The latest research shows fewer people are reading books these days. Sales of books have remained generally “flat” for the last decade or so, and there’s no sign of that changing. Surveys have shown, in fact, that more older people read books than younger ones, forecasting the next generation as one even less inclined to read.

However, among those who are reading, girls and women are said to read quite a bit more than boys and men.

A Far Cry from History

Interestingly, women were forbidden from reading for centuries. Because they were unable to read, women did not have the perspective that well-read men did, making them seem unintelligent and “unworthy” of education. The cycle continued – women were seen as not smart enough for education, and this lack of education made them seem not smart.

But now, it seems, women are making up for lost time.

The latest figures show clearly that women are the main readers today, with a few exceptions (certain genres, for instance, are more widely read by boys/men than women.)

What Are Women Reading?

It’s been shown that women prefer fiction, and are the primary readers of this genre. Men, if they choose to read, tend to gravitate toward non-fiction publications. Bookstore employees report that women and men may come in the front doors together, but the men head for non-fiction (such as history and biographies) and women toward the fiction.

The novel remains a largely female-dominated field in terms of readership. Both men and women wrote novels in the past, but most novels today are written by women. Interestingly, women authors still abbreviate their names with initials (J.K. Rowling, S.E. Hinton, etc.), a practice generally reserved for those women writers who wished to sound more masculine.

The Novel: Dependent on Women?

It’s been said that, without women, the novel as a literary form would simply disappear. That may be an exaggeration, but the realm of novel-writing and novel-reading is dominated by women. Just why this is has been studied and conjectured for years, but the fact remains that novels are more popular among females.

A modern realm of writing that is not dominated by women – but in which women have a strong and significant voice – is blogging. In addition, fan-fiction is an almost entirely female niche, with some women and girls being paid to publish their fan-fiction in the form of books. Add to that the self-publishing industry, which is gaining respect and popularity everywhere, and it looks like women will be writing – and reading – into the future.

So, mom, tell me.  Are you a reader?  What do you like to read?  Do your children (boys and girls) enjoy reading too?  How are you instilling a love of reading in your kids?