, but if volume of sales were the only criteria used to decide on the top 10 "best" books of 2013, what a sorry state we would be in.

kennyc · 01-03-2014, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orlok

I agree it would be useful to know how this was judged, but if volume of sales were the only criteria used to decide on the top 10 "best" books of 2013, what a sorry state we would be in.

Yep, like music, The Billboard Awards(sales) vs People's Choice vs Grammies vs....

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12-31-2013, 04:19 PM	#17
BelleZora Wizard Posts: 1,442 Karma: 25151986 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Seattle, US Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Libra 2, Pocketbook Verse Pro Color	I'm reading Life After Life now, and it's one of the best books I've read all year.

12-31-2013, 05:42 PM	#19
Tarana Wizard Posts: 4,038 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	What are they using for their criteria? Inferno should be on there. Total sales surpassed everything else.

12-31-2013, 05:47 PM	#20
Tarana Wizard Posts: 4,038 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	I have the Neil Gaiman and Joe Hill books on my TBR list, but the rest I'll probably pass on. I just finished a Kate Atkinson book (Case Histories), but it only rated average for me.

01-01-2014, 01:01 AM	#21
morriss003 Evangelist Posts: 438 Karma: 3409790 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Maui Device: kindle	Didn't read any of these.

01-01-2014, 10:54 AM	#23
Ninjalawyer Guru Posts: 826 Karma: 18573626 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Touch, Nexus 7 (2013)	My wife has had Joe Hill's book on my coffee table, ready to be read, for a good chunk of the year. Maybe I'll have to actually crack it. The only book on that list I've read so far is The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and I actually didn't think it was very good. It was a short book, but it actually felt like there wasn't enough story to fill the pages, and what story there was just didn't resonate with me.

01-02-2014, 04:59 PM	#26
orlok Close to the Edit! Posts: 9,797 Karma: 267994408 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis, Amazon Fire 8", Kindle 6"	I have only read NOS4R2 and Life After Life (well deserving of the #1 position, I think), so I clearly have some catching up to do. And I have no problem whatsoever reading books by women. In fact, some of my best friends are women...

01-02-2014, 07:55 PM	#27
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	I'm a guy but an author's gender is not in my conscious criteria for choosing what to read. I didn't know China Mieville was a man until after reading a second or third book of his. I often read books recommended to me by certain female friends. And yes, that got me to read both the Hunger Games and Twilight series. HG book 1 was great but 2 and 3 slid into mediocrity and worse. I slogged through the Twilight books but they did come across as overly sentimental young adult tripe. I didn't empathize with the wishy-washy protagonist (and sparkly vampires make me gag). NOS4A2 is not Joe Hill's first book. It must be hard for him to escape his father's incredible shadow, especially in the horror genre. I haven't read it yet but I did enjoy his Heart Shaped Box.