Are you region-ist?

[bjones6416]

I admit that I'm surprised to even see this question, I guess because it has honestly never crossed my mind to choose my reading material based on the author's nationality (or region). Interesting...

[ebusinesstutor]

Not region-ist at all.

I don't even know any Canadian authors. Wasn't upset when Jennifer Fallon turned out to be Australian. Have read many great British sci fi writers.

Not an issue for me. I pick them based on how much I like the writing.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by issybird

If I were regionist, I'd have to read Dan Brown, who lives about ten miles away. Can't think of a more compelling argument for broadening my horizons!

You can add Stephen King if you just broaden a little wider.

[Grimm]

Meh, I'm absolutely NOT politically correct so "-ists" and "-isms" are more than a little annoying and silly to me. That said, if the book is good, I couldn't care less where the author is from.

[ATDrake]

If an author's Canadian, I'll pay slightly more attention when browsing (the library puts these little maple-leaf stickers on the spines of Canadian-authored books, which helps them stand out).

But ultimately my reading choices are based on the book's actual appeal, and I don't limit myself or even give Canadian authors first preference when it comes to trying out new stuff.

Though I admit to being morbidly drawn to stories set in Canada by people who aren't Canadian and have not lived here for an extended period of time, just to see how horribly and hilariously wrong they've gotten things.

However, if it turns out they're Canadian and I like their work, I'll probably talk up their books to people in the recs threads a little more than I might have otherwise.

Gotta help support local industry if it's producing worthwhile product, don'tchaknow.

[GraceKrispy]

To add to my earlier response: with regards to which US state the author calls home, I do find that I read books a little more closely when they take place in settings with which I am very familiar. I have read at least one or two books *because* of the setting, but I never turn a book away because of the setting.

[SeaBookGuy]

I read everything from a cozy mystery series set in my own neighborhood (Mary Daheim's series featuring
B & B proprietress Judith Flynn) to a novel set in 1950's Calcutta (Chowringhee by Sankar, all the major characters are Indians).

[gmw]

Originally Posted by GraceKrispy

To add to my earlier response: with regards to which US state the author calls home, I do find that I read books a little more closely when they take place in settings with which I am very familiar. I have read at least one or two books *because* of the setting, but I never turn a book away because of the setting.

Thank you, I believe that puts it very well.

I was a bit worried by some of the responses - that some seemed to suggest my OP was region-ist with all the worst connotations, and I'd rather hoped for better from myself. I don't care about the story or author's region/nationality after I've read a book, I either liked it or I didn't, but it definitely can have an impact on my initial decision to try the work (out of the very many choices available). Despite this tendency, in a separate thread listing 11 top novels my submission had no Australian authors listed (not that we don't have some very good authors, just that so far none have made it that far up my list of favourites).

[Xanthe]

No, I'm not a regionist. As was mentioned by another poster, if there is an unfamiliar turn of phrase in a book, I might look up where an author is from, but I don't specifically buy books by authors from one particular region or another. The premise of the book is what drives my purchase.

If I'm setting meta tags on books, I might set one for the setting of the story, but I never set any for the nationality/region of the author.

If an author turns out to be from my home state, I'll think "cool" and then perhaps pay more attention to the locales mentioned to see if he/she got it correct, but I don't look for home-grown authors.

[hgwlackey]

Where an author's from or where a story is set is incidental; I just want the story to be good. When I go looking for new books (and when am I not looking for new books?), my criteria is more to do with buzz (how I hear about a fair amount of books in the first place), reviews, writing style, characters and subject matter.

[viola]

For a long time I was anti-regionist. For fun (as in non literary reading) I mainly read thrillers (Jeffrey Deaver, that sort of thing) and after one horrible experience with an Irish thriller I was turned right off them - coupled with the fact that a lot of modern Irish writers seemed to be of the Marian Keyes/Cecilia Ahern mould, or of the 'wasn't life awful in Ireland in the...whenever', both of which I can't bear.

Then I joined a book club, and was introduced to a whole new range of Irish authors, which has broadened my approach a bit.

Originally Posted by Hatgirl

I'm telling myself that every Irish book I buy is helping the country dig itself out of the Recession. It's my patriotic duty to buy and read as much as possible!

And now, I've an extra reason for buying a few Irish books (especially now that the artist's exemption has been reduced...!). Who would have thought it, reading as a patriotic action. I can work with that!

[DDHarriman]

No I'm not.

[Latinandgreek]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

Well, there's usually some blurb about the author at the start of the book. Plus, I tend to know something about most authors I read.

I like to read up about the author of a book before I read it (I'll just quickly google the author or even look him/her up on wikipedia). I feel like it adds something to my reading.

[Latinandgreek]

Originally Posted by ATDrake

If an author's Canadian, I'll pay slightly more attention when browsing (the library puts these little maple-leaf stickers on the spines of Canadian-authored books, which helps them stand out).

But ultimately my reading choices are based on the book's actual appeal, and I don't limit myself or even give Canadian authors first preference when it comes to trying out new stuff.

Though I admit to being morbidly drawn to stories set in Canada by people who aren't Canadian and have not lived here for an extended period of time, just to see how horribly and hilariously wrong they've gotten things.

However, if it turns out they're Canadian and I like their work, I'll probably talk up their books to people in the recs threads a little more than I might have otherwise.

Gotta help support local industry if it's producing worthwhile product, don'tchaknow.

I feel the same way. The little maple leaf flags used to always catch my eye, and often I'd pick up an author that I perhaps wouldn't have otherwise.

Also, if I like a book by an author from a particular country, I find that I am more likely to read books from another author from the same country. For example, after reading (and enjoying) Yukio Mishima and Banana Yoshimoto, I began to actively seek out other authors from Japan, and that turned me on to Kenzaburo Oe, Yasunari Kawabata, Haruki Murakami and Natsuo Kirino.

I've never turned down a book, however, because the author came from a particular region or country. I'll read anything if the plot sounds interesting or if it is recommend by someone who's opinions I value.

[Hatgirl]

Originally Posted by gmw

I was a bit worried by some of the responses - that some seemed to suggest my OP was region-ist with all the worst connotations, and I'd rather hoped for better from myself. I don't care about the story or author's region/nationality after I've read a book, I either liked it or I didn't, but it definitely can have an impact on my initial decision to try the work (out of the very many choices available).

Heh. Yes, I think some people thought your OP was asking "Are you frightened by the outside world? Do you only read things written within a 5 mile radius of your house in case strangers infect your mind with new thoughts? If someone uses a phrase you are not familiar with do you throw the book against the wall"

I took it as "Do you consciously keep an eye out for books written by authors from your country/state? If so, how come? Is it to support local artists or for another reason that I haven't thought of?"